Standup Zone Forum
Stand Up Paddle => SUP General => Topic started by: Newps on May 02, 2019, 08:12:16 AM
-
What up fellow Zoners! Thought I would post this up and help out some homies.
Yesterday when I switched up boards I unknowingly tied a knot in my leash. I was able to get the knot untied but in the process that section of the leash was destroyed so I had to cut the leash. I am running Stay Covered hand tied leashes. Best leashes I have found and have had zero failures.
When I cut off the shrink wrap to disassembled the leash I saw how it was tied. I tried my best to copy their knot but could not replicate it.
https://staycovered.com/blogs/news/hand-tied-leashes-are-they-better
-
With some research on line I was finally able to identify the knot. It's called a Double Sheet Bend knot. ( AKA: Double Becket Bend, Double Common Bend, Double Flag Bend, Double Ordinary Bend, Double Simple Hitch, Double Swab Hitch)
The only difference is the the rope on the left is tied with two strings together instead of just one. Here's a video of how it's tied.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvn-06IedQ4
Photo of my leash repaired.
-
It's such a great little knot for us surfers. The more you pull on it the tighter it gets. I only wish I found it sooner. I had a huge collection of broken leashes. They all broke at the plastic swivel, which can be removed from the cuff section and repaired with some string and this knot. Hope this helps you guys keep some coin in your pocket or your session being cut short from a busted leash....Peace Out!
-
Thanks Newps, very cool to know this knot.
I too have been using a Stay Covered leash and find it so much better and stronger than the DaKines I have been buying for the last few years. My Dakine's were lasting less than a year, which is about 120 or so days surfing. My last one broke on the second day I used it (fin cut it looked like).
I have also broken Creatures of Leisure and FCS leashes at the cuff where the plastic piece that attaches the leash to the cuff has failed.
I got tired of swimming for my life and came across the Stay Covered. Very happy now.
-
Before Stay Covered I had to replace my leashes every three months. No joke I would set a alarm for three months from the date it would go in use. I bought four leashes in different lengths and thickness from Stay Covered a couple of years ago and they are all still going strong. Even with the cuts and nicks that the stupid foil put in them... >:(.
-
Love It!
I have been making my own leashes for nearly 5 years.
I was worried at first about my design but now I WOULD NOT TRUST ANY PRODUCTION LEASH.
I used to break at least 2 leashes a year. I got a huge roll of (Licorice Red) leash material from Wetstuff and have not had a failure (of leash material) since I have been using the design with cable 'thimble.'
The hand tied are closest thing to Great! using your knot. It is key to watch the necking as the leash stretches. When they neck too much you're at risk of failure IN the knot.
See link here:
https://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php/topic,18684.msg235427.html#msg235427
Example of necking below.
PS: This was a 20 foot leash. The change in diameter meant that the leash had to stretch to 3X it's length to get this skinny. Meaning it probably stretched further but then only preserved the smaller diameter. 20 feet X 3 + 12 foot board means that the tip of my board was 72 feet away!
-
Here is what happens to the hand-tied leash.
Each time the leash stretches the knot tightens a little bit more. Eventually the cord gets squeezed tight enough to make the buffalo penny sh-t.
-
My buddy Ken was tired of broken leashes so he took it to 11!
See the size of cord and the thimble he is using.
-
Beasho, necking you say?
Sure as sh*t sir, you are correct. Pulled the piece out of the trash to inspect and......
-
Beasho, thank you for sharing about this failure point. I will cut and retie these ends every year now to avoid a failure.
Do you wrap you ends with anything like shrink-wrap, electrical tape...etc? I threw some duct tape on mine but I'm beginning to think it might be better to leave them exposed so that I can inspect them.
-
as with climbing gear, exposed always........
-
as with climbing gear, exposed always........
Agree with Eastbound. Exposed is both less and more 8)
PS: I thought your picture of necking was a re-post of my picture. Yes identical stuff going on. Every strong pull strangles the material a little bit more.
-
i am not koining the hand tying community just yet, but "swimming for my life" just got me to order a new leashlok!
-
My buddy Ken was tired of broken leashes so he took it to 11!
See the size of cord and the thimble he is using.
Holy crap, he might as well just use chain. What diameter is that Urethane???
-
Can you please share where you buy the cord?
thanks
-
With winter comes bigger waves. Having broken my leash several times I am now interested in a better leash design.
