swivel or static shackle

[chippy1]

Hi.
What shackle would anyone recommend for the spinnaker halyard. ie swivel or none swivel & the reason for this.
kind regards
Dave.

 

[Jonny_H]

Swivel is a good idea - that way any twists in the kite can 'unfurl' via the swist shackle. If a standard shackle is used then the twists need to be taken into the halyard which can causes kinks and all sorts of problems when it comes to get it down!

Jonny

 

[William_H]

Yes a swivel shackle may improve your spins ability to untwist if that is a problem. I use one but can still get twists fairly easily so swivel shackle is not always a fix. Obviosly the spin halyard can absorb a fair bit of twist itself.

Generally if a spin is twisted (wineglass) the best bet is to release the halyard and drop it down until it untwists itself (or you can reach it to forceably untwist. And try to get it layed out straight without twists before hoisting. good luck with the mad woman (spinacker that is) olewill

 

[MikeBz]

Almost all of my experience of swivel shackles is that they allow things to twist when you don't want them to. YMMV.

Mike

 

[rudolph_hart]

Second that. During a fair few years of racing, had swivel snaps on all halyards & uphauls, except main. Reduced foul-ups when dropping (& with the kite, when hoisting).

That reminds me, now I've got a fully-battenned main with lazyjacks, I should really change the factory-fitted shackle to a swivel snap..... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[chippy1]

so are you saying to use swivel shackles, i,m still not sure /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[William_H]

Yeah Dave use a swivel shackle to be sure but it is not as vital as you might imagine. Certainly try without. olewill