My biggest fear in windsurfing

U2U2U2 · Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2014 9:56 am Post subject:

some harness bar attachments quik release type. My Naish are to a degree.

I had PROLIMIT before when imported. It was sweet, once released it move out of the lines a suggestion..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Prolimit-Type-T-Windsurf-Harness-/171234323187?pt=UK_Sporting_Goods_Windsurfing_CV&hash=item27de5c6af3

shipping from the Continent is more reasonable that opposite direction

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

Sailboarder · Joined: 10 Apr 2011 Posts: 656

It happened once to me, but was not drama at all. Couldn't get away so got closer and was able to undo the little tangle. I had tought first to remove the harness and was confident to do it easily as I use Prolimits and the bar releases even under some tension if you pull on the tab. I use seats, and there are 3 other buckles but they are easy to undo, and I guess they would snap if in panick. I really felt I had time to try to untangle first before bailing out of the harness if required.

jingebritsen · Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Posts: 3371

my biggest fear is prolonged lack of wind and waves...

beaglebuddy · Joined: 10 Feb 2012 Posts: 1120

It happened to me a few times while learning but I had either fallen on top of the sail or the water was shallow. At first there was a bit of panic and I really had to think about it at the time and later as to which way to pull the lines out. Now I know, relax, come towards the rig to provide some slack and sweep the hands from the top down to free it.
Not a problem if you have a plan and the right shape hook that will allow the lines to slip off. With a kite hook it could be a real problem however.

MalibuGuru · Joined: 11 Nov 1993 Posts: 9300

I always unhook on waves, but have been launched and twisted my harness line around the hook a few times. This is scary for sure. So... if this happens, grab the boom. Pull it toward your belly. This relaxes the tension of the line against the hook. Put both thumbs on the bottom of the hook, and your fingers around the harness line. Squeeze them together and thrust your hook out while you're pulling out.

rollerrider · Joined: 17 May 2003 Posts: 100

Lots of posts on this topic. Yeah it happens alot. But whatever happens don't panic. It never helps. Last time it happened to me in the crunch zone and I was not only under the sail but somehow got between the boom and sail. I couldn't relieve the tension cause of all the current and wave action. So the next thing I did was panic and try to pull on the mast to get my head out and get a breath. Didn't work. Just wasted more time. So I finally got one hand on the hook and the other on the line and just unhooked it. Kinda put me in a crappy mood for awhile.
Worse things can happen. Like crashing far out in big wind and not being able to swim fast enough to catch your kit. Wear a PFD.

justall · Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 442

PeconicPuffin · Joined: 07 Jun 2004 Posts: 1830

Practicing disconnecting the bar is something anyone can do. I've had (once) the experience of finding myself between the boom and the sail, underwater, hooked in. Took three long seconds to disentangle myself. Also there's this:

http://www.peconicpuffin.com/the_peconic_puffin/2007/05/bad_accident_wa.html

in which the adjustable harness pull could conceivably get caught in your hook.

If you can calmly remove the hook from the harness, you're more or less bulletproof, though in most cases it's a matter of (as previously stated) relaxing the pull on the line, bringing your hands to the hook and sliding the line off.

rexi · Joined: 17 Nov 2009 Posts: 155

I had a really bad catapult about 3 years ago, sailing on a windy 3.7 day. Wiped out, got the wind knocked out of my lungs, had spun about 360 in the harness lines and ended up sligtly confused under the sail. Was going to hurry back for air but got stuck, took me a few tries to get loose, ended up trying to relax and get closer to the boom to get this thing loose and it worked. Then came up for air but could hardly breath because my wind was knocked out of my lungs.

I use a Dakine nexus (with a windsurfing bar, not the kite ones) and after that i made a little quick release system on the harness. Quite easy, just made one longer rope to the buckle and that was it. I sail most of the times with mittens so those pressing a button release system don´t work for me. Now it´s really easy to get out of the harness if i have to, but i have never had this happen again.