Unfortunately the only in town replacement is another Dakine, but I'll keep an eye out for something form another brand that fits and pick one up when the oportunity shows up. Still interested in alternative designs. Funny that NP and Cab sites make it tough to investigate. Almost all the shots of their 2013 harnesses yet out dont let you see the spreader bar.

Thanks for the input.

Just had a Dakine spreader bar break on me too I should have listened to y'all and brought a spare on holiday!

Here you go mate, check out this site;

http://www.npsurf.com/products/harness/ ... ozone.html

Looks like the harness that Suzi is wearing is a Neil Pryde harness. Very, very nice looking spreader bar indeed!

I broke my dakine spreader bar last year... one side of the hook detached right at the bar... weld gave way. I always wondered about those welds.. .. anyway... I took it into a welding shop and got welded back on and it's still stuck on lol... lucky me... just a matter of time though

Yeah the hooks should be bolted on not welded.

that new np spreader does look interesting so i checked it out on their website.

then i found this information:
[quote] finally settling on a forged aluminium architecture for best strength and weight balance and anti-corrosion properties.[/quote]

anybody know what kind of screws they are using (material wise)?

This bar will be a breakthrough development in spreader bars... if it holds up. I would like to know if the hook is also made of aluminum.

The fastener in the bottom of the hook assembly looks like a rivet.

It seems like the issue of durability would center around (1) resistance of deformation of the hook (if it is aluminum), (2) sand abrasion of the anodization, exposing the bare aluminum to salt water, and (3) electro-corrosion between fastener ( maybe stainless steel) and base material (aluminum).

What do you metallurgists think? I am not a metallurgist or an engineer, but someone who will watch with interest this new development in spreader bar technology.

Stainless is what you should be using with Aluminum. Commercial fishing boats are made with exposed aluminum so exposure to salt should not be an issue . I am not a metallurgist, but, I am guessing the anodized surface may be mostly added for appearance.

Get a Liquid Force Harness (anyone) and be done with it! Cant praise them enough. Dakine's, Cabrinha's all break. Yet to break my 4 season old Liquid Force Luxury. The Neil Pryde harnesses look great. Only thing I'm worried about is that forged aluminum and the salt water. F-one had problem with the forged bar two years back. Sea water was killing them, partly because water was getting trapped inside the PU covering and eroding them from the inside. Might not be an issue with the design.

If the metal in the harness is anything like the metals they use in their control bars it will rust after a good 2 sessions.