Twisted shackles

[cliffordpope]

The ones that turn through 90 degrees, as opposed to the ordinary flat kind.
As I rig the boat from scratch, I keep finding numerous situations where use of an ordinary single shackle puts a fitting at the wrong angle. Example - I shackle a block to a mastband for part of the peak haliard, and the sheeve comes out sideways instead of fore and aft, facing the gaff.
It seems inelegant to use two shackles in tandem, so a twisted one is the obvious answer.
I don't have any other stainless steel on the boat, so it is surely wrong to have stainless fittings coupled to galvanised ones.
I've tried all the usual classic chandlers, but they all only do twisted shackles in SS. Is there some reason why these don't seem to be made in galvanised?

 

[Poignard]

I expect it's the usual "No call for them nowadays, Sir" situation.

Have you tried USA sources, such as Jamestown Distributors? You could also get advice from the "Wooden Boat" magazine forum.

Don't know if it's technically possible to do it, but could you get S/S ones plated to look like bronze? Look in Yellow Pages for Anodisers and Platers.

 

[mrswigglestick]

Think it is possible- my works had some s/s thimbles plated to look like bronze for a posh yacht job. I probably could find out where if you like.

 

[Peterduck]

My gaff ketch is all-galvanised in the rigging, so I bought all my rigging needs from local Lifting Industry Suppliers. Galvanised shackles of all shapes and sizes, wire rope, thimbles, rigging screws; the full catastrophe, at industrial prices. My 3-strand laid polyester rope for the running rigging [three sizes] came from a packaging industry supplier. I shudder to think of what I might have paid at the swindlers.
Peter.

 

[cliffordpope]

Thanks for the plating suggestion, twisterowner. However, mine's an all-galvanised job - no posh bronze or brasswork in sight.
I've looked at products from industrial lifting suppliers - no galvanised twisted shackles however.
I'm wondering whether there might be some inherent strength weakness to explain their absence - perhaps only stainless can take the strain within the standard size range?

Can anyone name a specific supplier who can sell twisted galvanised shackles of 1/4" and 3/8" pin size?

 

[Victorious]

errrm.. sorry... but..
I dont think it's the shackle thats wrong..
Either the block should have its eye facing 90deg different.
Or the eye on the mastband should be fac... blah blah
Fixing the problem with a twisted shackle is (imho) the wrong way of doing it

 

[cliffordpope]

Yes, I take the point, and would agree where possible.
But don't eyes on eyebands always go vertically? I've not seen a horizontal eye. It would need to be specially made to order, because the other 3 eyes need to align in the conventional, vertical manner. Only the peak halliard blocks have to point out fore and aft - the throat block points sideways.
Another specific example:
The mainsheet lower block is a large wooden one with a wire strop running round it. It used to shackle to the sheet horse so that the sheeve pointed fore and aft, using a large ordinary shackle. Now I want to change to a double-ended sheet arrangement, so the block needs to turn through 90 degrees, to follow the orientation of the upper double block, similarly turned so that the two sheet ends lead down to new blocks on the quarter.
How do I do this, without a) 2 ordinary shackles or b) a twisted shackle?
Another example: each lower backstay block needs to shackle to its chainplate. With an ordinary shackle, the sheeves point sideways instead of fore and aft, as necessary to get the proper angle for the fall.

 

[Kristal]

I keep a collection of twisted shackles in my shackle box because I would imagine they would be invaluable in setting up a jury rig, and because I use them all over the boat, particularly as I always sail single-handed with small jib hanked on and a twisted shackle works perfectly for attaching the sail to the stemhead.

Incidentally, is there an official name for the little beauties?

/<

 

[Peterduck]

I've heard of, but never tried because I didn't have to, getting stainless steel parts sandblasted to make them look like galvanised steel. Could this be a way out for you?
Peter.

 

[Ships_Cat]

Is certainly possible and can speak from having done it.

On our boat, not a classic, all the ss deck fittings (including bollard, anchor roller structure) and the punched toerail are all sandblasted ss. Certainly, in my view anyway, looks alot better than polished ss on anything other than a pristine kept superyacht.

Obviously can't polish it to clean it but a rust stain remover brushed on (use Grunt Emergel here) or a nail brush or similar with Jif/Cif sorts it.

John

 

[cliffordpope]

That's a good idea so far as appearance goes. I was really thinking about the warnings about mixing SS and galvanised components, eg using SS shackles with galvanised wire. I suppose on most running rigging that's not really likely to be a problem because of the regular movement and routine maintenance.

 

[Ships_Cat]

I can only speak from experience with anchor cables for something similar to your rigging question. If one uses an ss shackle on galv chain there is no problem, maybe some loss of galvanising at the contact point between the pin and the inside of that part of the link it rides on (note am not talking about permanent moorings here). Of course that may just be thru wear.

But in general application terms one can use ss against galv if the mass of ss is small compared to that of the galv component. For example, that is why one can generally use ss screws to fasten galvanised fittngs (although may get some local pitting of galv) but cannot use galv screws to fasten ss fittings.

John

 

[Peterduck]

One possibility is to use S/S shackles and thimbles, and serve the galvanised wire rope over the section which will go around the channel of the thimble before you splice the rope eye. You would need to serve the splice anyway, to protect the wire rope where the fid has damaged the galvanising during the splicing process. The extra thickness caused by the service will mean that you'd have to use a size larger thimble, but this just makes it easier to get the wire rope around it.
Peter.