Got new halyards they mixed up main and jib shackles, does i

[Joe L.]

I got a set of new halyards and when I got them back from Hall Rigging, the shackles were mixed up. The main halyard had a regular u-shaped halyard shackle about two inches long and the jib halyard had a snap shakle about an inch in diameter (irregular circle shape - pull the pin and one side of the circle opens up).

Does it matter that they are now switched? If it does matter, I think they are close enough in length that I can just switch them. If it doesn't, well, obviously I don't have to worry about it.

Thanks for your advice.

Joe L.
bob CD25
Bristol, RI



jl0246@alpha.rwu.edu

[Bill Goldsmith]

Joe,

Usually you'll want the quick release shackle on the jib, as it makes for quicker, safer sail changes. You can grab the loose halyard and pull the pin all with one hand (one hand for you, the other for the boat). The typical main halyard shackle requires two hands to undo, but you don't need to undo it as often--only when you are not using it, or when stripping to bare poles. Also, you can use two hands to undo it and still hold on, by hugging the mast and working with your arms around it--you don't have that on the foredeck.

Try rigging them up and see if there is enough length on the main halyard to use as a jib halyard. If so, you should be okay.

You probably could use them in their opposite functions, but I'd be particularly averse to using the main shackle on the jib. I'm really not sure why we don't use a snap shackle on the main. Maybe you'd simply need a very large snap shackle to fit the mainsail headboard hole, which isn't present on the jib? Won't they admit their error and let you return them to change out the hardware?

Bill Goldsmith
CD27#173
Second Chance

I got a set of new halyards and when I got them back from Hall Rigging, the shackles were mixed up. The main halyard had a regular u-shaped halyard shackle about two inches long and the jib halyard had a snap shakle about an inch in diameter (irregular circle shape - pull the pin and one side of the circle opens up).

Does it matter that they are now switched? If it does matter, I think they are close enough in length that I can just switch them. If it doesn't, well, obviously I don't have to worry about it.

Thanks for your advice.

Joe L.
bob CD25
Bristol, RI

goldy@bestweb.net

[Joe L.]

Thanks for the info Bill, that makes a lot of sense. I'm sure the people at Hall would correct their mistake - they were as helpful and as friendly as anyone could possibly be (especially considering they sell $300,000 masts and my job was $100). It would just be a shame to have to undo the weaves and redo them to switch out the shackles. I believe there is only a few feet of diffence between the two halyards, so I will just switch them and see how that works. If there's still a problem, then I'll look to Hall to correct it.

Thanks again for the advice.

Joe L.
bob CD25
Bristol, RI



jl0246@alpha.rwu.edu

[M. R. Bober]

Generally that's the way it's done. Shackle with pin for the main & a snap shackle on the head sail. Faster and safer to change sails on the bow with the snap shackle. The main is rarely changed when under way.... So there is no justification for the extra expense of the snap shackle. Personally I think the likelihood of failure may also be an issue. Snap shackles are probably more prone to fail. Check some other boats at the yard; you're not likely to see a snap shackle on their mains.

For what it's worth when the riggers were installing my roller furler, they refused to use the nice new shackles on my brand new StaysetX halyards for their bosun's chairs. They opted for the bowline. Feeling it (the halyard) was less likely to fail than any shackle.

Every best wish,
Mitchell Bober
RESPITE
CD330
Annapolis,MD

[Joe L.]

Sorry, my post may have been a little unclear, but the way you described being right is the opposite of the way Hall rigging sent them back to me. I now see why the snap shackle should go on the jib.

THanks for the info,

Joe L.
bob CD25
Bristol, RI



jl0246@alpha.rwu.edu