With the very thin walled alum. poles, and with stailess steel attached right at the mid point (max load, bending moment area) I would be very carful moving it around using the pole as a handle.
Those eyestrap holes are to small to be of significant importance unless the pole is used in a way that it is not designed for.
Truly I've seen breakages at exactly the same point with other means of attachments. This isn't related to the hole but the fact that the bending moment is biggest right under the bridle support point. There is about 2 meter leverage between tip and bridle attachement point. With the pole being about 35-40 mm diameter the force magnifying effect is 50 - 60 times the push down force on the end. That is alot.
Give me a Inter-17 and I'll proof it to you guys. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Wouter
