Hey all,

Although they have been around a while they are starting to gain more popularity as splicing becomes easier for your everyday yachtie.



Heaps of very simple uses, basically replaces any shackle that is attached with a spliced loop.
From dinghys (i'll be using them on my outhaul, vang and main halyard on my sabre) to big boats where they can be used just about anywhere!
Two ways to use them,
- Splice into the end of the line and then pass a loop in the line through the object and then loop it over the dog bone

- Leave loose (attach through small hole with lanyard so you don't loose it). Pass loop in line around object, pull main line through loop and push dogbone through the gap.
(I don't recommend the middle pic below, too easy to shake out IMHO)

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zilla said..
Does not look very secure to me. I'll stick to the more traditional methods like knots I think.

Volvo, Mini, Figaro, Vendee, Syd to Hob and 18/16/14 foot skiff guys think they are good enough!!!

Seriously, read a Mini 6.5 sailor who used them everywhere and never had one release, where as he used to have snap shackles fail/release on him all the time.

I would be worried on headboard halyard! Or jib sheet ropes flapping round but I see the concept!

Thanks Rumblefish
good to be exposed to new" stuff,though been on high tech boats,as you point oil,for honks.
i have n
been making my own soft shackles, with dyneema,which is easy to work with
lots of potential uses
thanks again

Just received my order of the Allen dog bones, great little thing!!

The sizing is actually the OD, not the rope size.

Just put the 16mm (which i would use on 6-8mm rope) on my test bed and it broke at 2500kg, more than enough for most applications on any boat up to 30ft and what I would normally use on a 8mm spectra halyard is a cheap 10mm S/S captive pin shackle which will break at about 2000kg.

The other nice thing about these is unlike shackles they will suit any size object to go around. Take my Sabre for example....
I only need a 4mm shackle on the halyard for strength but have to go upto a 6mm to fit over the headboard, 8mm for the cringle on the outhaul.. With this method I can use the 8mm dog bone (8mm OD, 30mm long, weighs next to nothing) on both applications, never have to worry about dropping pins, and save some weight where it matter too.

The ones I tested come from here www.deckhardware.com.au/hardware/dog-bones/