Quote Originally Posted by warbonnetguy View Post
i guess if they can afford a racing sailboat, they're probably too rich to care
That was my point.

Also, insurance and liability being what it is, I bet that to put out these things with a breaking strength of 2000 lbs. costs more than an equivalent product for the climbing industry. It's just my guess, but I figure that a manufacturer of climbing gear can fall back on the assumption of risk inherent in the activity if they're sued. Right or wrong, it's not hard to see juries (and consequently insurance companies) not being too moved by the injury or death of someone involved in what they see as incredibly risky. Then on the other hand, you have sailing which conjures up a more genteel and civilized image-- a place where a product liability tragedy is going to be worth a lot of money. Combine that with the fact that a performance sailboat owner is probably going to have a lot more money to devote to pursuing claims, and the costs of manufacturing start going up. Again, this is just my guess, and I could be way off.

In any event, what's the final verdict on these things?