Author Topic: Help! Broken leash again. Help big wave or super strong leash  (Read 13599 times)

CrosswindPaddle

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Re: Help! Broken leash again. Help big wave or super strong leash
« Reply #30 on: February 20, 2016, 08:52:51 PM »
Jimmy Lewis Slice 12'6
SUP ATX R2 8.125" Race Paddle
Riviera BUMP 8.5" Paddle

SUPvol

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Re: Help! Broken leash again. Help big wave or super strong leash
« Reply #31 on: March 07, 2016, 08:26:50 AM »
A bump back to the top for this thread as my leash - same as the original poster - broke on Saturday while surfing in 46 degree water temps. Luckily a proner was able to grab my board and bring it back, but it could have been a bad situtation as I getting cold quick swimming to it as it was getting tossed around in the shore break.

I'll admit I have had this leash for 2 years and while I do rinse it after every use, maybe my lessson learned is I should replace the least once a year. My son prone surfs much more than I and in much bigger waves, so I think I am going to make it a habit to give him a new leash for Christmas every year.

So my my question is, should I go back to the same leash, or go to a different company? While I know there is no guarantee, Saturday really freaked me out as that is the first leash I have broken.

Thanks!

 
« Last Edit: March 07, 2016, 08:28:48 AM by SUPvol »

supsurf-tw

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Re: Help! Broken leash again. Help big wave or super strong leash
« Reply #32 on: March 07, 2016, 08:37:42 AM »
You want to keep your big wave leash for certain days and keep it protected when stored. After every go out inspect it for fin gashes. Fin gash = new leash. The depth of the gash is the new overall thickness of the leash. a 1\16" gash? your leash is now 1\16' thinner.
Boards:

 
8-10 x 31 Egg
8-11 X 32 Double wing Fangtail Tom Whitaker
8-6 X 30 1\2  Inbetweener Tom Whitaker
8-4 x 30 Hyper quad Tom Whitaker (wife's now)
8-4 X 31 1\4.  Round (wide) Diamond Tail Quad Tom Whitaker
 9-4 X 30 1\2. Swallow Stinger Quad Tom Whitaker (ex wifes now)
10-0 Brusurf for teach

GOTWAVZ

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Re: Help! Broken leash again. Help big wave or super strong leash
« Reply #33 on: March 07, 2016, 09:05:45 AM »
Ok - im inspired to tell my story now from the week before last in Oahu.

I went out at Lanikai just north of the Mokes on the 27th dawn patrol. There was some wrap from the swell left over from the Eddie.  A little sketchy.  It would go flat then the horizon would just come alive with the wrap.  I caught a few bombs, then went left on this right (first mistake)….went to exit up the face as it closed out…got launched what felt like 10 feet in the air, but the board got stuck in the lip and snapped the leash. Aprox 3/4 mile out from the beach. Luckily I waited until my buddy came out with me so I had some comfort in that, but we were the only two as it was very early.
 
What happened next scared the sh$#t out of me.  I was swimming with my paddled tied to my shorts….my leash was still attached to my leg (aprox 10' draggin behind me - second mistake)…my buddy went in and tried to rescue my board…..so I’m swimming and out of nowhere I get YANKED underwater by my leg……..my leash got caught on the reef as the next huge set same in and would not let me go.  There was so much tension on it that I could barely release it. I was actually tumbstoming.  It all happened so fast I had to do a double take….calm down then swim down towards the reef…then grab the Velcro release and I was free….all this happened while being at least ¾ mile offshore.  The worst part was I didn't see it coming and it pulled me under as I was fully exhaled.

That day I ran into Blue Planet, grabbed what I thought was a big wave leash 8mm - 9' .  I went out the next day at Himalayas on the north shore  next to Laniakea and scored some nice outer reef waves with my buddy (Surfline said 12'-18'). And again after two hours of surfing I got hit by one of those famous north shore close out sets. …….and yes I broke my damn leash again.

I swam in, but it was a looooong swim form that outer reef. I was toast

So I'm not sure if being new or old helps. the longer and thicker and a little bit of good luck helps.

