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Old 27-06-2020, 08:13   #1
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Main Halyard shackle

I am dealing with a shackle on my main halyard that is 46 years old. I like the design but can not operate it with one hand. I am looking at this one that looks identical.

https://ca.binnacle.com/p2020/Ronsta...duct_info.html

I wonder if my old shackle is worn in that it takes two hands to open and close and would a new one let me pul the pin and it opens. Also closing almost always requires 2 hands. I have lubed with various types but to no avail. I have a short cord on the ring to help pull.

Char
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Old 27-06-2020, 08:27   #2
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Re: Main Halyard shackle

I prefer to use a captured pin shackle on the main which does require 2 hands but are more secure. Many snap shackles are made such that if the ring is broken or comes off the pin shoots out.
https://ca.binnacle.com/Sailboat-Har...414/index.html
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Old 27-06-2020, 15:08   #3
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Re: Main Halyard shackle

best one handed shackle design by far (wichard has a similar equally good model)

https://www.tylaska.com/product/t8-snap-shackle/
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Old 27-06-2020, 15:58   #4
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Re: Main Halyard shackle

Cheapest and easiest to work shackle is no shackle at all. Tie in the halyard with a bowline or buntline hitch and you've save enough for a great lunch for two and weight aloft. You can also easily change wear areas by tieing the knot in different areas and/or trim off a few inches occasionally. It's also easy to end for end the halyard occasionally to equal out UV damage.
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Old 27-06-2020, 16:35   #5
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Re: Main Halyard shackle

Quote:
Originally Posted by Char99 View Post
I am dealing with a shackle on my main halyard that is 46 years old. I like the design but can not operate it with one hand. I am looking at this one that looks identical.

https://ca.binnacle.com/p2020/Ronsta...duct_info.html

I wonder if my old shackle is worn in that it takes two hands to open and close and would a new one let me pul the pin and it opens. Also closing almost always requires 2 hands. I have lubed with various types but to no avail. I have a short cord on the ring to help pull.

Char
Stuff doesn’t last forever

Replace... it’s easier than going up the mast to retrieve a skied halyard

I prefer D type for halyards

Trip shackles are best at eye level were they can be inspected and serviced
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Old 27-06-2020, 17:43   #6
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Re: Main Halyard shackle

Blimey crikey that’s a lot of cash for a shackle. Put a splice in the halyard and use a soft shackle, easy
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Old 27-06-2020, 18:08   #7
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Re: Main Halyard shackle

I understand the desire for one handed operation... pretty much needed on our boat too. And t hat IMO precludes the soft shackle option. So, we use a big snap shackle for the main halyard, and it is an antique, likely over 40 years old, chromed bronze construction. Never has been a problem with it opening accidentally... something often quoted as a problem by internet experts.

So, to your problem: if lubricating hasn't helped, check that there is not a bit of grit jammed in the barrel that the pin slides in... should be quite free. If that doesn't fix it, see if the pin has somehow been allowed to extend a bit further than originally... like a smaller diameter ring on the "pull" end or whatever limits the extension of the pin. Even a couple of mm extra extension will defeat the one handed operation.

If all your efforts fail, you don't need to buy a super strong Tylaska shackle or even a Ronstan one. The relatively cheap imports, if properly sized, will do just fine in that application, and are way less expensive.

good luck,

Jim
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Old 27-06-2020, 18:27   #8
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Re: Main Halyard shackle

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Originally Posted by Tillsbury View Post
Blimey crikey that’s a lot of cash for a shackle. Put a splice in the halyard and use a soft shackle, easy
Soft shackles are a weak solution for Halyards

Twists in the halyard , Torsion , is concentrated at the dead end of a halyard

Without a swivel to remove this torsion it is transmitted to the soft shackle

Dyneema performs poorly under torsion

Best to stick with a D that handles torsion or a swivel shackle that removes torsion on halyards
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Old 27-06-2020, 18:33   #9
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Re: Main Halyard shackle

Over time shackles may bend ever so slightly making operation not as smooth as initially.


For cleaning, you may try boiling.


If the shackle is soft metal and is not deformed, you may find that polishing the pin and the inside of the pin holding hole helps.


In our boat the shackles are from some golden alloy and they have only a limited lifespan.


Note if your halyard has a wire end, some shackles have no halyard receiving opening and may require a small part of the wire cut and then re-swaged with a talurite.



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Old 27-06-2020, 18:39   #10
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Re: Main Halyard shackle

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Originally Posted by barnakiel View Post
Over time shackles may bend ever so slightly making operation not as smooth as initially.


For cleaning, you may try boiling.


If the shackle is soft metal and is not deformed, you may find that polishing the pin and the inside of the pin holding hole helps.


In our boat the shackles are from some golden alloy and they have only a limited lifespan.


