“NEW” 300% Breaking Strain All Dyneema soft shackle

[Pilgrimtex]

I use them throughout the boat. The only place I want metal or have to have metal is where its screwed to the deck.
If you worry about flogging don't. There is also a trick to ensure you won't slip off.
After you've made the loop. and before tying the knot, make a Brummel lock (you can look it up) just far enough down from the loop so you can still open it just far enough to slip it over the knot. This will keep the loop from enlarging during a flog.
It works.
Walt

[Pilgrimtex]

I routinely give some of my shackles to a friend that has a 50 ft. Beneteau in St Croix to test them under actual conditions in the Caribbean.
He gave one of my older shackles to a friend to help secure his boat for hurricane Maria. He used it to secure his bridal to the anchor chain off his bow. He has a 46 ft. Junneau and her name was Taperstry. He changed it after the storm. LOL.
The boat was in Green Key, St Croix and it survived. The shackle held the bow in 206 knot winds. After the hurricane they had to work a long time to break the anchor free of the bottom it was buried so deep.
Good testimony for Dyneema shackles.
Ernie has also run one of my shackles thru the windlass gypsy with no damage to the shackle. LOL

[Pilgrimtex]

By the way: We have a Facebook page named Sail'n Somewhere. Visit and like us if you want. We also have a page called Texas County Veterans. It is a 501C3 organization that We founded 7 years ago to help Veterans in the rural communities of Texas.
I've since retired from the leadership roll but she is in good hands.
Walt

[jtsailjt]

Great thread, thanks for sharing! When you get your utube video posted I want to download it for use aboard my boat until I’ve done enough to have it memorized. After using a variety of knots and chain hooks I definitely think a soft shackle is the way to attach my snubber to my chain.

I also want to replace my running back stays with dyneema this year since I added a furler to my inner forestay so will be using them more and wonder if you have any suggestions about doing that. I was just planning to put a brummel loop in each end.

[Benz]

Originally Posted by Suijin

So you're going to market this as a product, and not reveal how it's made, is that correct?

I think that pic he posted just before your quoted post tells all. It seems that the button knot simply has the tails going further down the body of the shackle.

[Pilgrimtex]

Benz,
You are part correct but if you want to achieve the extreme breaking strengths there is a lot more to it.
As I’ve said previous; my standard shackle, the one I now nicknamed little brother has been my signature shackle all along and 250-260% is not shabby but I wanted more.
Since Little Brother always broke where there was no additional support, the goal was to run a continuous internal bury the length of the shackle. Since that was an impossibility I opted to extend one of tails from the button knot and bury it as far as I could to meet up with the other tail. To do this I came up with a way to still have that crossover by coming out of the cover and then going back in as shown in the previous pic. Next was how to meet the other tail. There is only so much room for a bury and both buries were of the same diameter line. What I did initially was to overlap at least 4 inches each way. I then under trial and error wound up pulling out 5 strands from each tail starting at the beginning of the overlap on each end and winding down to the 5 strands removed by the other end of the overlap. The diameter of the cover grew somewhat larger at the overlap but not badly so. You also have to taper the remaining strands at the end of each tail so that it lays all nice and even. The result is the equivalent of one tail with 14 strands.
This is the construction of my 280% shackle and it is not just simply constructed. You have to know the shrinkage percent of the dyneema as it is expanded over the bury material. This takes some calculating. You even have to allow for the unburied section where the crossover is verses the other side. If you don’t plan it correctly you wind up with a loop that is too big or too small or no loop at all..
Doing that all correctly will start you on your way to a stronger shackle but you will soon learn there is even more to it.
Walt Spang

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by jtsailjt

Great thread, thanks for sharing! When you get your utube video posted I want to download it for use aboard my boat until I’ve done enough to have it memorized. After using a variety of knots and chain hooks I definitely think a soft shackle is the way to attach my snubber to my chain.

I also want to replace my running back stays with dyneema this year since I added a furler to my inner forestay so will be using them more and wonder if you have any suggestions about doing that. I was just planning to put a brummel loop in each end.

FWIW, we switched to Dyneema runners several years ago and like them a lot. Ours is a fractional rig, so they are in use much of the time, and getting rid of wire is very nice. At any rate, we've just used the basic single braid eye splice with a few stitches thrown in (as recommended by Sampson) and they have been faultless. Saves the complication of the Brummel. One could do something cool at the ends, but I've just used Larks Heads (Cow hitch) to the terminal at the top and a big block at the bottom. No problems in several years and a few tens of thousands of miles.

Jim

[Pilgrimtex]

Jtsailjt,
I do all things with Dyneema with the exception so far of standing rigging only because I had no call to do so yet. I do plan to move my dual backstays from the deck to the top of our stainless steel arch. It was custom built to my requirements by J.Z. Custom in Kemah TX. It has more than ample strength and rigidity to handle the backstays.
I don’t know if I would use a Brummel loop for this application. I have no proof other than reading that you loose some strength with it. I will verify that to be true or not before I decide to use a Brummel loop or not. Otherwise use the rule of 72 (72 times the line Diameter for bury length) and lock stitch it.
Walt spang

[Pilgrimtex]

I am composing a new thread on "how to make the 300% shackle" so watch for it. I write it up on word before posting.
Walt

[Ilona]

Great!

[Pilgrimtex]

I've been forgetting to mention I use New England ropes Dyneema exclusively. Just prefer it. A few pennies less and higher advertised breaking strength. Only use Samson when I can't get the size I need.
Walt

[Pilgrimtex]

You can now go to my threads:
How to make a 300% Shackle by Walt Spang
and
How to make a 300% Shackle (Part Deux) by Walt Spang

Good Luck
Walt Spang

[Pilgrimtex]

Photos of the process are now included.

[Pilgrimtex]

How to make a 300% soft shackle is now a You Tube video.
Check it out at
https://youtu.be/LfaSls3LpZU

[kryg]

Impressive research, thanks for sharing.

One question, I have 100 meters of aqua 7 - 12 mm chain, because of its weight in the bow I cut it into 3 x 33 meter sections. two of which I store in the bilge to distribute the weight, when I need to reconnect the chain can I use your new shackle for this application?

SV. Skoiern IV - Kryg

Originally Posted by Pilgrimtex

After a year of working to improve my standard shackle which has a breaking strength of 250-260% of the strength of the Dyneema and a fair investment in material and testing; I have reached my goal. I had set a goal of 300% breaking strength or taking the Dynaeema as far as I could take it, back when I started making these shackles.
The new shackle is not only strong but Tough. It is intended for extreme applications for use in sailing, climbing, flat line, off road or rescue. When the need for safety and durability is paramount this shackle will deliver. I call it my “TOUGH GUY” shackle.
This shackle made of ¼” HTS-75 Dyneema from West Marine broke at 29,700 lbs. force, 1,800 PSI hydraulic pressure on a 5” diameter cylinder. That equated to 306% of the strength of the Dyneema which has a breaking strength of 9,700 lbs.