[Minnesail]

I have a Catalina 22 with four hank-on headsails. For jib sheets I have it rigged with one long line tied with a cow hitch to the clew. As you can imagine this complicates changing out headsails because I have to pull out that whole line, re-tie it, and re-run it through the jib cars, blech, it's a real pain in the pita.

Researching the wisdom here and other places it seems that a soft shackle is what I want, so I can leave the jib sheets in place during sail changes and I won't have a piece of metal hurtling around trying to brain me.

But… I've never actually seen a soft shackle. I've tried to find pictures online of jib sheets connected using one, but I haven't found anything I can really visualize.

Can anyone help me visualize how to rig up the idea? What sort of knot goes on the jib sheets? How does the soft shackle tie on? Any clear pictures or diagrams would be most helpful.

Thanks,
Len

 

[danvon]

Here's a link that shows you how to make the soft shackle:

There are a bunch of others out there as well but this was pretty easy to follow. I spliced an eye into the ends of each jib sheet, and the shackle goes through the ring on the sail and both of the spliced eyes. I was a little concerned that the shackle might slip but they sem to be properly self-tightening.

 

[tdw]

I have used one and found nothing to criticise. Also known as a Dutch shackle btw.

This is a link to a discussion we had here a few years back.

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance/67822-soft-versus-hard-shackles.html

 

[AdamLein]

I sail a Catalina 27 and also have sheets cow hitched to the clew. Instead of pulling the sheet off the sail for sail changes, each sail has a dedicated sheet. The PO set it up this way. One downside is you can't flip the sheet when the end is worn; at this point the cow hitches are hard as rocks anyway.

I also race on a Swan 38, and our sheets each have a soft shackle. One thing I'm not happy about is that the eyes in the sheets are very tight and so it's hard to work the cover of the shackle closed. OTOH the shackle never falls out of the sheet when it's open; not sure if this is worth worrying about whether the shackle is securely closed, though it's never been a problem.

 

[Minnesail]

I have used one and found nothing to criticise. Also known as a Dutch shackle btw.

I notice that it has a velcro strap keeping it closed. Do they tend to come loose otherwise?

 

[knuterikt]

My Code 0 sheet with soft shacle

Good website with information Soft Shackles

 

[Minnesail]

This is a link to a discussion we had here a few years back.

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance/67822-soft-versus-hard-shackles.html

Ahhh, thank you!

That led me to these two links:

I wrote a bunch of articles on soft shackles including a calculator on the howto article that is useful in making shackles of different lengths and different line sizes. Soft Shackle Introduction The calculator is on this page Soft Shackle Howto

They really cleared things up for me. I couldn't quite visualize how they worked, but now I get it.

Still a couple months of winter left here, plenty of time to practice making some shackles.

 

[tdw]

I notice that it has a velcro strap keeping it closed. Do they tend to come loose otherwise?

I think that is there more because they look like they might come loose. In fact they seem remarkably secure.

 

[jfurlong]

this is what I use...

 

[Ritchard]

I am a big fan of soft shackles, and I really enjoy making them. I give them away all the time (they're cheap like borscht), and love to see people's faces when they begin to understand what I have just given them. I brought two along to a New Year's party as a little gift for the host. He had no idea why I would give him two silver rope bracelets. I laughed and laughed.

 

[MedSailor]

I am a big fan of soft shackles, and I really enjoy making them. I give them away all the time (they're cheap like borscht), and love to see people's faces when they begin to understand what I have just given them. I brought two along to a New Year's party as a little gift for the host. He had no idea why I would give him two silver rope bracelets. I laughed and laughed.

You arw invited to my next party.

 

[H and E]

I crew on a Catalina 22 for racing. We change headsails quite often. Sheets are one continuous line with cowhitch to a bowling knot loop on small dyneema line to clew with bowling knot. The short dyneema line facilitates attaching whisker pole easily. Bowling knot makes sail changes quick and easy.