Soft shackles

[Slim]

I use bowlines on my centrelines. Much quicker to release than shackles, infinitely adjustable and no damage to paintwork. I also have a nappy pin on a short line permanently attached to the centre ring that I can normally drop down behind Armco to to hold the boat (normally singlehanded) 

[Bee]

Soft Shackles eh. Its what brass bedsteads were made for.  Oops, Sorry. Wrong forum.

[MrsM]

24 minutes ago, Bee said:

Soft Shackles eh. Its what brass bedsteads were made for.  Oops, Sorry. Wrong forum.

I was thinking it, you said it 😄 x

[Alan de Enfield]

18 minutes ago, MrsM said:

I was thinking it, you said it 😄 x

 

I photographed ours :

 

 

[MrsM]

4 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

I photographed ours :

 

 

Don't they get a bit wet on your roof?

[Tony Brooks]

4 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

I use a long centre line, doubled over in the middle and the free ends passed through, forming 2 lines which reach the steerer but not the prop.  Easy to rig and derig, easy to adjust whenever a longer line is required. 

 

Exactly like I had. I found that in extremis the fixing would slip before the rope snapped, which gives another slight safety advantage.

[Jim Riley]

I made my own and ft shackles from cut found 10mm nylon braid. Quick to fasten and undo. Use on 2 centre lines. And for my stern mooring ropes. 

[Steilsteven]

On 07/07/2021 at 15:44, dixi188 said:

Hi Keith, Why not?

Assuming you have a narrowboat, how do you get on handling the boat when coming alongside a lock landing or mooring place. I find using a centre line much easier than bow or stern lines.

When actually mooring,  I only use bow and stern lines, not the dredded centre line that some seem to think make the boat more secure.

Cheers, Dixi.

I have a dutch barge and have never felt the need for a centre line as the side decks enable me to easily walk from the steering position ( wheelhouse ) to the fore-deck. As it's a traditional  dutch barge it has paired bollards ( bitts ) on either side to take a line from. I fully understand the usefulness of a centre line on a narrow boat in certain circumstances, I used to have a share in one many years ago, but there seems to be a tendency these days for people to use them when a bow or stern line would be much safer, especially on rivers. In that scenario I would have a line from the fore stud laying along the roof to be easily in reach from the tiller. 

 

Keith

[David Mack]

3 hours ago, Steilsteven said:

I have a dutch barge and have never felt the need for a centre line as the side decks enable me to easily walk from the steering position ( wheelhouse ) to the fore-deck. As it's a traditional  dutch barge it has paired bollards ( bitts ) on either side to take a line from. I fully understand the usefulness of a centre line on a narrow boat in certain circumstances, I used to have a share in one many years ago, but there seems to be a tendency these days for people to use them when a bow or stern line would be much safer, especially on rivers. In that scenario I would have a line from the fore stud laying along the roof to be easily in reach from the tiller. 

 

Keith

But the advantage of the centre line is that it enables you to bring both ends of the boat to the bank while pulling on a single line.

[blackrose]

On 07/07/2021 at 15:44, dixi188 said:

 

 

 

Edited July 9, 2021 by blackrose

[DandV]

On 08/07/2021 at 03:07, Sea Dog said:

I use a long centre line, doubled over in the middle and the free ends passed through, forming 2 lines which reach the steerer but not the prop.  Easy to rig and derig, easy to adjust whenever a longer line is required. 

I like that idea. Bit late now we have sold up.

Also gives a very long line available for emergency deployment.

I did use soft shackles through the gunnel fender attachment loop to lead a centre line down to the gunnel and forward or aft, as spring in some mooring situations.

[blackrose]

4 hours ago, David Mack said:

But the advantage of the centre line is that it enables you to bring both ends of the boat to the bank while pulling on a single line.

 

I think Keith is well aware of that, but as he says, in certain situations an over-dependence on the use of centerlines by narrowboaters can lead to trouble when they venture onto rivers.

Edited July 9, 2021 by blackrose

[DandV]

1 hour ago, blackrose said:

 

I think Keith is well aware of that, but as he says, in certain situations an over-dependence on the use of centerlines by narrowboaters can lead to trouble when they venture onto rivers.

Agree. In a flow, control of the upstream end is paramount. 

[Sea Dog]

2 hours ago, DandV said:

I like that idea. Bit late now we have sold up.

Also gives a very long line available for emergency deployment.

It does indeed. It also gives a centre line each side, so there's always one where you need it. When you think about it, I guess it also forms its own soft shackle!

[DandV]

6 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

It does indeed. It also gives a centre line each side, so there's always one where you need it. When you think about it, I guess it also forms its own soft shackle!

Well changing to two centrelines was probably the best boat handling change we did in our period of ownership.

We just had not refined it to double ended single line.

[Mike Todd]

3 hours ago, DandV said:

Agree. In a flow, control of the upstream end is paramount. 

If I remember correctly the advice given when arriving at Gloucester Lock from the river (ie upstream) is to make safe with the stern rope before attempting to secure the bow line. (as you said)

[Opener]

Always willing to learn new tricks - can someone define/picture a 'soft shackle'.

[Steilsteven]

15 hours ago, David Mack said:

But the advantage of the centre line is that it enables you to bring both ends of the boat to the bank while pulling on a single line.

Yes it does but at the cost of knackering oneself. There are far better techniques to achieve the same thing, especially if on a river.

 

Keith

[Rob-M]

5 minutes ago, Opener said:

Always willing to learn new tricks - can someone define/picture a 'soft shackle'.

I use these from Tradline at Braunston

[Steilsteven]

4 hours ago, Mike Todd said:

If I remember correctly the advice given when arriving at Gloucester Lock from the river (ie upstream) is to make safe with the stern rope before attempting to secure the bow line. (as you said)

Unless Maisemore weir has been over-topped by the tide I take it?

[Bee]

15 hours ago, David Mack said:

But the advantage of the centre line is that it enables you to bring both ends of the boat to the bank while pulling on a single line.

True, but on a river or on a windy day one end will catch the wind / current / both, and slowly it will move away from the bank, then further and further then it gets more and more right angles to the current and you are stuffed, you have to let go. Not condemning cenrelines, I use mine all the time, its just tied to the centre bitts  and does the same job, in fact descending locks  we usually just use the centre line but as with most boaty things a bit of forethought is wise and a plan 'B' is good.

[Opener]

2 hours ago, Rob-M said:

I use these from Tradline at Braunston

OK now I'm halfway there. Afraid my imagination is not up to working out how you actually use one.

[Rob-M]

5 minutes ago, Opener said:

OK now I'm halfway there. Afraid my imagination is not up to working out how you actually use one.

Have a look on https://www.tradline.co.uk/soft-rope-shackles-16-c.asp, they show various uses.  The soft shackles are used in place of a metal shackle to prevent paint damage.

[GUMPY]

19 minutes ago, Opener said:

OK now I'm halfway there. Afraid my imagination is not up to working out how you actually use one.

 

 

[Opener]

OK - so the 'plain' end will open up when it is relaxed and pass over the knot. Pass it through the fitting and eye at the end of your rope or whatever. Back over the knot. Under any tension the plain end will close up its cores so that it won't slip over the knot. 

Am I on the right track?  Someone said your soft shackle will give before any fitting it is tied to fails. How strong are they?  I'll hold the boat on a centre line with a strong breeze from behind pushing it away from the bank - 50ft - can I hold it/keep it under control before the shackle snaps? I do fancy trying one.