Lifeline Fittings on the Cheap?

[jerryprocter]

Originally Posted by HHNTR111

How much do you think your life is worth? Buying cheap safety items, like lifelines, flares, rafts, makes no sense to me.

I guess capitalism probably is a mystery to you too, then. Just because something is cheaply priced, does not mean that it can not do the job it is intended to do. If I have a choice between buying the same performing product for 3 or 4 times less, I will make that choice any day of the week. If you assign a value to paying *more* for a product, then all power to you.

At this point, I am still trying to figure out if the HF fittings are the same as Blue Wave/Suncor, or if not the same, perform the same. From what I gather Suncor does not manufacture their product, but merely assembles and packages them for distribution. I assume they obtain they're fittings from Blue Wave, who in turn either manufactures them in Denmark, or outsources to Asia. Basically Suncor is just another cog in the supply chain, just like Harbor Freight.

[HHNTR111]

I think I understand capitalism just fine. I think it was you who started a thread looking for cheap (your word...) safety gear, hence my comment.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by jerryprocter

... From what I gather Suncor does not manufacture their product, but merely assembles and packages them for distribution. I assume they obtain they're fittings from Blue Wave, who in turn either manufactures them in Denmark, or outsources to Asia. Basically Suncor is just another cog in the supply chain, just like Harbor Freight.

Where & how do you gather that?

FWIW: Here's an interesting review:
Good Old Boat, Quick Attach, Sta-Lok, Norseman, swasless fittings

[David M]

I think we are dealing with two definitions of "cheap" here. The first definition meaning poor quality. The second meaning meaning inexpensive. I think it is safe to assume that the people who were questioning "cheap" fittings were meaning of poor quality.

I don't think anyone here is considering the use of poor quality hardware as safety equipment.

[forsailbyowner]

I'd buy one and give it a performance test. I'm a firm believer in cheap. I built my lifelines out of 1" three strand nylon and spliced them. If you like the way it tests go for it.

[Maine Sail]

Nearly every item I have purchased from Harbor Freight has been inferior, poorly executed knock offs of some other companies original design. Almost every thing, with a few exceptions, has not had the guts, longevity, accuracy or strength of a comparable name brand. Yes I have bought lots of stuff from them but mostly tools or products I knew I was not going to be using on a regular basis or tools I deemed disposable boat tools that were only going to get rusty anyway.

The last item I bought was a drill set that claimed to be cobalt. While making my first hole in ALUMINUM the drill bit and literally wrapped itself twisting like a baseball stadium soft pretzel.. In hind sight I guess the "cobalt" was a descrition of the color, and "high speed" was how quickly each bit fails.. They have been relegated to drilling soft pine..

On this and other forums I often tout the tried & true Makita 9227C buffer. Harbor Freight makes an identical looking knock off for dirt cheap. I have had emails from many folks who tried them, trying to save a buck, and never even made it through the firts side of the vessel before it burned up. My Makita has buffed the equivalent of well over 70+ boats..

Cheap is not the question it is the sheer lack of quality, durability and longevity that HF is famous for. I had a buddy severely damage an engine to his antique car when his HF motor hoist cracked and failed at well under the claimed load rating. The NOS parts to repair the damage to this engine from the fall, oil pan, distributor etc, far eclipsed the savings from buying the HF motor hoist.

I will still buy some stuff from HF but nothing that my life depended upon or that could cause a failure that resulted in a dangerous sitution.

I can almost guarantee that if you put the two products side by side you'd clearly realize they were far from identical to the Suncor stuff. BTW Suncor has a manufacturing facility right in MA and they do a lot of their own production work.

I would not personally touch any "rigging" items from HF with a 40 foot pole as I have seen and dealt with their corner cutting for years..

[Sailmonkey]

how did you google them? Are they on the northern tool website?

[Orion Jim]

We all like to pinch pennies to some degree but please don't econimize where life and limb are concerned. Buy knock off DVD's to save a buck but please buy the best lifelines and associated fittings you can afford.