If anyone is interested www.hamiltonmarine.com stocks load rated red pin federal spec. anchor shackles. These are USA made by Crosby of Oklahoma.
5/16" anchor shackle - Item # CBY-10-1893 (Crosby # 105399) - $7.59
3/8" anchor shackle - Item # CBY-10-18419 (crosby # 105400) - $8.39
They cost more than an import but how much does it cost if a sub-standard shackles breaks in the night while at anchor.
Rod
Hello Rod,
Glad to see that there is still product made in this country and yes, you do get what you pay for. I used to purchase all of the hardware for our club moorings for many years : shackles, swivels, chain, thimbles etc and had more than one experience with foreign hardware. One thing that I consistently noticed was that the so called galvinizing on the offshore product would come off on your hands like silver paint. The life of the imported harddware was not as long on mooring hardware exposed to tidal water(salt/fresh) I cannot say if the strength was not the same…we never had any failures but we finally switched to American made only. The mooring set-ups were suppose to be maintained by the members who owned their mooring set-up and was not often checked regularly.
Hving the best hardware right down to the shackle and cotter pin is a small investment to protect a much larger one.
Best
Mark
HI Rod and Mark, I am glad to see that you brought up the subject. I totally agree with you both. I would like to add that chain from China is another concern. I was setting a mooring in Singapore. When I cut the chain at the hardware store, I cut opposite the weld and the link broke in half. The Chinese chain is only fused on the outside. I have had Chinese stainless steel shackles break in half on my standing rigging…buyer beware.
Roger