Note if your halyard has a wire end, some shackles have no halyard receiving opening and may require a small part of the wire cut and then re-swaged with a talurite.



b.

When a snap shackle fails it’s almost always the axle pin assembly

Probably crevice corrosion
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Old 27-06-2020, 18:48   #11
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Re: Main Halyard shackle

why on earth would you want a snap shackle on your main halyard ?

just how often do you take it on / off ? in a hurry ? the only time our main halyard is detached is once a year when the sail comes off the boat for maintenance

keep it simple...a bowline is perfectly fine, or if you want to be a bit tidier, a captive pin D shackle.

cheers,
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Old 27-06-2020, 18:54   #12
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Re: Main Halyard shackle

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Originally Posted by Jim Cate View Post
I understand the desire for one handed operation... pretty much needed on our boat too. And t hat IMO precludes the soft shackle option. So, we use a big snap shackle for the main halyard, and it is an antique, likely over 40 years old, chromed bronze construction. Never has been a problem with it opening accidentally... something often quoted as a problem by internet experts.

So, to your problem: if lubricating hasn't helped, check that there is not a bit of grit jammed in the barrel that the pin slides in... should be quite free. If that doesn't fix it, see if the pin has somehow been allowed to extend a bit further than originally... like a smaller diameter ring on the "pull" end or whatever limits the extension of the pin. Even a couple of mm extra extension will defeat the one handed operation.

If all your efforts fail, you don't need to buy a super strong Tylaska shackle or even a Ronstan one. The relatively cheap imports, if properly sized, will do just fine in that application, and are way less expensive.

good luck,

Jim
In addition to checking for grit, I wonder if the pin might have been bent, causing friction sliding in the barrel.
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Old 27-06-2020, 18:56   #13
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Re: Main Halyard shackle

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Originally Posted by roverhi View Post
Cheapest and easiest to work shackle is no shackle at all. Tie in the halyard with a bowline or buntline hitch and you've save enough for a great lunch for two and weight aloft. You can also easily change wear areas by tieing the knot in different areas and/or trim off a few inches occasionally. It's also easy to end for end the halyard occasionally to equal out UV damage.

^^ This.
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Old 27-06-2020, 19:47   #14
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Re: Main Halyard shackle

I find it funny that I have each of the shackles referenced in this thread currently on board my boat. The Wichard key pin shackle is on my boom topping lift. The Ronstan snap shackle is on my spinnaker halyard. The Tylaska T8 used to be my anchor chain shackle.

My genoa is roller furling and is just a pin in the furler's head housing.

My main has a block on the main head, with the halyard on a screw bolt shackle at the mast head, and the block attaches to the main head with a screw bolt shackle as well.

I REALLY like key pin shackles. I like that it's a contained pin so I don't have to worry about losing anything. I like that it's easy to operate. I like that it has a satisfying "CLICK" It does not feel like it would be as reliable as a snap shackle in heavy loads. But it's a nice sleek package that shouldn't snack or have other bulk problems that you'd get with the other two.

Snap shackles are super great. But there are a lot of moving parts to fail. Though I've literally never heard of one failing in my 35+ years of sailing. And I've sailed with dudes who undersize stuff.

The Tylaska is a very interesting piece of equipment. Like I said, mine was the chain hook for our boat. I believe it was dramatically undersized for that role, but it worked for us in Bahamas blows up to around 25kts. Ours is probably 10 years old, regularly submerged in actual sea water and seabed muck, and it looks and operates great. We replaced it with a Mantus chain hook which I will replace again this week. It's too damn big.
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Old 27-06-2020, 20:14   #15
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Re: Main Halyard shackle

Quote:
Originally Posted by chrisr View Post
why on earth would you want a snap shackle on your main halyard ?

just how often do you take it on / off ? in a hurry ? the only time our main halyard is detached is once a year when the sail comes off the boat for maintenance

keep it simple...a bowline is perfectly fine, or if you want to be a bit tidier, a captive pin D shackle.

cheers,
Chris, on Insatiable II I must stand on a folding mast step to barely reach the head of the mainsail. At this position balance requires one hand to hold onto something on the mast to keep from falling over backwards... not a pleasing prospect for old bones! thus a one-handed device is a big help to me.

And we take the halyard off the sail at t he end of every sailing day, leading it off to avoid halyard slapping (just in case SB1 should be anchored nearby). We also use that halyard to raise and lower the outboard from the dinghy, so for us, easy connection with one hand is crucial. And that old snap shackle just keeps on doin' the job for us.

Other boats with other geometries may have no need, but we do and apparently the OP does too.

Jim

PS How far up the river are you now? If you get as far as Ulmarra, CFer Pickles and Jesse lives there and is an interesting chap to talk story with.
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