What is this spliced loop called?

[Rblakenyc]

Was a guest on a boat yesterday and horrified that I let one of these loops go overboard. The owner/skipper said his rigger made it by hand for him to attach a sheet to his drifter and Spinnaker.

It's about 10" long unlooped I think. It appears (forgive my amatuer language) that a line was looped upon itself and inserted into it's hollow core then run to the end and a club like knot woven together.

I'd like to buy a new one or at least find instructions on how to create one. if anyone knows what it's called or more advice I'd appreciate it.

[scotty c-m]

It's a soft shackle, sometimes called a soft connector. You can easily find them, for example at West Marine.
https://www.westmarine.com/search?Ntt=soft+schackel

Good on you for your consideration to replace a bit of gear that went overboard. Some people might not be as thoughtful.

[Paul Elliott]

Here's a thread on tying Soft Shackles. There have been many discussions, and variations.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ot-155591.html

[Rblakenyc]

Thank you so much! I told my friend I'm buying his boat one part at a time and this is the first piece! Glad it was an affordable one. Watched a couple YouTube videos on making ourselves. May give it a try!

[StuM]

Paul's link to SWL's instructions including the button knot is still my go-to. Better than any Youtube I've seen.

[Sailshabby]

Remember when you were on my boat and blew up the engine? ��

[Rblakenyc]

Hmmm... With purchase of a new engine I think I might become the major shareholder of your dear boat... Certainly a step up from dibs on the lovely new soft shackle on my friend's.

[Helia 44]

Hello Blake in NYC

Look, it is material called Dyneema, full synthetic like the winch synthetics of tremendous strength and no stretch... I am actually wearing one, a Wichard "soft link" (Google it) one with a stainless fitting that is like a bracelet size in 8000 lb. It is a bit of a fad here I picked up in the Whitsundays and both my Daughter and I have one.. It is my wedding ring to a Saba 50.. heh he


Dyneema is massively strong, and the one you have shown is a fancy braided up one, pencil size soft shackle is about 12,000 lb..

Kind regards, Helia 44

[Perna]

Originally Posted by scotty c-m

It's a soft shackle, sometimes called a soft connector. You can easily find them, for example at West Marine.
https://www.westmarine.com/search?Ntt=soft+schackel

Good on you for your consideration to replace a bit of gear that went overboard. Some people might not be as thoughtful.

I agree good on you for your consideration!

As an aside, looking at the other content on the Westmarine site, I guess you should count yourself lucky you didn't drop one of these overboard!

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/harke...1?recordNum=16

I'm missing something, right? Can someone tell me why I should pay that sort of money for a loop of rope?

[Helia 44]

Originally Posted by Perna

I'm missing something, right? Can someone tell me why I should pay that sort of money for a loop of rope?

You might be just joking, but FYI:

That is exotic and expensive super high strength full synthetic, called Dyneema.
It is similar to the 4x4 winch wire replacement in this material.

Light weight, 10 times stronger than VLS, and hard to braid.....

The half pencil sized double to a ss fitting, I am wearing as a bracelet (fad here in Australia) is 8000 lb soft shackle from Wichard as an example... OK?

[AKA-None]

Soft shackles are the most expensive rope you’ll ever buy per inch.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by AKA-None

Soft shackles are the most expensive rope you’ll ever buy per inch.

That's like saying that that a Giacometti sculpture is the most expensive bronze you'll ever buy per kilogram

[Benz]

Originally Posted by Perna

I agree good on you for your consideration!

As an aside, looking at the other content on the Westmarine site, I guess you should count yourself lucky you didn't drop one of these overboard!

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/harke...1?recordNum=16

I'm missing something, right? Can someone tell me why I should pay that sort of money for a loop of rope?

The loop of rope in the link is not just a "loop of rope". It is a selvagee--many turns of thinner dyneema, with the ends spliced together, inside a dyneema cover. It takes some fiddling to make them (they're each made individually by hand), and then they're annealed: pulled super tight by a hydraulic ram in a pressurized steam chamber. This ensures that all the legs of the selvagee are pulling evenly, and the splice is well set. In other words, there is no constructional stretch to take out.
They're still grossly expensive, but the one you linked to has gone through two middlemen. The manufacturer to Harken to West Marine.
Were I to make one of those custom (which I often do), I would sell it for about $80.

[Perna]

Honestly, thanks to the above gents for explaining that it is a very strong loop of rope but please bear with me, I'm still sort of waiting for the eureka moment.

Bracelets aside, what can you do with this strong loop of rope that you can't do with a fitting, shackle or ring or whatever?

Thanks

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by StuM

That's like saying that that a Giacometti sculpture is the most expensive bronze you'll ever buy per kilogram

They market these things in terms of weight savings (and I do like Dyneema). But I swear if you look at $/pound, there is a LOT of low hanging fruit before you get to LOOPS. We're talking $1000s per pound.


I use soft shackles for other reasons.

• Cheap if I make my own.
• They are soft (better than metal on a clew).
• Versatile. They will fit places metal shackles won't.
• Great for contingencies. I always keep a few in my boat bag.

LOOPs? Not so much. I can either splices something, or in many cases, use a sewn Dyneema climbing sling for $6.