soft shackles

[tudorsailor]

I made some myself. Very easy with a fid. For the knot, I didn't use a fancy knot. I just did a half hitch and dipped it in glue to hold. Works fine. You notice that the eye of the soft shackle is very small when closed. This is important I think.

I am trying to make a soft shackle from 6mm braid on braid. Cannot get the cover open enough to pass the free end through. Is this why one needs to use dyneema?

TS

 

[ghostlymoron]

Thanks Nigel

A very long polymer: Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE, UHMW) is a subset of the thermoplastic polyethylene. Also known as high-modulus polyethylene, (HMPE), or high-performance polyethylene (HPPE), it has extremely long chains, with a molecular weight usually between 2 and 6 million. Source Wikipedia

Thanks Nigel, as predicted, it means nothing to me even without the full formula.

 

[onesea]

I am trying to make a soft shackle from 6mm braid on braid. Cannot get the cover open enough to pass the free end through. Is this why one needs to use dyneema?

TS

When I make them I used the core and disposed of the cover (well actually I made another out of the cover but am aware that the strength is weakend on both).

 

[knuterikt]

Soft Shackles, loups etc have been used by rock climbers for decades, they were boringly called slings (and were knotted, not spliced) - its odd they took so long to reach the marine industry, maybe it was the introduction of Dyneema that was needed. Rock climbers used tape, hence my use of tape (my idea is hardly original).

Loups and other soft attachments is nothing new in the marine industry. It was used for a lot of applications when sail & muscle power was the only propulsion method

As a lot of other "new" inventions in sailing that are re-inventions.
-Slab reefing
-loos footed main sails
-lashing for attachment

Technically soft shackles is not a splice but a knot but dyneema loops are spliced.

 

[knuterikt]

Pictures? never took any, never thought they'd be of interest! I'll try to make ammends

I would like to know how it was constructed / the knot used

 

[Neeves]

I would like to know how it was constructed / the knot used

Be patient, when I get to the boat I'll try to remember to take pictures!

But to avoid frustration - the only useful webbing knot I have ever seen is very simple, its a simple overhand knot in one end of the tape. The other end is fed backwards over and throught the knot. You can also use a figure of 8 knot as used at the end of a sheet. With both knots you end up with one 'end' on one side, the other 'end' on the other, one on top, one beneath (or one inside and one out). If you were keen, once its stretched you could sew down the ends flat and neatly. Its in my knot book, so had assumed it was in most of them. My knot book tells me it is very strong (and says its the only safe knot for tape). The knot seems very secure, none of ours have come undone - but you can untie it with a little effort. Its very good for fixing blocks to toe rails (and application often not suited to shackles) especially as the tape spreads the load on the slot. We have used it to fix blocks to pulpits, pushpits and stanchions (you need to check the stanchion is strong enough) as the steel tubing used is usually too big for anything but a monster shackle. Sailmakers sew tape and use it to fix mainsheet blocks to booms, applications are pretty endless (and a couple of metres of decent tape cost much less than the equivalent number of shackles. My tape is rated to 1t. I first saw the knot 40+ years ago when webbing became popular for climbing. I've been using flat 1 inch tape, not tube, and its the same tape I use for the jackstays - and it might be the same tape sailmakers use.

 

[Rossynant]

Soft Shackles, loups etc have been used by rock climbers for decades, they were boringly called slings - its odd they took so long to reach the marine industry

But they were used at sea long before alpinists or in other industries. Even prussik I first saw at sailing course and caves came later. After all rope was first and everything on ships was tied together, hull planks included. Only the braided synthetic rope is probably a new idea and so is the method to form this particular "soft shackle"
Can't recall a single tiny metal shackle on viking ship

 

[tudorsailor]

Success

Bought some 1 metres lengths of Dyneema off eBay. Had real trouble sliding the line inside the cover as shown on the Colligo Marine video. Then had a moment of insight. The video is using the the Dyneema core without the braided polyester cover. So removed the core of dyneema and followed the instructions with ease. I used a fid to pass the line inside itself and hey presto! Made a soft shackle


Happy now

TudorSailor

 

[tudorsailor]

A very long polymer: Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE, UHMW) is a subset of the thermoplastic polyethylene. Also known as high-modulus polyethylene, (HMPE), or high-performance polyethylene (HPPE), it has extremely long chains, with a molecular weight usually between 2 and 6 million. Source Wikipedia

In orthopaedics we use something called fibrewire. In the blurb it is described as multi-strand, long chain ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) core with a braided jacket of polyester and UHMWPE that gives FiberWire® superior strength, soft feel and abrasion resistance that is unequaled in orthopaedic surgery. Incredibly expensive

Maybe I should collect unused pieces to keep on board

TS

 

[EdWingfield]

you've given me hope

Bought some 1 metres lengths of Dyneema off eBay. Had real trouble sliding the line inside the cover as shown on the Colligo Marine video. Then had a moment of insight. The video is using the the Dyneema core without the braided polyester cover. So removed the core of dyneema and followed the instructions with ease. I used a fid to pass the line inside itself and hey presto! Made a soft shackle


Happy now

TudorSailor

I had exactly the same experience but not your insight!

I will revisit the project. Thanks Matey.

 

[alahol2]

In orthopaedics we use something called fibrewire... ...superior strength, soft feel and abrasion resistance that is unequaled in orthopaedic surgery[/COLOR]. Incredibly expensive

Maybe I should collect unused pieces to keep on board

Or maybe the NHS should nip down to the local chandlers for their supplies

 

[tudorsailor]

Best soft shackle so far

So now have been to the London Boat Show. I bought some coated Dyneema without a jacket, which is a more compact braid. It will be more weather resistant. I have made another soft shackle and it is more better.
.

I then decided to use a strand from the discarded piece to make the pull tag. Now much better still



Tudorsailor