Captain Ron'sSailing and Cruising Pages |
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Florida Offshore Multihull Association
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Mouse your ShackleNo, this is not about S&M with small furry creatures. Mouse you anchor shackles means that you wrap the screw pin of the shackle to the shackle itself. That's what the hole in the end of the shackle pin is for. You wrap seizing wire through the hole and around the nearest leg of the shackle and twist it tight. About 3 or 4 wraps through the hole will do it. Neatness doesn't count and the mousing should not interfere with the swiveling action of the shackle. Lightly hammer the twisted ends of the wire back into the mouse so they won't snag something. The mousing will prevent the shackle pin from unscrewing itself. I know, I know, you really cranked the pin tight with your vise grips ... mouse it anyway and inspect the mousings regularly. Several times a year we hear of boats drifting about the anchorage or summoning divers because they've lost their anchor. You can mouse any shackle that has that hole in the pin ... doesn't hurt to do any shackle that would cause you grief if it were to come undone ... anchor shackles are just the most common example. |