HB, CA, Oahu, HI
JK 7'-8' x 28"x 4" = 99L
JK 7'-10" x 41/4" = 106 L
Joe Blair Gun 8-10" x 28 x 4 1/4
198 lbs - 5'-9"

supsurf-tw

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Re: Help! Broken leash again. Help big wave or super strong leash
« Reply #34 on: March 07, 2016, 09:27:36 AM »
When it's like that wear 2 leashes
Boards:

 
8-10 x 31 Egg
8-11 X 32 Double wing Fangtail Tom Whitaker
8-6 X 30 1\2  Inbetweener Tom Whitaker
8-4 x 30 Hyper quad Tom Whitaker (wife's now)
8-4 X 31 1\4.  Round (wide) Diamond Tail Quad Tom Whitaker
 9-4 X 30 1\2. Swallow Stinger Quad Tom Whitaker (ex wifes now)
10-0 Brusurf for teach

PonoBill

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Re: Help! Broken leash again. Help big wave or super strong leash
« Reply #35 on: March 07, 2016, 09:39:57 AM »
TW, a gash does a lot more than thin the leash, it's a stress riser--it concentrates the force of stretching the leash and provides a place for the tear to start. Like nicking the top of a potato chip bag--hard to open before you nick, easy after.

Keeping a leash over one season is asking for a swim, unless you surf baby waves and only occasionally. I replace them several times a year, check them frequently, buy the best I can find, and I still break them--though not so far this year.

Gotwavz, that's a nasty story. A twofer letdown from one leash. I fully understand the feeling of getting your leash snagged. Horrifying. Without a little luck I would have drowned the time mine caught. I couldn't get to the cuff release in the current. One more reason I'm into waist leashes.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

supsurf-tw

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Re: Help! Broken leash again. Help big wave or super strong leash
« Reply #36 on: March 07, 2016, 10:06:27 AM »
TW, a gash does a lot more than thin the leash, it's a stress riser--it concentrates the force of stretching the leash and provides a place for the tear to start. Like nicking the top of a potato chip bag--hard to open before you nick, easy after.

 
Good to know, makes sense. Even more reason to chuck a big wave leash with nicks and gashes
Boards:

 
8-10 x 31 Egg
8-11 X 32 Double wing Fangtail Tom Whitaker
8-6 X 30 1\2  Inbetweener Tom Whitaker
8-4 x 30 Hyper quad Tom Whitaker (wife's now)
8-4 X 31 1\4.  Round (wide) Diamond Tail Quad Tom Whitaker
 9-4 X 30 1\2. Swallow Stinger Quad Tom Whitaker (ex wifes now)
10-0 Brusurf for teach

SUPvol

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Re: Help! Broken leash again. Help big wave or super strong leash
« Reply #37 on: March 07, 2016, 10:56:19 AM »
TW - Great observation! The last time I was out before this weekend was the first week of Janaury and another SUP and I scraped. His fins went right over my tail, so I had to small dings to fix and you could see his fin marks on my pad. With what you said, I bet his fins clipped my leash also which would greatly assisted in the leash tearing. Big lesson to learn to keep inspecting and thankfully still here to learn from it. I'm also open for new leash suggestions - Dakine, Pro Lite, FCS??


You want to keep your big wave leash for certain days and keep it protected when stored. After every go out inspect it for fin gashes. Fin gash = new leash. The depth of the gash is the new overall thickness of the leash. a 1\16" gash? your leash is now 1\16' thinner.
« Last Edit: March 07, 2016, 11:01:10 AM by SUPvol »

raf

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Re: Help! Broken leash again. Help big wave or super strong leash
« Reply #38 on: March 07, 2016, 12:02:36 PM »
I use Creatures of Leisure leashes.  Never had one break in 5 years.  The only brand we sell, and no reason for us to go looking elsewhere.

We don't have Hawaiian size surf here (or even Cali), but we get out in overhead stuff quite often. 

