Dyneema Soft Shackle – High-Strength Marine Rope Shackle

The Dyneema Soft Shackle is a lightweight, high-strength alternative to traditional stainless-steel shackles, designed for sailing, yacht rigging, marine hardware connections and performance boating applications.

Manufactured from high-performance synthetic rope fibre, this flexible soft shackle combines impressive strength with minimal weight, making it particularly useful for cruising yachts, racing sailboats, dinghies and modern rope-based rigging systems.

Unlike conventional metal shackles, a soft shackle has no heavy metal body or removable pin. Its flexible rope construction helps reduce unnecessary weight and the risk of damage to sails, decks and surrounding equipment.

Available in 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm and 6mm diameters, with advertised approximate breaking loads ranging from 600kg to 5,300kg, these soft shackles offer a versatile solution for a wide range of appropriately rated marine connections.

Shop Dyneema soft shackles online at Barton Marine NZ, supplying sailing hardware, rigging accessories and marine equipment throughout New Zealand.

Key Features

• High-strength synthetic rope shackle for marine use

• Lightweight alternative to conventional metal shackles

• High strength-to-weight ratio

• Flexible construction for a variety of rigging connections

• No stainless-steel pin to loosen, seize or lose

• Corrosion-resistant synthetic fibre construction

• Helps reduce hard-metal contact with sails and decks

• Suitable for compatible sailing blocks and rigging fittings

• Useful for cruising and racing yachts

• Practical for dinghy and performance sailing

• Available in six diameter options

• Approximate breaking loads up to 5,300kg, depending on size

• Compact and easy to store aboard

• Suitable for appropriately engineered marine rigging applications

Technical Specifications

Available Sizes & Approximate Breaking Loads

Important: These are approximate breaking loads, not safe working loads. Actual strength depends on construction, loading direction, connection geometry, wear and operating conditions. Apply appropriate safety factors and select the shackle for the complete rigging system.

What Is a Dyneema Soft Shackle?

A soft shackle is a flexible rope connector designed to perform many of the functions of a conventional metal shackle.

Instead of using a stainless-steel body and threaded pin, it typically uses a loop of high-strength synthetic rope secured around a stopper knot.

This allows the shackle to be opened and closed without removing a metal pin.

Soft shackles are popular in modern yacht rigging because they combine high strength with very low weight.

They are especially useful where reducing weight, minimising metal fittings and simplifying rigging connections are priorities.

Lightweight Alternative to Stainless-Steel Shackles

Traditional stainless-steel shackles are strong and widely used throughout marine rigging.

However, metal shackles add weight and can cause damage when they strike decks, spars or sails.

A soft shackle offers several advantages in suitable applications:

• Lower weight

• Flexible connection

• No metal pin

• Reduced risk of hard-metal impact damage

• No rust or seized threads

• Convenient storage

• Versatile attachment options

Soft shackles are not automatically suitable for every application where a stainless-steel shackle is used. Load ratings, abrasion, heat, movement and attachment geometry must all be considered.

High Strength-to-Weight Performance

High-performance synthetic fibres provide excellent tensile strength relative to their weight.

This allows a soft shackle to carry substantial loads without the weight associated with a comparable metal fitting.

For racing yachts, reducing unnecessary weight in rigging and deck hardware can be beneficial.

For cruising yachts, lightweight soft shackles provide a convenient way to connect compatible equipment while reducing the number of heavy metal fittings aboard.

Ideal for Sailing Blocks & Pulleys

Soft shackles are commonly used to attach compatible sailing blocks and pulley systems.

Potential applications include:

• Dinghy control-line blocks

• Sailing deck organisers

• Suitable mainsheet systems

• Compatible jib-sheet fittings

• Low-friction ring attachments

• Lightweight block connections

• Rope-based rigging systems

Always check that the block or fitting is designed for a soft-shackle connection and that its attachment surfaces will not damage the rope.

Suitable for Racing & Cruising Yachts

Soft shackles are widely used in both recreational and performance sailing.

Racing Yachts

Performance sailors may use soft shackles to reduce rigging weight and create compact, flexible connections.

Cruising Yachts

Cruising sailors may value their corrosion resistance, compact storage and convenience when connecting suitable marine equipment.

Sailing Dinghies

Smaller soft shackles can be useful in compatible dinghy rigging arrangements where low weight and compact fittings are important.