What Are These Wichard Snap Hooks?

[savageseadog]

Has anyone seen these Wichard snap hooks before? What are they used for? I've seen similar fitted to jib tacks with ne eye.

 

[interloper]

I use one for holding my keys.

 

[john_morris_uk]

They are usually used as hank on clips for sails. The two holes are used to stitch them onto the luff.

 

[savageseadog]

They are usually used as hank on clips for sails. The two holes are used to stitch them onto the luff.

I would have thought they were too big for that. They are about 7cm long. They aren't current Wichard product by the way.

 

[Woodlouse]

I would have thought they were too big for that. They are about 7cm long. They aren't current Wichard product by the way.

They're hank on clips for big sails. Probably discontinued because they'd be awkward to remove compared to piston hanks.

 

[john_morris_uk]

I would have thought they were too big for that. They are about 7cm long. They aren't current Wichard product by the way.

7 cm is a LOT smaller than some of the hanks I've used on sails on some boats...

 

[Daydream believer]

They are much easier to fit onto the forestay than piston hanks as they can be fitted one handed
However, The problem with these hooks is that items such as the spinnaker halliard or spinnaker sheet can accidentally clip itself into the jaw. With a piston hank this cannot happen

 

[prv]

However, The problem with these hooks is that items such as the spinnaker halliard or spinnaker sheet can accidentally clip itself into the jaw.

Or, if set flying, next to another headsail set conventionally, they can clip themselves onto the forestay between two hanks of the other sail and then you can't get the flying one down without also lowering the other.

We used to set two jibs this way going downwind in the Army boats when it was too windy for the spinnaker, or at night when not racing. Most of the sails had piston hanks, but the genoa had these hooks.

Pete