HARNESS LINE LENGTH and SEAT Harnesses

adywind · Joined: 08 Jan 2012 Posts: 665

Adjustable lines for cruising sails regardless of the harness type-it would be terrible to sail long reaches and be uncomfortable all the time.
Fixed lines for maneuver sails in b&j/wave environments-you sail unhooked half of the time anyway and fixed lines hold the shape better which is helpful for the constant hooking/unhooking action.

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20936

dmilovich · Joined: 19 Jul 2009 Posts: 99

@adywind:

I noticed the Ion mast pads in both your photos. I have some as well, but find they tend to try flip off of the mast at the bottom fairly regularly (all RDMs). I did add some webbing to the top to make them easier to put on.

Flipping off at bottom happens particularly when one might grab them (occasionally) in a transition, or in the surf (small surf). Am trying not to grab ever as a result.

What's your experience been? Any mods or tips? TIA

adywind · Joined: 08 Jan 2012 Posts: 665

coachg · Joined: 10 Sep 2000 Posts: 3559

Where & what you sail can significantly determine what the "ideal" stance should look like. A figure 7 or figure 6. More food for thought on your harness line length.

Coachg

sl55 · Joined: 03 Aug 2007 Posts: 112

Take a look at what Peter Hart is preaching. Useful and entertaining as always.

https://issuu.com/arcwindltdpublishing/docs/harty319sept

Seat harnesses are also quite different regarding hook position. Some have really low hook, some have it pretty close to what properly positioned waist harness has.
Also some people like high boom position, some like it low. It also depends on the conditions. I use adjustable lines around 32 inches, and I am 6'4".

jingebritsen · Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Posts: 3371

complicating it all is some factories measure to include boom wrapping materials, and others don't.

np fixed lines 34" are perfect for me. meanwhile chinook, epic, dakine are 2 inches too short.

i may have to revert to homemade....

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

5' 10", seat AND waist with 22" lines, booms mostly 54" from bottom of aluminum mast base, and track around 143 cm's from tail of slalom boards, 138cm's for wave boards.

manuel · Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Posts: 1158

On my formula my boom was quite high. Not sure I could slog near the mast track hooked in like I do on wave boards.

Anyway, somewhere around 30-32" lines. Now I'm on 32" lines using a waist but with an average to low boom (shoulder-pecs). I'm 5'8" with long arms and short legs, ha ha !

DanWeiss · Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Posts: 2296 Location: Connecticut, USA

You don't say what board you are using. As others mentioned, boards and their respective uses tend to dictate harness line length.

For example, sailing a racing longboard upwind usually requires the longest harness line length of all because of the geometry of the process. Likewise, sailing FW downwind also requires very long lines in order to keep control of the rig.

5'6" 172 lb. 33" lines when racing using seat harness. 28" when shortboarding using waist harness.