SUPvol

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Re: Help! Broken leash again. Help big wave or super strong leash
« Reply #39 on: March 07, 2016, 01:15:43 PM »
raf - For a 10ft SUP would you suggest a 10ft leash? I don't remember what my old leash was and already tossed it. I'm surfing in Virginia Beach, Outer Banks and east coast of Florida mostly, so no Cali or Hawaii waves


I use Creatures of Leisure leashes.  Never had one break in 5 years.  The only brand we sell, and no reason for us to go looking elsewhere.

We don't have Hawaiian size surf here (or even Cali), but we get out in overhead stuff quite often.

bajasurf

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Re: Help! Broken leash again. Help big wave or super strong leash
« Reply #40 on: March 08, 2016, 05:41:35 AM »
I have had my leash get stuck in the reef and almost drowned before.  Scary experience.  I was proning.   After that, once I paddled back out and was sitting on my board, I threw the leash up on my legs so it could never get caught again.  Worked like a charm. 

There is a guy on McCoy website.  His name is Ian and  he  always uses a double leash on big waves...



Ok - im inspired to tell my story now from the week before last in Oahu.

I went out at Lanikai just north of the Mokes on the 27th dawn patrol. There was some wrap from the swell left over from the Eddie.  A little sketchy.  It would go flat then the horizon would just come alive with the wrap.  I caught a few bombs, then went left on this right (first mistake)….went to exit up the face as it closed out…got launched what felt like 10 feet in the air, but the board got stuck in the lip and snapped the leash. Aprox 3/4 mile out from the beach. Luckily I waited until my buddy came out with me so I had some comfort in that, but we were the only two as it was very early.
 
What happened next scared the sh$#t out of me.  I was swimming with my paddled tied to my shorts….my leash was still attached to my leg (aprox 10' draggin behind me - second mistake)…my buddy went in and tried to rescue my board…..so I’m swimming and out of nowhere I get YANKED underwater by my leg……..my leash got caught on the reef as the next huge set same in and would not let me go.  There was so much tension on it that I could barely release it. I was actually tumbstoming.  It all happened so fast I had to do a double take….calm down then swim down towards the reef…then grab the Velcro release and I was free….all this happened while being at least ¾ mile offshore.  The worst part was I didn't see it coming and it pulled me under as I was fully exhaled.

That day I ran into Blue Planet, grabbed what I thought was a big wave leash 8mm - 9' .  I went out the next day at Himalayas on the north shore  next to Laniakea and scored some nice outer reef waves with my buddy (Surfline said 12'-18'). And again after two hours of surfing I got hit by one of those famous north shore close out sets. …….and yes I broke my damn leash again.

I swam in, but it was a looooong swim form that outer reef. I was toast

So I'm not sure if being new or old helps. the longer and thicker and a little bit of good luck helps.

PonoBill

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Re: Help! Broken leash again. Help big wave or super strong leash
« Reply #41 on: March 08, 2016, 03:04:20 PM »
I tried double leashes, didn't like it. Stuff everywhere. If I got to the outer reefs (only one time this year) I sometimes wrap a leash around my waist so if I break one and can catch the board I can keep playing. But I haven't done that for three years I think. This year the outer reefs are huge. No country for old men.

If you go stronger on the Urethane cord, remember that everything else remains about the same. Leashes break or come off because:
The cord breaks
The molded plugs break (several failure modes)
The swivel breaks
the velcro cuff pulls off
The swivel pulls out
the leash rope to the railsaver breaks

You can strengthen each of those areas, but strengthening just one moves the failure point elsewhere.

I test all my throwaway leashes to failure, and I've broken far too many in use. Cord breaks are rare unless the leash is very undersized. I've stretched an 8mm 10' leash so far that I was certain it had broken. Even after the leash recovered it was over 20 feet long until the next day. Undamaged, new urethane cord in the softer durometers that leashes use can stretch five times their length without breaking. But if they do, you can expect the cord to come out of the molded end just from diameter reduction.

Theres a straight path to strong leashes. Hand tied, no molding, strong stainless swivel, thick cord, frequent inspection and replacement. And don't forget that frayed old rope you tie the leash on with. Or your knot quality.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

 


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