How to Make & Install Headsail Webbing Snap Hanks

Looking for a simple way to make and install your very own headsail webbing snap hanks? You're in luck. In this brief step-by-step video, we'll lay out the entire process of both creating and configuring headsail webbing snap hanks on the luff of your jib sail or genoa sail. We'll even teach you the general rule for deciding how many webbing snap hanks you'll need for your boat using a special formula.

Using headsail webbing snap hanks is an alternative way to connect your headsail to the forestay, other than brass hanks or nylon twist hanks, for boats under 22' and sails under 115 square feet. For our project, we prefer to make our headsail webbing snap hanks from a 1" polyester webbing (#PLLWWH). To make things easy, we’ve measured this webbing and cut it to size using the handy Sailrite^® Edge Hotknife (#103800). And of course, to sew the necessary zigzag stitch for this application, the Sailrite^® Ultrafeed^® LSZ Walking Foot Sewing Machine (#311602) is incredibly useful.

After you’ve sewn the webbing to your sail, this tutorial will show you how to measure for snap installation and provide you with a few ideas for tools that make this process quick and easy. For this project and many more like it, be sure to browse our incredible selection of marine projects under the “Learn” portion of our site. We’ve got everything you need to keep your boat in great shape!