![]() But what about eyes attached to polished stainless shackles? Unless they are under extreme load and simultaneously sawing back-and-forth across the shackle pin, ring, or other load-bearing attachment point, there will be virtually no apparent wear.Ĭhafe can vary greatly depending on use. Abrasion is aggressive, and a nice thick layer of steel offers the best protection. A mooring line around a rusty shackle is a perfect case for a thimble. Some general considerations our testers explored: Which is better for typical applications on a racing keelboat or cruiser? The load-bearing surfaces of the spliced eye can also be protected with a secondary cover or tubular-webbing chafe guard (See Fiber Coating Protection Plan, September 2015). Thimbles come in many types, including wire-rope thimbles, closed, or sailmakers thimbles, and captive-rope thimbles of many designs.Ī thimble isn’t the only means of guarding against chafe. We’ve seen similar near failures resulting from open-style thimbles in mooring applications as well. ![]() A closed thimble or a webbing sleeve is a safer choices for this application. Had it failed, the consequences would have been serious. We were sent images of a bridle on a Jordan Series Drogue (a drag device used to slow the boat in a storm), and the bridle was severely chafed by a thimble that shifted. Any side load or binding could allow the thimble to shift its position. As a result of all the stretch, even factory-installed thimbles become loose at high load.Įven when a thimble is very well-fitted and tightly seized-as good and any we have seen-and stretched to the normal working load (10 percent breaking strength), it becomes quite loose. ![]() Because each leg of the eye carries only half of the load, the stretch at 20 percent of breaking strength should be only 6 percent, but we must add to that some construction stretch, since it takes time for a splice to settle in. Nylon double braid rope stretches about 12 percent for every 20 percent of breaking strength 3-strand rope stretches about 15 percent and climbing ropes stretch about 18 percent. ![]()
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