Soft shackles

[tree monkey]

1 minute ago, Opener said:

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.

How strong would depend upon the parent rope and how well the various splices and knots are constructed 

[Alan de Enfield]

4 minutes ago, Opener said:

How strong are they?

 

Various sizes.

 

The 1mm diameter ones are not very strong, whilst the 25mm diameter ones are quite strong.

 

How strong is a piece of string ?

[GUMPY]

9 minutes ago, Opener said:

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.

I am using one of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Soft-Shackle-11mm-4x4-Recovery-Synthetic-Rope-5830Kg-DA7336-/372722043580?

On my centre rope and I use it to stop the boat not just holding it.

So far so good, they seem to be rated at 5830kg about the same breaking strain as a 1T steel shackle. 

[Rob-M]

1 hour ago, Opener said:

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.

I use the Tradline ones on my centre lines and hold the boat on them all the time including in locks if I hold the boat forward with the centre line whilst I whack the paddles up.  I've not had one break yet.

[Jim Riley]

Make your own.

 

http://www.balancecommunity.com/slack-science/comparison-soft-shackle-methods/

[ditchcrawler]

On 07/07/2021 at 17:36, ditchcrawler said:

I have a piece of rubber mat with a hole in on the roof with the ring poking up through it, then use a steel shackle.

 

[howardang]

2 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

 

You can also protect the roof paintwork in a more “tiddley” fashion by making up a Thump Mat using old rope. An Ocean Plait mat is very decorative or a flat three bight Turkshead also works well.

 

Howard

[David Mack]

9 hours ago, howardang said:

You can also protect the roof paintwork in a more “tiddley” fashion by making up a Thump Mat using old rope. An Ocean Plait mat is very decorative or a flat three bight Turkshead also works well.

 

Howard

Both rubber and rope will hold water underneath, which won't be good for the paintwork.

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, David Mack said:

Both rubber and rope will hold water underneath, which won't be good for the paintwork.

Surprisingly that has not been a problem, maybe the small area involved and perhaps movement, I don't know. I have a rope mat over the bullseye, I would never put another one of them in a cabin. I dont want to get up at 4am in the summer

 

[WhiteSuit]

I have used Tradline soft shackles for about 8 years, one for each centreline so I don't have to flip a single rope over my solar panels. Tradline told me when I bought them they would be as strong as my rope in use. I used them regularly to hold the boat in the Nene locks so would say they are strong.

 

The great advantage is the speed of removing them as I don't leave centre ropes on when away from the boat. I also use the centre line as a spring line with the shackle attaching to the fender mounts.

 

All that a d no damage to the paint, what's not to like.