Overview of Snap Shackles

Here you will find a comprehensive selection of stainless steel snap shackles from leading manufacturers Wichard and Proboat. These versatile quick release fasteners are designed for both marine and light to heavy duty applications, offering secure attachment, effortless release under load, and excellent corrosion resistance in demanding environments.

Made from the highest grade stainless steels, our snap shackles feature various attachment methods including swivel eyes, large bails, fixed eyes, clevis pins, and webbing options, allowing you to choose the right design for your specific use case.

Wichard Forged Snap Shackles – High Resistance Stainless Steel

The main body of Wichard snap shackles is hot dropped forged from HR (High Resistance 17.4PH) stainless steel, a premium material engineered for superior mechanical strength and higher working loads than standard stainless alternatives.

This forging process produces a strong, consistent piece with enhanced fatigue resistance — critical for sailing halyards, spinnaker sheets, and rigging applications where repeated loading and quick release are required.

Trigger and Speedlink Quick Release Snap Shackles

Wichard’s Speedlink and trigger type quick release snap shackles are designed using advanced engineering techniques to balance strength with lightweight performance.

• Optimised design: Finite element analysis helped shape cut outs and ribs for an excellent strength to weight ratio.

• Easy release: A generous fid aperture and smart latch geometry allow the shackle to be released effortlessly under load.

• Reduced snagging & wear: The swivel eye load surface helps prevent rope abrasion and adjacent line entanglement.

Available in multiple configurations such as universal swivel eye, webbing swivel eye, and swivel clevis fork, these snap shackles adapt to different rigging demands.

Quick Release & Plunger Pin Snap Shackles

Wichard’s Quick Release models use a smooth, oval shaped body ideal for spinnaker sheets, halyards, or guys. Their specialised release mechanism allows fast detachment under heavy load via a control line.

The classic Plunger Pin snap shackles feature a captivated plunger pin with an ultra strong ring pull for reliable one hand operation — a trusted choice for discerning sailors worldwide.

Thimble and Special Purpose Snap Shackles

For direct rope splicing without an additional thimble, Wichard’s Thimble Snap Shackles include a plastic moulding around the eye that allows safe, direct line attachment while preventing stress concentration at the rope bend.

Other specialised configurations — such as clevis pin attachment points and fixed eye versions — expand the ways these fasteners can integrate with varying rigging systems.

Proboat Standard Stainless Steel Snap Shackles

For a more economical option, Proboat’s standard stainless steel snap shackles are built from AISI 316 marine grade stainless steel and provide a solid compromise between strength and corrosion resistance.

Featuring welded pull rings for secure attachment, these snap shackles offer exceptional quality and value while ensuring reliable performance for general marine rigging and everyday use.

Choosing the Right Snap Shackle

When selecting a snap shackle for your application, consider:

• Material and strength: HR 17.4PH stainless steel offers higher resistance and load capacity.

• Attachment type: Swivel eye and bail options reduce line twist under load.

• Release mechanism: Quick release designs aid rapid deployment during sail handling.

• Load requirements: Match working load limits and break loads to your line or rigging setup.

Applications

Snap shackles are widely used in:

• Sailing rigging: For attaching halyards, spinnaker sheets, and control lines

• Marine hardware: Quick release points on deck or spars

• Rig tensioning systems: Where fast, secure connection and safe release are required

• Industrial and general use: Wherever a strong, quick release fastener is needed