Metal fitting on halyard

[team karst]

Newbe question

Do you prefer bowline, snap shackle or some other attachment to the headplate?

[JoeRobertJr]

I use this halyard hitch.
halyard hitch.jpg Views: 61 Size: 318.6 KB ID: 245412" style="margin: 2px" />

Ref: https://www.sailingworld.com/how-to/...o-tie-halyard/

[Orion Jim]

If you are referring to the headboard on a mainsail I have always preferred investment cast headboard shackles such as those made by Schaefer Marine. A buntline hitch is a good alternative. If a snapshackle is used Tylaska is proven best.

https://www.netknots.com/rope_knots/buntline-hitch

[GreenWave]

Shackle at the top, bowline at the clew; shackle at the tack on a mainsail

[chrisr]

usually a captive shackle like

https://www.whitworths.com.au/ronsta...d-shackle-5-16

because of the headboard there is a possibility of chaff on rope...plus not always that easy to tie off when the peak of the main is well above head height

cheers,

[psk125]

A captive-pin shackle is not going to come untied and is unlikely to chafe through. It is also going to be just as reliable every time, regardless of which crew attaches it. I use knots on my dinghy. It saves weight aloft (important on a 505) and is cheaper. Since I tie it, I can look for chafe each time we go out. If it fails it's my fault. Then we can go in and tilt the boat over on the grass to get to the masthead if we need to. Hard to do that on a big boat, or 20 miles offshore.

[Alan Mighty]

Originally Posted by psk125

A captive-pin shackle is not going to come untied and is unlikely to chafe through.

I'd go further and recommend a key-pin shackle with bar.

The key-pin is a captive pin that in addition has an end made with a device that locks into the shackle so that sail flogging (or any move other than intentional rotation of the clevis pin) cannot rotate the clevis pin.

The shackle takes a form of a long U-shape, with a reinforcing bar. The elongated U-shape accommodates the headboard of the mainsail.

The bar strengthens the elongated U-shape and, perhaps more importantly, prevents the headboard from chafing the splice/halyard knot or whatever means by which the halyard is made to the shackle.

[wingssail]

I use a captive pin shackle. I've had the same shackle on my mainsail for 35 years, through at least four halyard changes. Originally we had wire halyards and a metal thimble at the shackle. Now we have dyneema halyards and a "luggage tag" connection to the halyard.

We use a strop for the clew and a pin for the tack

Photo: This is a mockup of my mainsail halyard shackle, My actual one is at the top of the mast right now.

[team karst]

Originally Posted by wingssail

We use a strop for the clew and a pin for the tack



Photo: This is a mockup of my mainsail halyard shackle, My actual one is at the top of the mast right now.

That looks strong and is centered and short. Takes a tool though?

Sorry, What is a strop? And pin?

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by team karst

That looks strong and is centered and short. Takes a tool though?

Sorry, What is a strop? And pin?

The pin on the shackle can get tight and require a tool but it usually does not.

However, when the mainsail comes down and we want to open the shackle to bring the halyard back to the end of the boom, then some sort of tool is often needed. We can stick the end of the shackle pin into the mast groove and then twist the shackle which loosens the pin, no tool required.

A strop: "strop is (nautical) a piece of rope spliced into a circular wreath, and put round a block for hanging it, also a leather band for sharpening a razor."

In our case it is a rope around the boom to hold the clew.

We used to have a nice Harken car at the end of the boom with a shackle on it but when we went to Kevlar mainsails we kept breaking the Harken car. So now we use a rope.

[chrisr]

most boats now use a velcro strop at the mainsail clew

like these ;





cheers,

[team karst]

Ah, thanks. Turns out i am a velcro strop owner.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by chrisr

most boats now use a velcro strop at the mainsail clew

like these ;

cheers,

Well, I've got about 50' of two inch velcro so I could make a strop like that, but I kinda like my old spectra rope with a knot in it which I've already got.

[roverhi]

Been using a Bowline for halyards for way too many decades, recently switched to a buntline hitch. More than 10,000 miles East Coast, Cal Coast, Tahiti, Hawaii without a problem with chafe including a couple of 20+ day passages. Added advantage, the halyard can be end for ended to even out UV damage and trimmed to move wear points if needed.