Break Test Extravaganza(s)

[Brion Toss]

Hi all,
Ever since the encouraging results of the tests of my improved soft shackle design, I've been working towards getting ready for a new round. The idea is that more samples will confirm the previous results, and that I will also be able to try out some variations that might improve things still further. But it would be really, really great if samples could be prepared by someone besides me, or supervised by me. That way we could get an idea of how strong we can expect this configuration to be in the real world.
So here's an invitation: make up as many of those shackles as you can, and send them in. Just tell me the brand of rope, the diameter, and (optionally) who you are. You can find instructions on how to make it here: http://l-36.com/high_strength_soft_shackle.php.
The good people at TreeStuff (https://www.facebook.com/pages/TreeS...5015?ref=br_rs), will break them for free, and we will post the results here and on Facebook.
More on this as things develop.
Next, I am hoping to get contributions for another series of tests, this time of wire rope eyesplices and seizings. Make up your best, and send them in. You can splice or seize both ends of a piece, but feel free to splice just one end, and we will have a swage put onto the other. Make the pieces at least 8ft. long. In addition to that, send in a similar length piece of the same material, from the same spool. We will put swages on both ends of that piece and break it separately, to get a benchmark of the actual wire strength, not just the rated strength. I'll pick up the cost of breaking these pieces, if they are too big for TreeStuff's machine. More on this later, too.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

[allene]

What is the minimum length closed of the soft shackle that they can test? I remember that New England rope had some issues with some of the samples I sent you. Any upper limit on strength? And how about a deadline?

:-)

Allen

[MarkG]

Brion,

Is there any interest in testing chain splices such as your 'traditional irony chain splice'? These are a single point of failure when anchoring.

Mark Gardiner

[Brion Toss]

Hi again,
No minimum lengths. We can just break shackles. As for the Irony splice, we have good data on that as at-or-near 100% efficient, done correctly.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

[k7cej]

Brion:
I have been away from SparTalk for a while and find the soft shackle thread intriguing. I would like to make some but am somewhat confused as to which design to use. So far, the immediate links lead to three different designs.

On our Outbound 44 Sequoia we use quite a few Spectra web loops (5/8" sewn loops purchased from REI) to attach blocks to the Al toe rail or foredeck padeyes. typically, we pass a bight through the attachment and capture both "ends" of the doubled loop in the block's shackle. (There are thus 4 lengths of web sharing the load.) This eliminated metal-metal wear and noise, and I have never had one wear out or break in >33,000nm.

So if I want to make soft shackles with the strength of 3/8" 316 stainless shackles, which design and what line size would you recommend?
Craig

[Brion Toss]

Hi there,
Depending on the alloy, that 3/8" pin shackle might have a breaking strength as high as 13,000lbs. With the "conventional" form of soft shackle, you could use 1/4" in regular Spectra -- just -- but it would be safer to use 5/16". With my version, 1/4" would be generous. Most steel shackles of that diameter have breaks closer to 9,000lbs.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

[allene]

I made up four samples and will send them in. One is my standard better soft shackle and two are similar with variations on the knot. The fourth one is the stronger soft shackle.

Allen

[k7cej]

I have made up two using AmSteel-Blue AS-78, 1/4" diameter, using the button knot with the ends tucked back through and buried.
1. I found it much easier to tie the button knot if I marked one side with black sharpie.
2. Boating friends were impressed, but asked a good question: "If you used one to connect genoa sheets to the sail, how secure would it be when the sail was flogging?" Does anyone have real world experience?
3. Has anyone used this to replace a main halyard shackle?

[benz]

I use soft shackles all over my boat, and have never had one flog itself loose. I'd say if the eye that chokes down after passing over the knot is small enough, threre's little-to-no chance of flogging loose. I've also never had a toggle shackle flog loose, and those seem a little less secure. All my halyards have soft attachments.

[allene]

Originally Posted by k7cej

I have made up two using AmSteel-Blue AS-78, 1/4" diameter, using the button knot with the ends tucked back through and buried.
1. I found it much easier to tie the button knot if I marked one side with black sharpie.
2. Boating friends were impressed, but asked a good question: "If you used one to connect genoa sheets to the sail, how secure would it be when the sail was flogging?" Does anyone have real world experience?
3. Has anyone used this to replace a main halyard shackle?

1) I agree
2) I use my "improved soft shackle" and find them quite secure. I have used them on my larger jibs for several years and never an issue. They tend to close under load, not open.
3) I use a soft shackle as part of the "hybrid soft halyard shackle" you can read about here http://L-36.com/HybridHalyard.php. I would not use one on a jib halyard as they do take more time to put on and off but on a main they work really nice.