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Harness issues
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johnl



Joined: 05 Jun 1994
Posts: 1330
Location: Hood River OR

PostPosted: Wed May 07, 2014 9:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There are ways of keeping the bar from sliding if that is a problem. I think it has something to do with a half wrap on one end, but unfortunately it has been a long time since I have had to do it, so I've forgotten Smile My harnesses clip to the bar so they don't slide.

Last edited by johnl on Wed May 07, 2014 10:43 pm; edited 1 time in total
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rswabsin



Joined: 14 May 2000
Posts: 444
Location: New Jersey

PostPosted: Wed May 07, 2014 11:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Also - if purchasing a DaKine harness - look into getting the roller spreader bar option instead of the tradional hook. This eliminates the back and forth sliding issue with the hook style spreader bar.

Rob
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gregnw44



Joined: 23 Jul 2008
Posts: 783
Location: Seattle, Wa

PostPosted: Wed May 07, 2014 12:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Why don't some people like their harness spreader bar... if it can slide 4" left or right?

My harnesses have all done this (I didn't know any different) forever!
25 years of harness use with many Windsurfing Hawaii and Dakine harnesses.
But I needed a new one 2 years ago, and bought a new Prolimit.
I like the style that I bought as far as fit and function, etc.
But the bar clips into place.
And it won't slide back and forth at all.
I am still not used to it.
I am very used to rotating my body when planning upwind, for example, and I liked how I could adjust where the pull was being supported.
And there are other times when I want the support or pull to come from a certain spot... but now I can't do this. It's always right in the middle.

Anyway to me, and I know other's feel this way as well... I wish I could slide the bar fore and aft at times. It's not a huge deal to me, or I would change it. In fact I understand that Dakine or somebody has a conversion kit, so you can change the clipped stationary bar to one which will slide.

So it's interesting that so many here are complaining about spreader bars that slide?
Greg -
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jingebritsen



Joined: 21 Aug 2002
Posts: 3371

PostPosted: Wed May 07, 2014 3:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

in florida if one wants to pump to plane in order to get the full benefit of our anemic winds, one learns to hook AFTER one has gotten the front foot in the strap. probability of getting catapulted with this habit is reduced dramatically. this technique allows me to stay iut of trouble in wave sailing too. lots of people that hook first don't end up surf sailing much....
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beaglebuddy



Joined: 10 Feb 2012
Posts: 1120

PostPosted: Wed May 07, 2014 3:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the comments, it does look possible. I don't want to drop good money on something that isn't workable because of my shape. I was wondering because the few sailors I encounter here are all old geezers in seats or even a chest harness.
There are a couple of sailors in a waist harness but they are built like ballet dancers.
I'm going to Honolulu later this month and I'm going to try to get over to Kailua where there are two shops that sell the gear.
Windwaterrock, there you are nearly my exact size with my exact same board but I see you have your rig pretty far up in the mast track, I just reconditioned a single bolt base so I could get back another 1.5"
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Wed May 07, 2014 3:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I hate sliding bars simply because I want to know EXACTLY where my hook is when I want to hook back in. I'd guess that DTL wave sailors who are in and out of their harness on short notice all day want that even more.
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windrockwater



Joined: 03 Aug 2010
Posts: 66

PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2014 8:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

beaglebuddy wrote:
Thanks for the comments, it does look possible. I don't want to drop good money on something that isn't workable because of my shape. I was wondering because the few sailors I encounter here are all old geezers in seats or even a chest harness.
There are a couple of sailors in a waist harness but they are built like ballet dancers.
I'm going to Honolulu later this month and I'm going to try to get over to Kailua where there are two shops that sell the gear.
Windwaterrock, there you are nearly my exact size with my exact same board but I see you have your rig pretty far up in the mast track, I just reconditioned a single bolt base so I could get back another 1.5"


Are you using the Windsup 11'8"? I like it alot. But it is huge. I went out in high wind and it handled great but still it felt so strange to be flying around on a gigantic board while the other little sailors were on 100l or so boards. I felt like the jolly green giant. The front of the board 'chatters' so i tried moving the foot forward. I am shopping for a similarly large and forgiving size but a good deal smaller for more maneuverability. Like maybe the 10' windsup? I am looking for volume (160l and up) but also performance. Most larger boards seem like they are heavy and for beginners. So I am fairly stumped!

My mast position along with everything else I do windsurfing is probably wrong. Lol. About the sliding bar, i have mixed feelings. As the OP said, frequently its nice to have the bar slide when i rotate my body to sail upwind/downwind. But then sometimes the sliding is annoying and the harness itself rotates a little. But overall I am very comfortable with that harness. I do not miss the seat harness.
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gregnw44



Joined: 23 Jul 2008
Posts: 783
Location: Seattle, Wa

PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2014 9:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not really about harnesses, but -
To the BIG guys here (or anybody)... please don't think "big boards" are for beginner's.
Windsurfing is all about physics. The sailor's weight dictates the board size... and of course, the sail size.
Believe me, if top pros that are heavy were sailing in marginal moderate winds, they would be on way bigger boards than lightweight pros. And they'd be using way bigger sails.

Yes it is frustrating, when you want to be on the same small stuff your lighter weight friends are sailing. And you'll probably be like I was a LONG time ago.. and you will spend years trying to do the same things in the same marginal winds. But you won't really get anywhere, meanwhile your lightweight friends are blasting all over the place, LOL
So, just accept it.
There are tons of performance products, in bigger sizes.. that help BIG dudes sail around really well in marginal stuff. And it's great fun!
But the boards will often look very different that a 225 lb guy is having fun on... compared to what a 170 lb guy is using, at the same place and time.
Greg Smile
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2014 10:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Or big amateur guys can learn to finesse small boards and sails to absolutely run RINGS around everybody else sort of certifiable pros, in everything from state-of-the-art aerial and surface freestyle to early planing to speed in ANY attainable direction to slogging for hours in search of an occasional backloop ... all on some of the smallest gear on the water under the biggest guy on the water at the time. Dedication, TOW, and skill can trump mass BIG time.
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gregnw44



Joined: 23 Jul 2008
Posts: 783
Location: Seattle, Wa

PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2014 10:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

< Dedication, TOW, and skill can trump mass BIG time. >

Yes I think this is true as well.
However... if you're comparing apples to apples... being practical... most windsurfer's aren't full time boardheads. So TOW varies greatly.

IMO, if you take a couple buds who sail together... and they're both part time sailor's putting in similar time and effort and resources into the sport.
And if they find themselves sailing in marginal - moderate winds... much more than high winds...
Than the bigger guy needs bigger stuff to sail around with his friend... go similar speeds... cover similar miles... do similar moves, etc.
Just my perspective, Greg Smile
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