Did this about 4 sessions ago. I am still a novice (into my second season) but I think my back foot was searching for the rear strap, way to late because I was motoring missed big gust (least that's what I am blaming ) ended up in the drink disorientated very winded with a sore head! Anyway was chatting to a bloke today who reckon I should put it up.
Lesson: Foot strap needs to be bigger and get in sooner... turned out a reasonably cheap lesson this time!

Dakine should warranty that just for effort, impressive.

Warranty?

Warranty was a bit tongue in cheek, definitely happy that it was bent and not the body

I have never seen such a bent spreader bar hook in my whole sailing time.wow.must of been a horrific catapult.

Agree, never seen a banana spreader bar includes speed sailing and wave sailing.
When you next go windsurfing, watch and ask who looks a good sailor to check your rig setup.
Windsurfing is an awesome sport, remember body like no 7 and check out some specific YouTube.
Be confident and your skills and enjoyment will skyrocket.

Madge said..

Clarrie67 said..
Warranty was a bit tongue in cheek, definitely happy that it was bent and not the body

My Spreader bar is fine from my last crash, however, shoulder was broken, re-fractured and dislocated all in one go, sailed back to the beach and drove home, pain really didn't sink in until I went to hospital and they took off my wetsuit that was holding everything together, 4 months off sailing...............lots of phsyio and a cortisone shot.

Just goes to show how lucky I was, it was really just posted because it was an odd result (bent bar) I come from a hands on type background and I do appreciate that the result for me could have been way different. If your last crash was recent Madge all the best to you and your recovery. if not I hope you are getting back into it now (windsurfing).

Change your avatar name to HookBender, you have earned it .

Now I have to ask a silly question, but was that spreader bar attached correctly?
I have a few dakine harnesses and more spreader bars, but usually they have a buckle and strap on one side at least and sometimes a buckle and strap on the other or a clip of some sort that is attached to a buckle and strap. When tightened up, they are pulled across the width of the harness.

I haven't seen a sliding type setup similar to what you have there. Is it intended to slide somehow?

I can imagine that being on the webbing like that that the spreader bar would fail in the way it has, yet if it was secured at each side as they seem to be with my harnesses, I think it would take a lot more force to do that. In fact, I doubt you could do it when its secured at each side.

Is that the factory setup for that harness?

Don't worry, if you sail hard during the learning stage..you will bend or break several more spreader bars, sliding or not.
At 150 lbs., I've broken at least 10 stainless and aluminum spreader bars before I got to 50 years of age.

Imax1 said..
If Clarrie and Mastbenders avatars had babies , they'd make some pretty ugly spreader bars .

Tried to find an appropriate image for you , what ever you do don't google kink spreader bars

FormulaNova said.. I haven't seen a sliding type setup similar to what you have there. Is it intended to slide somehow?

Not uncommon
I dunno if a slider setup loads the bar differently but I would not think to any significant degree if it does.

Once you go slider you won't go back.... welll for sailing that needs a fair bit of moving around, maybe not locked in speed sailing etc.

To answer some of the questions and a bit of background all my gear is second hand as stated this is my second season bought the harness late last year it is a T-6 and I definitely did not use it correctly for a couple of sessions initially. Before I started this year I found this clip and followed this to use it properly much better after that .
The rest of the gear I was on that day Tabou 125L (about 2012), 6m Gasstra Remedy (I think that is what it is called), Neil Pryde X3 180-230 boom, 31cm JP Freeride fin I am using 28" harness lines in retrospect these may have been about an inch to inch and half too far forward.
I am about 5ft 8" generally somewhere between 77-80 Kg. Probably closer to 80 being just after Christmas . I was on the starboard side going back in from the sandbar at Melville. Definitely more comfortable going the other way at this point.
Didn't break anything else but was a bit hazy afterwards I think the harness belt was still pretty tight.

Clarrie67 said..
To answer some of the questions and a bit of background all my gear is second hand as stated this is my second season bought the harness late last year it is a T-6 and I definitely did not use it correctly for a couple of sessions initially. Before I started this year I found this clip and followed this to use it properly

much better after that .
...

Yes, I can't fault the way you used it after watching that.

I don't like the way it is attached, but hey, I don't generally like waist harnesses either. My amatuerish guesses on the forces of that spreader bar suggest that it will bend more easily than if its held firmly at each end.

I have had the hooks break, but never had one bend like that.

Mark _australia said..

FormulaNova said.. I haven't seen a sliding type setup similar to what you have there. Is it intended to slide somehow?

Not uncommon
I dunno if a slider setup loads the bar differently but I would not think to any significant degree if it does.

Once you go slider you won't go back.... welll for sailing that needs a fair bit of moving around, maybe not locked in speed sailing etc.

I could imagine that if you pull on a spreader bar hook, i.e. the load of the harness lines when being catapulted, that allowing the ends to move in (on the sliding strap) would allow it to bend more easily than if the ends were held firmly.

That's just my guess though, and if Dakine make them as sliders then you would hope that they should hold up to the usual forces too.

Clarrie67 said..

Madge said..

Clarrie67 said..
Warranty was a bit tongue in cheek, definitely happy that it was bent and not the body

My Spreader bar is fine from my last crash, however, shoulder was broken, re-fractured and dislocated all in one go, sailed back to the beach and drove home, pain really didn't sink in until I went to hospital and they took off my wetsuit that was holding everything together, 4 months off sailing...............lots of phsyio and a cortisone shot.

Just goes to show how lucky I was, it was really just posted because it was an odd result (bent bar) I come from a hands on type background and I do appreciate that the result for me could have been way different. If your last crash was recent Madge all the best to you and your recovery. if not I hope you are getting back into it now (windsurfing).

Yep, getting much better......I have been sailing 35 years now, still loop etc but goes to show the body just can't take the crunches anymore.....
Still love it though.....