This is a second time the bar on Dakine harness and then new bought failed in one year.
Did somebody tried welding this staff ( stainless steel

) or new replacement bar is the only option?
BTW I am disappointed a bit that without any spectacular reasons
this pieces are cracking that easy.
In such case harness bar by Dakine should be called consumables.

I'm pretty sure thats the NP quick release bar. i had three break in exactly the same spot. It's a design fault IMHO. I now dont use a NP harness. The point where it cracks is just way too thin

aus301 said...

is that really a DaKine bar? doesn't look like any DaKine windsurf spreader bar I have ever seen before.

I am so sorry !! You are absolutely right. That is Neilpryde not DaKine !! My DaKine footstraps keeps barking down so that was my first assumption. Anyway this NP harness is overall fantastically comfortable just this mishap with spread bar annoying at the best.
The first sign or symptom of such failure is inability to release or open that harness at all so in the sudden emergency there is also risk factor.



cracked and release stack so you need to unleash to get off

Mine all failed within the first 3-4 uses. Mine was a seat harness and i was sailing fully powered up with bigish sails 7.0,7.8 and 8.4m RSR's.

I'm not into brand bashing as the NP harnesses are very nice. However they have designed this part of the bar incorrectly and it's a potentially dangerous accident wating to happen if you continue to use these harness bars. When they snap (and they do) you may be catapaulted and having a sharp piece is steel stabbing you inthe guts, face, sail and board will not be fun.

I've tried to weld stainless spreader bars before and they always failed near the weld very soon afterwards.
There's something about welding that makes the stainless brittle. But I'm no welder, and an expert may be able to do it without this happening.

decrepit said...

I've tried to weld stainless spreader bars before and they always failed near the weld very soon afterwards.
There's something about welding that makes the stainless brittle. But I'm no welder, and an expert may be able to do it without this happening.

It could be that the amps were too high and heat impact zone was large, when the material overheats it changes it's structure this is why it could cause breaking.
The weld should not break, because it is stronger than welded material. If the amps are too low then the weld could separate from material...
The solution in my opinion would be trying different electrical current on a few spreader bars, then testing it, finding the best option. Or check standards for this material and thickness of the bar walls(should give some standardized current value).

I was going through 2-3 a year to snags, they don't make them like they use too.
now I use a 12 year old one I had laying in the Shed and its still going strong.

decrepit said...

I've tried to weld stainless spreader bars before and they always failed near the weld very soon afterwards.
There's something about welding that makes the stainless brittle. But I'm no welder, and an expert may be able to do it without this happening.

Mike,
It's actually the opposite, welding actually anneals the Stainless steel, that's why there is no need for Post Weld Heat Treatment as there is with Carbon Steels.

The tube will probably be a cheap grade of stainless similar to your kitchen sink, basically crap!

The other problem is when they manufacture the components they work harden the Stainless every time they bend it or punch a hole etc.
They also get contamination from the steel tooling which shows up later as rust stains & can start corrossion.

Basically poor manufacturing methods & possibly inferior materials.
But that's what people want, cheap

My own bar has cracks around the welds of the hook caused by not using filler metal when welding, simply fusing the materials together.
The filler metal has additional ellements to replace any that are burnt off during welding.

Macroscien, find another brand with a very basic design bar, minimal bending, welding & no holes.
Holes & notches will be the start of cracks & tears.

Also just sailing powered up will be work hardening the hook & bar soe eventually it will crack.

I don't know how the aluminium ones held up, I wouldn't use one though

Zachery said...

Agree with Buster, u can tig that but will need an insert to add the strength it needs as well as the fact it is so thin, the weld will become stronger than anything around it though and if u are paying anyone to do it u might as well buy a new spreader bar!

From what i have read i think that range of harnesses must be defective try contacting the manufacturer or trying another brand of harness. You can weld it strengthen the join but the odds are it will break on the other side same spot.

I would understand if the harness broke because of a serious load catapult or it was load rated to break to prevent injury. Looks like the dynamic load was during a catapult. Or
If the harness has broken where the weld is 10/1 its probably been welded with undercut.



Its hard to asses the failure without viewing it personally. I think this mabe a manufacturing defect
The load gets dissipated directly into the undercut insted of being dissipated evenly .