Buying Jib Sheet Soft Shackles

[deluxe68]

Trying to research this but mostly finding threads on making your own. Just got new sails for the boat and would like to get rid of the ancient 3/4" jib sheets. The new jib is 90% and was looking to buy 1/2 New England Ropes Sta Set. The sailmaker recommended soft shackles, I was thinking of around 9000 lb for breaking strength. I would like to stay away from the type that have any metal in them. Any recommendations that keep the price reasonable (under $100 each)?

[estarzinger]

Not sure why you don't make your own - it is essentially just tieing a knot . . . But . . . WEST MARINE Dyneema SK-75 Soft Connectors, Soft Shackle, XL Long | West Marine Are probably just fine. Or http://www.apsltd.com/3-16-dyneema-shackle-loop.html a slightly different design - also fine.

[deluxe68]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

Not sure why you don't make your own - it is essentially just tieing a knot . . . But . . . WEST MARINE Dyneema SK-75 Soft Connectors, Soft Shackle, XL Long | West Marine Are probably just fine. Or 3/16 Dyneema Shackle Loop | APS a slightly different design - also fine.

We are not on near the boat, we live in AZ and the boat lives in RI for the time being. Eventually we will probably learn to splice shackles and loops, but for now just looking to get the jib sheets installed for the next time we are on the boat. I like the ones from APS but the specs do not indicate breaking load, I will look a bit more on their web site. Thanks.

[Cruisingscotts]

Defender and Fisheries supply both sell them. I bought a bunch of Robline ones to try out and I would not nessesarrily reccomend them. Dyneema does not melt super well and the finish on the monkey fists or stopper knot have melted line burs. They tend to grab the fibers of the eye. Probably easy enough to remedy, but as Evans said making your own with the time material cost makes it a wash.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by deluxe68

We are not on near the boat, we live in AZ and the boat lives in RI for the time being. Eventually we will probably learn to splice shackles and loops, but for now just looking to get the jib sheets installed for the next time we are on the boat. I like the ones from APS but the specs do not indicate breaking load, I will look a bit more on their web site. Thanks.

Stuck in AZ away from the boat? Sounds like the perfect opportunity to learn how to make them - you can sit there of an evening thinking happy thoughts about how you are going to use them while working on it.

If you follow Seaworthy Lass's instructions, you will have them made in next to no time.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ot-155591.html

Edit: Oh yeh, 6mm should give you your desired breaking strain and is a nice size to work with when learning.

[dlymn]

email Jane at Hyropes Yangzhou HYropes Co., Ltd.. I buy soft shackles from her at US$3.10 each plus freight. Minium order 5, B/s 3600kg, but might be able to get stronger ones. Prompt service and very trustworthy.

[Dougtiff]

Whats wrong with a Bowline ?, been doin that for year's.

[Adrian NAMT]

Originally Posted by dlymn

email Jane at Hyropes Yangzhou HYropes Co., Ltd.. I buy soft shackles from her at US$3.10 each plus freight. Minium order 5, B/s 3600kg, but might be able to get stronger ones. Prompt service and very trustworthy.

I can't find a pic of their soft shackles on their website. Can you please post a pic Thanks

[CAELESTIS]

Originally Posted by deluxe68

Trying to research this but mostly finding threads on making your own. Just got new sails for the boat and would like to get rid of the ancient 3/4" jib sheets. The new jib is 90% and was looking to buy 1/2 New England Ropes Sta Set. The sailmaker recommended soft shackles, I was thinking of around 9000 lb for breaking strength. I would like to stay away from the type that have any metal in them. Any recommendations that keep the price reasonable (under $100 each)?

If you have not purchased the sheets yet, consider Samson MLX. It is a bargain. Stayset is somewhat of a bungy cord.

[deluxe68]

Originally Posted by Dougtiff

Whats wrong with a Bowline ?, been doin that for year's.

The sailmaker said that using a loop splice and soft shackle would not weaken the rope.

[deluxe68]

Originally Posted by CAELESTIS

If you have not purchased the sheets yet, consider Samson MLX. It is a bargain. Stayset is somewhat of a bungy cord.

The StaSet is $1.60 a foot, the MLX is $3.49!

[Dave22q]

There are any number of places to buy soft shackles for low prices. You might start with e-bay. I found a gal in the UK and paid less than half the price that Defender wanted. For the sheets I use sta set and I think they are widely recommended for halyards as well as sheets where stretch is less critical. This thread is the first I heard complaints about sta set being bungy.
You don't have to actually splice the sheets, just double your new sheet and secure the loop in the middle with several inches of whipping leaving a loop opening of 1 or 2 inches. It's not very purist but it works for me. Cheap, easy and no ugly bowlines.

[dlymn]

Originally Posted by Adrian NAMT

I can't find a pic of their soft shackles on their website. Can you please post a pic Thanks

google: soft shackle hyropes and look at the images

[dlymn]

bowlines will get caught on stays when tacking especially with a high ratio genoa. Eye splices on sheets and a soft shackle creates a smooth passage of the clew

[knockabout]

furl the sail as you tack then unfurl neatly tied bowlines with a bit of tape binding the bitter end smooth work ok /we have gone back to cheap stainless spinnaker clips the soft shackles freeze together and get covered in seaweed and crap and have trouble getting them undone with gloves on / the tiny amount of weight difference doesn't matter much with our average speed of 4.5 knots/ you can make soft shackles out of any hard wearing rope / it doesn't have to be dyeena