SpringVelocity
Crew Member
My two cents. It's design flaw mechanically. Not slagging Scotty but very poor design choice from design perspective.
This is something I mentioned a few years back when I first saw them, and based on my experience in mechanical design. Your actually better with the plastic tubes as they flex and take up the moment,so the joint is not getting to as much of stress/torque. That stainless design your essentially taking a rigid beam and expecting a plastic to take up that load. Just by doing that you actually made it weaker.
BTW I am not saying plastic tubes will not shear, but it's way less.
If you used the striker with the bolt in it probably no issue. But remember why was that bolt added at base? Same issue. Stainless rigid piece, and a plastic base. They sheared off when they released them, and then they made the a change.
FYI metal holders. They will always be costly. 90% of you won't pay for them even if they are offshore. That is why most of these are plastic. Once you get past $100.00 you lose most of the customers.
At 50% keystone a manufacturer has to be able to make them at least 1/2 of what you guys pay to sell at stores. Pretty slim margin with metal.
BTW I am using plain old plastic tubes on my booms right now. I tried Orcas and after two times ( mine are screwed) with them opening up scrapped that idea. What I am doing next is putting strikers on rear of boat off boom.
