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Combination padlock as snap shackle to attach forestay?
http://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=123&t=61620		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  mark.ungrin [ Thu Sep 28, 2017 2:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Combination padlock as snap shackle to attach forestay?
RE the usual problem of wrestling with the clevis pins and the forestay and the bridle wires and the bridle vane mount and the ring-dings etc when raising the mast on a cat:

We've all seen the various discussions around why using quick release hardware is a bad idea on the forestay, and it struck me what we really need is the opposite - quick-connect, but with more work involved to get it to release. Has anyone ever tried using a combination lock (obviously you'd need one with a good load rating and weather resistance) as a snap shackle? Either U-lock or the straight-shackle ones you use to lock the trailer on the ball? It could substitute directly for a clevis pin (and eliminate a ring-ding) or replace a shackle elsewhere in the applications you wish you could trust a snap shackle for.

This seems to me to be a fairly generalizable approach to many problems we have on boats (where you want to be able to connect things quickly, and have them hold reliably) whereas much of the hardware seems to focus on releasing things quickly and (sometimes too) easily. One handed operation etc. I've looked around the internet though and not seen anything mentioning it. Has this been tried and failed? Too ugly?

Thanks

Mark
Author:  dorienc [ Mon Oct 02, 2017 8:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Combination padlock as snap shackle to attach forestay?
Nope. I never thought of that! I guess it would work.

I use quick release ball pins on the bridles to my roller furler on my forestay. But I put elastic rings (pony tail ties from my granddaughters! :D ) on them to hold them in place. I can't envision a scenario where they would get pulled out accidentally.
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