Shear legs, also known as sheers, shears, or sheer legs, are a form of two-legged lifting device. Shear legs may be permanent, formed of a solid A-frame and supports, as commonly seen on land and the floating sheerleg, or temporary, as aboard a vessel lacking a fixed crane or derrick.
When fixed, they are often used for very heavy lifting, as in tank recovery, shipbuilding, and offshore salvage operations. At dockyards they hoist masts and other substantial rigging parts on board.[1] They are sometimes temporarily rigged on sailboats for similar tasks.
- ^ Robert Kipping (1854). Rudimentary Treatise on Masting, Mast-making, and Rigging of Ships. London: John Weale. pp. 97.