C-Links for buoy line?

[kasilofchrisn]

Anyone ever try using these C-links on their crab/shrimp buoy line?

I have Steve's pot toggles on my shrimp pots but was thinking that to connect the poly to the groundline on my buoy line these might be a handy way to fasten them together.
Also could serve as a good way to add an extra shot of line line if I thought I needed it.
They only go together one way because of how they are cut and I think it would be highly unlikely they could ever come apart on their own.
I bought a few to try from the gear shed in Homer.
They are a pretty stout looking stainless steel. The ones I bought are flat on the sides.
I like the idea of not having to use tools to open or close them and they really can't wear out. No springs or threads to wear out either.
I saw them(much larger version than I bought) being used on Deadliest Catch a few years ago on a boat that was running multiple pots on a string fishing very deep for brown king crab and thought they might be something for me to try.
Any thought or opinions?

[vermilion]

i have thought about using thies, if you do go with thies ones i would recomond putting them in a vice and making the opening smaller. Instead i use reallllllly heavy duty line snaps, my buddies and i call them he-man snaps, pple uasually have to use 2 hands to open them....i like them better because i can space them different. keep in mind i also make my own shrimp lines with about 300' of floating line on the bottom and about 400' on the top, i make eye splices on a different piece of line and splice them on the mainline. if you are using a gas hauler i wouldent recomend ii, but if you have a electric one or a hydro it should work fine.

[kodiakrain]

Yeah kasilof, I've been using them for longline gear, attaching the skates of gear that lay on the bottom,
as well as the buoyline shots,

for years, literally millions of times I'd bet,
For your depths, and use, I bet you'll be really happy with the ease of connection,
speed of adding or subtracting a shot of line on deck, etc.

I have had just a few instances of failure, slipping apart I think three times total, by some strange coincidence of some kind or other,
When the line is slack, it's minutely possible they come tight again, just right so they slip apart, but I can't emphasize enough, this is in years of using them up and down in up to 350 fathoms, since somewhere around the late eighties, When we stopped using the knots method and went to C-links

You should test them when new, and maybe close up the gap as mentioned, either with a bench vise or just a light tap of a Ballpeen hammer, make it so they Just Slip together

I had ONE, straighten out last year, only time Ive ever seen that, but I was hung up on the bottom in 250 fathoms or so, (tons of line stretch going on),
and I was literally horsing the boat HARD, against the line after working on getting loose for a long while, the C-link gave out before I could get new 15/16th's American Line to break.

No way you're going to test it that hard, They'll work good for ya I'm sure
(just had to tell you the circumstances where they could fail)

I use the flat ones you have in pic #2 , 3/8" for size, and definitely go Stainless

[kasilofchrisn]

Thanks for the advice.
The ones I bought are flat sided and stainless.They look to be a pretty good quality to me.
I will close the gap a little that is a good tip.
I figured if I was worried about them coming apart a few wraps of electrical tape on one of the two links might give me some peace of mind but still be easier than tying/untying knots. I am not really worried about it though so probably wont add the tape.
I can tie a really good knot at home and not have to worry about tying the line together on the water. Especially if it is rough out when the pots are being set/pulled.
I will have to mark the line good so I don't try to pull the link through my puller but it should be fairly easy to manually pull the line through enough to get around the link then back in the shive. I will probably only have 2 pots on a line anyway and a third line with just one pot.
I figured if it works good for you commercial guys it should work good for me.

[kodiakrain]

They should slide right through your puller shives,
if you have a smaller hauler, like 12" or less diameter sheaves,
you would want to grab the line coming out the back side and maintain the tension,
pulling down, hand over hand on the line, as the hauler takes on the C-link

But I don't think you'll have to take it out of the block, just slow down, pull them through
My hauler is 17" dia. and it doesn't hesitate on them at all. never have them slide back, but smaller shives would maybe lose some grip with the C-link right at the top

[Blue Thunder]

Chris I'm confused as usual, not familiar with this C link. Are you saying you can open the link to insert/remove rope with out tools? If so how do they work. Hope to see you on the water out of Homer this summer. Dan

[kodiakrain]

Here's a couple of, "in-action" photos, these are 3/8" C-links spliced into 15/16" Groundline,

You can see them linked up in first photo,
also, how, when hauling them through, the first link entering the block will lay into the sheaves, the second lays flat and slides right over them.
Tho if your block is much smaller than this one, you should keep tension on them going thru or the line may jump out of the block when the C-link comes thru, can be dangerous if it's being coiled on deck.

Also you should make sure and splice them "Up Tight" to the link so they lay stiff, not flopping around,
makes grabbing them and linking easier, also eliminates the offchance of them flopping just right to come unlinked
also for hauling them through, it's best to leave a taper at the end of your splice, (just take one of the three strands thru for another tuck, and the third strand for two more tucks)
makes it easier into the block.

[Blue Thunder]

Okay now I see how they work. Good idea. Thanks Dan

[kasilofchrisn]

Chris I'm confused as usual, not familiar with this C link. Are you saying you can open the link to insert/remove rope with out tools? If so how do they work. Hope to see you on the water out of Homer this summer. Dan

Dan due to the shape of the cut in the link you just match up the small cut on the links and they slide together. It's that simple.
You do have to have one on the ends of each of the ropes you want to connect and they connect to each other. They must align exactly 90 degrees from each other with the cut spots facing each other.
I plan to take the 600' lengths of 5/16 groundline from my crab pots and add a C Link to each one. Then add a C Link to each end of 2 lengths of 5/16 poly line.
If I want to add more or less line I just add/remove one section.
If it doesn't all fit in one of my line tubs no biggie just disconnect the last section and put it in another tub or coil it up and put it away wherever it fits that's out of the way.

[Blue Thunder]

I like this idea. Going to get a few and put on my lines. Dan

[kodiakrain]

yeah, a slight(?) correction to my post there, that is 5/16" groundline, not 15/16"

[potbuilder]

Dan due to the shape of the cut in the link you just match up the small cut on the links and they slide together. It's that simple.
You do have to have one on the ends of each of the ropes you want to connect and they connect to each other. They must align exactly 90 degrees from each other with the cut spots facing each other.
I plan to take the 600' lengths of 5/16 groundline from my crab pots and add a C Link to each one. Then add a C Link to each end of 2 lengths of 5/16 poly line.
If I want to add more or less line I just add/remove one section.
If it doesn't all fit in one of my line tubs no biggie just disconnect the last section and put it in another tub or coil it up and put it away wherever it fits that's out of the way.

Chris,
just think of how many times those links are gonna jump up & down while the buoy jerks on it, every time is another chance for it to let go. They might be ok for longline laying on the bottom with a steady pull on it but for buoylines i don't think so, but what do i know, just my opinion. Here's what i'd do a modified sheet bend with a long tail tucked through the loop.