While researching an article I’m working on about TeamO lifejackets, I happened to click on this page on which TeamO are selling:
Kru Triple Hook Safety Tether for use with TeamO BackTow lifejackets
I was stunned.
In January of 2018 (7 years ago), after the death of a crew member on one of the Clipper Boats at least partially due to the failure of a hook that looks identical to the one Kru are using, the British Marine Accident Investigation Branch published a warning, because these hooks are prone to failure when loaded off axis.
Wait, it gets worse. A few months later AAC friend-in-the-comments Drew Fry did some testing of these Gibb-style hooks for Practical Sailor with damning results.
You can read a whole lot more about this problem, and others that Phyllis and I experienced personally with these hooks, in this article, which we have moved outside our paywall for two weeks.
We strongly recommend that owners with tethers aboard that use these hooks should immediately replace them and that TeamO should stop selling them.
It shouldn’t take an engineering degree to figure out that this is not a good design. The stuff we used mountain climbing over 50 years ago was far better than this, and it has steadily improved since. So it’s really surprising that companies that produce such dangerous items aren’t taken down.
Good point, but taken down by who? As far as I can see with the recent changes at Practical Sailor, we at AAC are all that’s left who have an interest in calling out bad gear or boats.
Thanks for pointing this out.
It shouldn’t take an engineering degree to figure out that this is not a good design. The stuff we used mountain climbing over 50 years ago was far better than this, and it has steadily improved since. So it’s really surprising that companies that produce such dangerous items aren’t taken down.
Hi George,
Good point, but taken down by who? As far as I can see with the recent changes at Practical Sailor, we at AAC are all that’s left who have an interest in calling out bad gear or boats.
Sadly, you are spot on
however, if CE certification worked, it would take car of it.
I have these tethers and they need replacing. Any suggestions please? (I am UK based).
Hi Clive,
We have a full set of tether recommendations here: https://www.morganscloud.com/2017/02/20/the-right-tethers-to-keep-us-aboard-part-1-a-mix/
That said, if you don’t want to make your own, those from Spinlock use the same clips we favour.
One other thought: I’m deep into an article on tether tension, so you might want to wait until we publish that next week.
Thanks.