Attaching Brummel Hooks to Spinnaker

[islander20]

I just finished making some nice tapered sheets for my spinnaker, just in the process of splicing a couple brummel hooks(sister clips) on to the sheets. Im having a hard time figuring out the best way to attach the opposing pair of hooks to the spinnaker? Any ideas? Just tie them on or splice them to the clews?

Thanks

[rhr1956]

I've always been told to tie the sheets to the clews. Those hooks on a flapping clew become little hammers. Not good for teeth or noggin.

[Paul Elliott]

My spin sheets and guys have snap shackles -- Tylaska, similar to this:


You wouldn't want to get hit in the face by one of these, but they don't shake loose and can be released under load. I would be concerned about the Brummell clips, since spinnakers often get the shakes, and sometimes you want to release the sheet or guy at the sail. Sister clips will shake free, but can't be released under load. I wouldn't want to tie the sheet either.

There's a reason that race boats use quick-release snap shackles like the Tylaskas.

[delmarrey]

Have you considered soft shackles?

[Stumble]

+1 on soft shackles

I used to use tylaska's, then switched to titanium shackles (we make them so they went down as "product research". But frankly soft shackles are easier, cheaper, faster, more secure, and when they hit you in the head hurt a lot less.

Plus you can make them up from a few foot of dyneema lashing you have lying around from making new lifelines.

[sailstoo]

Brummel hooks... effective on a dinghy or a small keel boat. I used 'em on my J22 and loved them because they're so light however they did (rarely) come off on the rare occasion the sail flogged. We "whipped" them on to the chute. In other words, we used nylon whipping twine, took maybe 15 - 20 turns around each (the hook and the chute and left them about an inch long) than wrapped coils around that inch ...like whipping the end of a rope, and buried the end with a needle a couple times. Never came off. Looked good. Effective.

[islander20]

Perfect I will whip them on, I have a cal 20 so brummel hooks seemed like the right choice. And those snap shackles were bloody expensive. I've never heard of soft shackles, looks like I have some reading to do!

Thanks for all the help

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by islander20

Perfect I will whip them on, I have a cal 20 so brummel hooks seemed like the right choice. And those snap shackles were bloody expensive. I've never heard of soft shackles, looks like I have some reading to do!

Thanks for all the help

I stopped using hard shackles after a friend of ours got 3 front teeth knocked out on a J-24 by a flogging sail secured with metal shackles. See Soft Shackles