help me!!!!

Has anyone ever used snap shackles to attach the main sheet blocks to the boom to make it easier to attach and put away?

What do you suppose are the pros and cons to doing it this way?

https://www.westmarine.com/snap-shackles

The short answer is yes, people have done / do this.

Well, the pro is pretty obvious - it makes it a lot easier to attach the mainsheet blocks.

The con is that it kind of negates the whole low-profile aspect of the main blocks. You can't sheet in as far because the mainsheet stack is longer.

There's also the risk that it will open accidentally and that the lanyard could get caught in the blocks.

I use a push pin to get the same ease of set up, and no impact to profile.

Here is an example - not the one on my boat:

https://www.murrays.com/product/18-4r125/

Anything has got to be better than fumbling around with those ring dings!!! I would like to replace all of the rings with something else.

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Marty
1984 H16 Yellow Nationals Redline, "Yellow Fever"
Lake Martin, 'Bama.

There were a few years where Hobie used shackles with threaded pins. No ring dings. I don't know why they stopped using those shackles.

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JKK
83 yellow/ white decks Hobie 14 Corando turbo
82 yellow hulls Hobie 16 Cat Fever
84 yellow hulls hobie 16 Yellow Nationals
plus a few extras that I'm restoring

I use a threaded shackle....much better than a clevis/ring ding. If you want to go that route, you have to make sure the pin size and width between eyes will work with your block, and for stack height it's better if the length is not excessive. I use the Ronstan RF616 (actually several places on the boat), and it works well:

https://www.zoro.com/ronstan-d-shackle- ... lsrc=aw.ds

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Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16

This is what I have on mine, for me the convenience pro outweighs the inch or so con of sheeting in for recreational fun.

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www.lostroadie.com

I use the ball type quick release pins a lot; on my mainsheet block, on my forestay (with elastic bands to retain them should the ball not engage), and on my spinnaker pole. I use snap carabiner type rings on my mast stepper.
Basically, I've gotten rid of ring dings anywhere I routinely unhook things for trailering.

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Yet another Bob!
"Firefly" - 2012 Hobie Getaway with wings and spinnaker
"Sparky" - 1978 Sunfish (OK, it's not a Hobie, but it's a fun little craft)
Too many canoes and kayaks

How many of these do you have on your boat? I used to use the Ronstans on both mainsheet blocks but as I get into more and more serious racing I'd like to be able to sheet in more. I used to have a push pin at the jib Tack, and another for the forestay. If I can use these at the mainsheet as well it would help me so much!

I used to have a caribeaner at the jib clew, but if I could use one of these pins as well it'd be much nicer.

Drinking Gatoraid makes your fingernails grow thicker. Unfortunately, beer doesn't.

Hahaha, so that's why my fingernails are so thin!

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Marty
1984 H16 Yellow Nationals Redline, "Yellow Fever"
Lake Martin, 'Bama.

I leave my mast up and only trailer when on the road to a regatta.

Therefore, my need is only at the main blocks to the traveler, and at the jib tack. At the jib tack, it is a shackle with a quick pin shown above (and shackle and pin are tethered together)

My jib head uses a standard D-shackle. That could be a quick pin also, but I have not gone that route.
My jib clew is a crappy D-shackle that needs replacement. The blocks do also. This would be a good location for a shackle with a quick pin. My only concern would be that the clew gets worked a fair amount (no more than the main blocks/traveler), and any failure of the pin would result in loss of jib control temporarily. supposedly, the quick pins do have a higher failure rate.

I would not see a problem using a shackle with a quick pin on the forestay if you have to drop your mast at each outing. I would leave ring dings on the shrouds as those should not be removed much.