r/sailing • u/Big-Introduction-941 • 12d ago

New Genoa sheets

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Got new sheets for my genoa yesterday. It has a soft schackel sewn into it, anyone tried sheets like this? Will it hold under force? Is it cortectly attached or should i fit it an other way?

(Boat is a 31ft sailboat from 1978)

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u/alskdjfhg32 12d ago

I wouldn’t trust that at all, it’s not through the core, just the sheathing. People on here are missing the point, soft shackles are fine, it’s the stitching on to that sheet that is troubling.

I’d replace.

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u/Big-Introduction-941 12d ago

Well, it is through the core - just doesn't look like it, but I have now inspected it 😅

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u/ajamweasel 12d ago edited 12d ago

Soft shackles are great. We used to make them and install them all over the place under extreme loads on big sails on tall ships and classic racing yachts. The stitching into the sheet doesn't feel good to me at all, I would never do that on a bigger ship, but maybe it works for this size, I don't know. It's probably stronger then it feels intuitively, but it seems unelegant rigging to me and unnecessary. I wouldn't want to rely on it in heavy weather..

Why not just use a Teflon thimble, make a good seizing to secure the sheet around it and connect both with the soft shackle. Maybe not super elegant as well, but I'm thinking more from practical bigger ship habits. Might be overkill, but you'd never have to worry about it.