by David Hattrick. Later in the 1970s, he established Pipe Lines surfing products and developed a design that could be patented. This design also won an Australian Design Award in 1979. Structure Modern leg rope consists of four parts cuff, swivel, cord and rail saver. The cuff comes with a double wrap-around velcro cuff. The swivel allows the cuff to spin and twist without the rope itself twisting or tangling providing less strain on the rope. The cords are typically made from a high-quality polyurethane and typically come in 2 thicknesses. However, the thicker leg ropes has more drag in the water. The rails saver is designed to provide a secured connection to the board and protect the rail when a surfer falls. A leash cup, also known as a "leash plug", is an indentation in the deck of the board close to the tail that contains a small metal bar that a short cord can be girth hitched to for attaching a leash. Current use Leashes are still the source of some contention in surfing today as, although they are now accepted as mandatory equipment for shortboarders, many longboarders refuse to wear them, claiming it infereres with their ability to walk up and down the board. Longboarders might choose to utilize a calf leash as a helpful alternative, which wraps around the calf (versus the ankle) to avoid tripping on the chord while surfing. At crowded surf spots with large waves, it is argued that the freedom not wearing a leash gives is secondary to the safety of others. References External links Surfing equipment