Soft shackles have surely penetrated the mainstream sailing in recent years. They are a popular alternative to traditional metal shackles. Made from single braid Dyneema® soft shackles offer several advantages over their metal counterparts. Read our blog to understand the main benefits of switching to soft shackles, their applications and maintenance requirements.
Hailing from Australia, Ronstan have been developing hardware for sailors since 1953. The Triggersnap™ shackles are the latest shackle range in their extensive catalogue of deck hardware solutions and Ronstans own take on snap shackles.
Many shackles and connectors are functionally very similar, so it can be difficult to know exactly what shackle is best for each application. That’s why we have put together this blog to walk you through all of the types of shackles available at upfront.com and tips on where to use them.
©MorfBlock
There is an increasing trend towards soft attachment of sailing hardware and rigging i.e. using a lashing or soft loop, however they are not a catch-all solution. In this article we look at the benefits and some caveats around the use of soft attachments plus discuss where metal fixings are still the right option.
Image credits: Premium Ropes
Tylaska Marine Hardware is an American manufacturer of high quality- marine hardware for the sailing and marine industry. Tylaska’s stated aim is to make the best product based upon physics and not economics. They do not cut corners which probably explains why Tylaska products are as highly valued now, as they were 25 years ago. In this blog, we will explain what fids are, their purpose and we will outline the 3 remote operation fids, their uses and how to choose between the three depending on application.
Image Credit: Ronstan
Here at upffront.com, it’s no secret that we favour soft solutions. Although this has sometimes been controversial – would you trust Dyneema®with your lifelines? – when it comes to soft connectors, we couldn’t be more onboard.
