b'Technical informationDefinitions Refer to the distributor list on our website: www.wichard.comWorking Load (WL) indicates the value of static load at which the product will still function without excessive friction or wear or permanent defor-mation of components. Breaking Load (BL) indicates the value of static load for which a major failure of one or some structural components or the complete destruction of the product can be expected when new. Plastic components may split, rivets may give way, shackles or any other connection parts break and other metallic components may fracture.Units of loadOur resistance values are shown in kilogramme-force (symbol: kgf or more usually kg), which is the force due to gravity sustained by a mass of 1 kg situated at the latitude of Paris. This unit of force is obsolete, and is not part of the SI international system of units, which links concepts of mass and weight. The unit of force used in the SI system is the Newton (N).To pass from the kilogramme-force to the Newton its value must be multiplied by g, the acceleration of gravity, which is 9.80665 m/sec at the latitude of Paris, or 9.80665 N (N = kg x m x s-2). In the fields where the kgf appears we should now use the decanewton (or dekanewton), daN: 1 kgf = 9.806 65 N = 0.980665 daN (1 daN = 1.019 716 kgf).Our test equipment measures loads in daN, but bowing to custom and for reasons of simplicity and safety, we still give values in kgs in our brochures and on our products. Our measured values have simply been converted into kgs. Factor of safetyBefore choosing or specifying a particular product, an appropriate factor of safety should be applied to Breaking Loads (BL) to suit each application.For many industrial and safety applications, and for some yachting application, a factor of safety greater than two (2) should be used or may be required by law or other regulations. It is the customers responsibility to ensure that an appropriate factor of safety is used, and it should take into account safety implications, service life, fatigue (as may be caused by wave action, wind stress or repetitive cyclical loading), type of load, exposure to ultraviolet light, corrosion and stress corrosion (such as in high humidity or high chlorine environment). Even more attention is required when specifying blocks as other factors have to be taken into account such as rotary speed, deflection angle of the rope or the number of wire of the tackle (see page 31 of the present document). Note that aSafe Working Load is not specified as this is dependent on the factor of safety, which must be determined by the user relative to each application.In any case, never use the products over the working load !Useful life The useful life of any products is determined by the above factors and must be assessed in each application. Thus no guarantee can be provided for product life, dynamic capacities or any other factor due to the variability in usage. In some jurisdictions government regulations require the re-placement of rigging components within certain periods of time, usually after three or five years. You must ascertain whether any such regulations affect you and take appropriate steps if you are affected. Maintenance and inspectionAll your marine hardware, blocks and equipments must receive regular inspections to prevent any deformation, wear, cracks or corrosion. Even if your products have had little use, ultraviolet light exposure, wave action, humid or saline environment may cause damage that could affect quality or strength of the equipment. If, after inspection, you are in doubt about the integrity of one of some parts, it is the customers responsibility to replace the defective components or product to ensure his own safety. While every precaution is taken in the product design and ma-nufacturing processes of our products to minimize the effects of corrosion or stress corrosion, appropriate preventive or corrective treatments must be carried out to the products after installation. Part #: W246GB21 - Pictures: Wichard - Bertrand Duquenne - Guilain Grenier - J-JM Liot - C Breschi - Pierre Bouras, Vapillon, X-yachts, Branco, Arnaud de Buyzer , Gilles Martin-Raget, Pouss par le vent, Js Evrard - Photos non contractuelles,. Wichardstrives to ensure, to the best of its abilities, that the information on this document is correct and current, and reserves the right to modify the content at any time and without prior warning.'