Does anyone know where to source the 5/16”, 11/32” or larger diameter surfing grade polyurethane cord?
I have been having a very difficult time finding the source for polyurethane leash material on the web. I found one type that appears to be close, but slightly softer and more stretchy. I would assume that this material could be acquired easily but haven’t found any immediate sources.
I asked the same question 7 years ago and have never found an answer or a source.
From here: https://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php/topic,18684.msg178910.html#msg178910
-
Wetstuff provided me with a 200' roll of the red cord that I have been using for more than 5 years to make my leashes.
-
Umm, seriously? Google it. Polyurethane cord is used as a belt for power transmission. You can get it from McMaster-Carr or a zillion other places.
-
Umm, seriously? Google it. Polyurethane cord is used as a belt for power transmission. You can get it from McMaster-Carr or a zillion other places.
I gave up hunting years ago. Googled it, bought the stuff from McMaster Carr. It was more elastic than typical leash material. Felt more like a rubber band. I agree this stuff should be widely available but it is hard to find in bulk with the right elastic profile, durometer hardness, uv resistance . .
Pono: You were on these threads -->
https://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php/topic,18684.msg179039.html#msg179039
-
Winter coming. The surf here on the west coast of Vancouver Island has been big the last couple of weeks. In the summer I broke a leash plug on my Speeed and had it replaced. Decided to add a back up stick on leash plug. Today shoulder to head high and broke a leash. Good time take a close look at all my safety gear. I use Leash Lok Hawaii waist leashes. The leash was perhaps 2 years old. The swim in was only a couple of hundred meters and no drama. There were perhaps 60 surfers in the water and fortunately my board didn’t hit anyone on its way to shore. I was the only SUP surfer out. Amazing how popular surfing has become during the pandemic. Cheers Bob
-
Try Samson, AmSteel-Blue Rope is a Dyneema HMPE fiber in a 12-Strand Single Braid a 18" diameter breaking strength is 2,300 lbs - it is used on boats and UV resistant and more cut resistant than nylon. I have it as the leash rope loop to my boards.
Also make sure to round the edges on the factory plugs to get rid of the sharp edges.
I found Dakine has a big wave leash 7/16"x 12' with a 2year warranty https://www.dakine.com/products/peahi-12-7-16-surf-leash-w-clip - for the less handy foiler
-
Thanks Finbox
That Dakine leash looks robust at 11 mm thick! My heaviest Leashlok is 9 mm and the leash I broke is 8 mm. If I break the 9 mm leash I will try the Dakine. I can't imagine that I could break that leash. I am not a big guy but the forces generated on these large boards must be huge.
Cheers
Bob
-
If you need an on-the-water leash repair - learn to tie a double-uni knot or blood knot (can use 2 wraps instead of 4). Both work well to keep you going if you have a long enough leash to start. I've done this a half dozen times over the years.
I am now making my own leashes but have never found the right cord-stock. And no, you can't buy the right stuff on mcmaster carr. If anyone finds a source for good stock, please let me know. I buy 9 or 10ft leashes .313" or 8mm and cut off the ends. So far the XM have been working the best - the cord itself is extruded in their factory in San Clemente.
To make your own hand tied leashes, the double sheet bend works great. I use 6mm parachute cord doubled up to make a loop on both ends. This picture shows how the knot looks. I wrap some electrical tape around afterwards to clean it up.
(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0924/9548/files/Knot_large.jpg?v=1491074296)
-
Thanks Jondrums
I tried the double-uni knot for joining the broken 8mm leash ends. It is not pretty but it did work. It took about 1.5-2 feet off the length of the leash. When my leash broke the board headed to shore leaving me to swim but if I was surfing on a reef I might have been able to collect the board and join the broken ends.
Cheers
Bob
-
Oh - cool. That knot totally works, but I guess I didn't know the exact name for what I'm using. A double overhand knot maybe would be a better way to describe it - takes quite a bit less leash length.
I broke a leash on a huge day at Ocean Beach and luckily got to my board pretty quick. I tried grabbing a wave in and wiped out only to lost my board again. So instead I paddled back outside and sat on the board and made this repair. It worked well enough that I decided to stay out a while longer and then surfed it for the next month on smaller days. I've used the same knot a handful of times to rescue a session.
Here's a pic of the exact knot that saved me at big OB, cinches up tight and holds.
Yeah, I'm a knot nerd. I taught knot tying for boy scouts as a camp counselor for a couple summers.