boom fitting

[tmorgan]

My boat has a fitting where the boom is attached to the mast (I don't know what it is called?) that has a reefing hook welded to the U shackle that holds the tack of the sail.  The u shackle twists and the reef hook gets caught when I raise the sail.  I installed a different reefing system and no longer need the hook.  Does anyone know where I can get a u shackle like the one on the Suncat without the reef hook.  I have looked at the West Marine catalog and several other online catalogs and cannot find anything that looks like the current one without the hook.  Thanks for your help!

[ontarioSuncat]

Use a dremel tool with cut off the hook. I plan to do that to mine this summer.
John - Wanderer

[tmorgan]

I used  a hack saw and file.  It was an easy job to cut the hook off.  Most of my time was spent getting the fitting off and back on the boom.  thanks for the advice John.

[ontarioSuncat]

With the dremel I hope to leave the boom on the boat. But anyway I never saw the hook as easy to use. It is too close to the mast and boom to easily hook in the sail.