Buyer Beware - Nauticam Multipurpose Clamp w/Shackle

[Wookie]

I've been in contact w/Alan Egan of Nauticam USA and he refuses to acknowledge that the unit failed. Furthermore, he refuses to at least send me a replacement shackle. I'll remember this when it comes time to upgrade.

I may be mistaken, but to the best of my knowledge, Alan does not work for Nauticam, he works for a camera dealer. Chris Parsons is the USA distributor for Nauticam, and if you aren't dealing with Chris, you're dealing with a vendor, not the representative. Chris is not answering his phone, he may be out of the country.

 

[mscott556]

I may be mistaken, but to the best of my knowledge, Alan does not work for Nauticam, he works for a camera dealer. Chris Parsons is the USA distributor for Nauticam, and if you aren't dealing with Chris, you're dealing with a vendor, not the representative. Chris is not answering his phone, he may be out of the country.

I had no idea he worked for them either as I have been a big fan of his photography. However, I first used Nauticam USA - Innovation Underwater - Contact Nauticam USA and the response was signed:

"Alan C Egan
Nauticam USA"

Maybe I'll have better luck w/Chris.

 

[jcclink]

If the shackle pin has a hole thru the end of it run a nylon cable tie or stainless safety wire thru the pin & around the bale of the shackle. This will keep the pin from falling out if it does happen to loosen.

 

[Cp111]

Hi Rat-Man,

Sorry for the trouble, but I'm really glad you got your camera back. Sorry for the delay in responding myself, but I am traveling at the moment (and have been this past week) and don't always keep up with ScubaBoard.

It's possible that Alan didn't communicate himself well in this case, but I can tell you that he often goes above and beyond to help anyone who has an issue with their housing. Sorry that happened and we will try to learn from it and do a better job in the future.

The shackle in question is indeed threaded, and that is not unique to the Nauticam design. The shackle is part of a system that can include light posts and other accessories, and is not designed exclusively for lanyards (though lanyard use is definitely part of the design). It is shipped hand tight, so that people can get them off when they want to use one of the other accessories. If we shipped it with loctite, we'd get complaints from people who couldn't unscrew it. If you are going to use it as a single attachment, then yes, I would probably either tighten it with a wrench or use some loctite.

I had a similar thing happen to me years ago with my old 5D housing. Since then, I've tried a few different methods to ensure that I don't have a potential single point of failure when clipping off. I usually bring a couple extra double enders for that purpose. If you think about it, there is no sure-fire quick attachment device that can't fail, i.e. any lanyard, carabiner, clip, shackle, etc, can fail, and can fail at the worst possible time. Mine happened with a double-ender type of clip. It apparently got bumped in just right way, and down went my rig. I was fortunate to get it back, and now I am more careful about it and try not to rely on a single point that can fail.

Regards,
Chris

 

[bvanant]

First, glad your camera was recovered. Shackles are designed to come apart so your comment that it is a bad design makes little sense, what did you expect, a welded ring? As for Nauticam, you should first start with the shop where you bought the gear; if they are dealers and at all interested in keeping customers they should give you a new shackle. In my experience though, Nauticam have always been good to deal but they are not a big company in the U.S. so if Chris is not around (and he dives a bit) then you might not hear from them for a bit. If you want a more secure system, get a stainless steel locking carabiner (McMaster-Carr) and you should have no more trouble. If you still want a shakle, you can get one with a cotter pin and not a screw as well. http://www.mcmaster.com/#shackles/=obnokh

Bill

 

[BluewaterSail]

Same sort of shackle holds my anchor to my anchor rode. Keep 'em tight. BUT use two. I always keep my housing attached by two lanyards. I've had one fail and lost the rig.

For an anchor rode, the common setup is to use a shackle with a hole in the part of the screw that you hold when turning. Then use wire to secure it in the locked position. It can loosen very little with the wire securing it. If you aren't doing that, you may lose your anchor some day, and more importantly, go adrift when it would not be very convenient.

Maybe that would also be a good solution for shackles used for assembling photo gear. The wire can be removed fairly easily with wire cutters, unlike permanant locktite.

 

[OkByMe]

I definitely will from now on. I'm surprised that it came off so easy though. I stand behind my statement that it is a ****ty design. Due to the situation that day I was not able to hold onto it like usual.

That is just a small stainless u-bolt that you can buy in any cable and hardware store. They bought it, they did not design it. That design is used in any industry to attach cable to a block and is over a hundred years old. It is used especially in crane and lift work. They all make sure they are tight. If there is any doubt, they will safety wire it though the eye. If they drop the load because it comes apart, I don't think the insurance carrier is going to accept the "manufacturing defect". If you don't tighten the lug nuts on your wheels after rotating them and the wheel falls off, you are going to feel kind of sheepish explaining a "manufacturing defect". Phil covered this once already and the rest of us who know hardware don't buy it!

 

[mscott556]

First, glad your camera was recovered. Shackles are designed to come apart so your comment that it is a bad design makes little sense, what did you expect, a welded ring?
Bill

That would be great.

Some of you just don't seem to get it. This was screwed all the way in before the dive and unscrewed over the course of two hours. There was nothing that said this needs to be secured w/loctite or a safety wire before use (although they will be from now on). It is obviously my fault for assuming something sold as a secure attachment point would be secure.

 

[bvanant]

I am surprised that a shackle that is tight could loosen significantly in two hours, must have been some funky vibrations going on. That being said, just get a locking carabiner and you should be fine.
Bill

 

[mscott556]

I just want to thank Martin from Optical Ocean Sales for sending out a new shackle.