Cheap and easy safety harness

[rgranger]

We'll do that testing on YOUR boat!

That is exactly what I was thinking...

Actually I was thinking about those fiberglass panels they sell at Lowes and Home Depot.

We all use backing plates... and all we have to go on is gut instinct for how large it should be.

Maybe one could find an old derlict boat for $100 on ebay... secure a shroud to a u-bolt... the other end to a come-along (or bumper if your brave) and rip it out. Then see how large the backing plate needs to be before the shroud fails first.

I would want to be standing on the "lee side" of a tree when that shroud fails.

 

[RichH]

Ive been involved in 'mountain rescue' (ski patroller and paramedic) for most of my adult life.

The tubular webbing used in the 'example' will/may greatly stretch-out when wetted-out and under load. If you choose this type of 'hasty harness', please thoroughly soak the webbing and then pull some strong loads on it, several times; so, that you will get a 'final' and 'stable' length. If you dont, such hasty harness' can easily stretch when the webbing gets 'wet' ... .

 

[catsailor]

I still live in the town where I went to engineering school. I could drop by the materials lab and pull it apart with the machine we used to pull apart metal samples. It actually graphed out force and elongation. I think we were measuring stress and strain. There are a few sailboat things I would like to do some quantitative destruction on. I'd like to rip apart some shrouds with swaged and mechanical fittings. I'd like to rip apart some spliced rope and different knots as well.

You're scaring me, now.

 

[Hermit Scott]

You're scaring me, now.

I have a lot of time on my hands.

 

[rgranger]

Ive been involved in 'mountain rescue' (ski patroller and paramedic) for most of my adult life.

The tubular webbing used in the 'example' will/may greatly stretch-out when wetted-out and under load. If you choose this type of 'hasty harness', please thoroughly soak the webbing and then pull some strong loads on it, several times; so, that you will get a 'final' and 'stable' length. If you dont, such hasty harness' can easily stretch when the webbing gets 'wet' ... .

Thanks Rich:

That is good advice.

However, I think these guys have convinced me to suck it up and spend the money. I don't mind spending money when I get what it is worth. I just don't like spending an extra 50% for the word "Marine". So.... I tend to look for a DIY approach or some "other market" equivalent.

The wind is blowing today,

Might head to the lake after work

 

[COOL]

I could drop by the materials lab and pull it apart with the machine we used to pull apart metal samples. It actually graphed out force and elongation. I think we were measuring stress and strain. There are a few sailboat things I would like to do some quantitative destruction on. I'd like to rip apart some shrouds with swaged and mechanical fittings. I'd like to rip apart some spliced rope and different knots as well.

This sounds like a lot of fun, in a
'Hold my beer and watch this' kind of way.
And you could publish some interesting data.
There is a rigging company that does destructive
testing on the high tech cordage they sell.