Shackle

A shackle is a U-shaped piece of metal secured with a pin or bolt across the opening, or a hinged metal loop secured with a quick-release locking pin mechanism. They are very commonly used in outdoor activities such as sailing.

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A carabiner is a special kind of shackle used in mountaineering.

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; Pin shackle : A pin shackle is closed with a clevis pin. Primarily used above the deck, pin shackles used to be the most common shackle used aboard boats. Pin shackles can be inconvenient to work with at times because they are secured using something else, usually a cotter pin or seizing wire.

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; Threaded shackle : The pin is threaded and one leg of the shackle is tapped. The pin may be "captive", to prevent it from being dropping loose. A threaded pin may also have a hole into which a cotter pin can be inserted. The threads may gall if over-tightened or have been corroding in the salt air, so a liberal coating of lanolin is not out of place on any and all threads. A shackle key or metal marlin spike are useful tools for loosing a tight nut. Unlike the pin shackle, a threaded shackle can stay together just with threads. For safety, however, it is usually wired or cotter pinned to secure the shackle in a closed position.

Pin: Pin is a word with multiple meanings:...

Bolt: A bolt may be one of the following things:...

Sailing: Sailing is the skillful art of controlling the motion of a sailing ship or smaller boat, across a body of water...