As the 44west team prepared to take on one of the world’s toughest rowing races across the Atlantic, SGS supported the project by testing key safety components the crew would rely on at sea – including the jackstay system used to keep people and equipment secure on deck.
A jackstay is a wire or rope secured between two fixed points on a boat, designed to provide a safe attachment line for crew and equipment. It allows movement on deck while ensuring that people and essential gear remain onboard, even in rough conditions.
For an offshore rowing race, the jackstay is a critical safety feature – one that must perform reliably under constant load, movement and exposure to the marine environment.
Why is jackstay testing necessary?
In extreme offshore racing conditions, failure is not an option. Jackstays are continuously exposed to high tension, saltwater, humidity, temperature variation and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Over time, these factors can weaken materials, corrode metal components or reduce the strength of textiles.
Testing ensures that jackstays are fit for purpose – able to retain their required properties throughout their expected lifespan, even in harsh marine environments. For crews operating far from land, this confidence is essential to safety.
How did SGS test the jackstay for the 44west team?
At our laboratory in the Netherlands, the jackstay was tested in accordance with internationally recognized standards, including ISO 13934. To verify that the jackstay would perform reliably under real-world offshore conditions, we assessed both its strength and long-term durability.
Testing focused on ensuring the system could withstand extreme loads while maintaining its required properties when exposed to harsh marine environments, including:
- Tensile strength
To ensure the system can withstand extreme loads
- Material durability
Including resistance to corrosion, humidity, temperature and UV exposure
- Overall reliability
Ensuring performance is maintained throughout prolonged offshore use
Tensile load testing confirmed that the jackstay’s strength exceeded the maximum allowable load with a safety factor of four – meaning it was tested to withstand four times the expected operational load. This approach provided confidence that the jackstay would endure stresses well beyond those encountered at sea, without degradation.
What the results showed
The results confirmed that the jackstay:
- Exceeded required strength thresholds
- Maintained structural integrity under high load
- Provided a reliable safety system for both crew and equipment
Taken together, the testing demonstrated that the jackstay was robust, reliable and fit to support the 44west team throughout their Atlantic crossing.
Operations Manager Laboratory, Netherlands
By applying a safety factor of four during load testing, we can be confident that the jackstay will sustain the stresses applied to it without degradation, even under extreme offshore conditions.
Supporting safety, durability and sustainability
Durability is a critical component of sustainability. Longer-lasting safety systems reduce the need for replacement, minimize waste and lower overall environmental impact. We assess not only whether a product is made from sustainable materials, but whether it is durable enough to deliver long-term performance.
By evaluating products across their full life cycle – from raw material extraction and production through to use and disposal – testing supports safer design choices and more responsible environmental outcomes.
Wider testing capabilities
Beyond jackstays for offshore racing, we provide testing services for a wide range of components and industries where tensile strength and reliability are critical, including:
- Lifting cables, hooks and reinforcement bars
- Towing ropes and anchors
- Marine, offshore and industrial safety systems
- Failure analysis to identify root causes and prevent repeat incidents
These services help manufacturers, operators and asset owners verify safety, improve durability and prevent costly or dangerous failures.
