"Paul" wrote in message ...
"JAXAshby" wrote in message
...
The quick-release shackle has a nice
lanyard on the release pin and it works smoothly. I have never had one
of
these ... open accidentally.

maybe *you* haven't, but most of the sailing world has.

snap shackles are thoroughly considered to be no-no's on tethers because
they
so often come open when the lanyard gets snagged on something.

I'm not saying it can't happen -- it just hasn't happened to me or my crew
during many thousands of miles of blue-water and coastal sailing. The short
release lanyard is close to the chest and not easily snagged. Of course it
*could* release accidentally, but I feel that the ability to manually
quick-release the tether more than compensates for the slight (as I see it)
risk of accidental release. If anyone know of a better solution, I would
love to hear of it.

I thoroughly agree that snap shakles at the boat-end of the tether are
unacceptable.

-Paul
s/v VALIS
I fully agree with Paul. In over 10 000 miles oif offshore sailing, my
Lewmar bronze snapshackle has never opened accidentally. As a matter
of fact, it tales a bit of effort to open it deliberately. The
"lanyard" (actually a shor "tail") would find it very difficult to
snag anywhere.
john