Tony M Mar 20, 2011:

Right, that would seem to confirm it then! These do indeed sound like the shackles on either end of something, though I've not yet quite figured out exactly what — no doubt various possibilities. And the possibility of an original translation would certainly explain the slightly odd use of 'side' rather than 'end' (also typical usage in FR)

SwissLocalizer (asker) Mar 20, 2011:

Thanks for your help so far.

Unfortunately I have no more details for the moment, but I asked the client to provide me with some reference material.

Indeed, this could be "shackle", as I suppose the words were previously translated from Dutch or German...

Yes, I found that I have also "Schackle boom side".

Tony M Mar 20, 2011:

Exactly! Hence it's not associated with the sail, but with whatever it is attached to — but on the sail end of it (drisse, écoute, etc.)

florence metzger Mar 20, 2011:

La manile n'est pas fixée à la voile.. Elle est frappée sur une drisse et on la passe dans un oeillet situé au point de drisse de la voile...

Tony M Mar 20, 2011:

Your list Is this actually a list of chandlery supplies, a list of spare parts, or a series of legends for diagrams?

The reason I ask is that parts' and similar lists in EN do often reverse the word order, mainly, I suspect, to bring the key word to the front of the phrase, and also, so that similar things are grouped together alphabetically:

boots, privates, for the use of

mug, shaving, officers, for the use of

So your list might well have 'shackle, sail side' followed by 'shackle, winch side' — well, except it wouldn't, since there wouldn't be a shackle on the winch end! But you get the idea, I'm sure...

Tony M Mar 20, 2011:

Typo? Oughtn't that to be 'shackle'?

And do you have any other shackles marked [something other than sail] side? That might help to pin it down.

It would also help to know just what sort of boat these parts are for?