Ask Sail
SHACKLES VERSUS BOWLINES
Q: I’ve sailed and raced on a number of boats over the years. I feel like aboard most of the boats I’ve sailed, we’ve just attached the jib sheets to the sail with a pair of bowlines. However, aboard a few the owners have used shackles. What are the pros and cons of the two approaches?
— Tracy Patrick, Madison, WI
BRIAN HANCOCK REPLIES
Most raceboats are moving away from shackles and their like for a number of reasons, the principal being weight, since a stainless shackle weighs more than a knot. It may not weigh much more, but it all starts to add up. Similarly, in many other
