Extended harness hook info (no lines)

jayturcot · Joined: 08 Mar 2004 Posts: 70

I remember a few years back (circa 2006) I was windsurfing at Lake Lopez, CA, I saw a guy with a really sail-to-harness system I've never seen before.

The boom didn't have any harness lines, but instead had what looked like a rubber block inside the boom with some vertical grooves in it.
In the place of a hook close to the body, the spreader bar had a long rod extending from it with a hook at the end.

Has anybody ever seen a system like this?
Was it ever "popular" or seen, or was this a one time wonder?
Seems like a big hazard in terms of punching a hole through the sail.

FreakDrew · Joined: 03 Oct 2008 Posts: 12

Back in the 80's it might have been George Greenough.

He made a harness that had a "captain hook" type thing coming out of it. Then he had the booms wrapped in downhaul-sized line to keep the hook from sliding around.

http://www.georgegreenough.com/George_Greenough/Home.html

Drew

swchandler · Joined: 08 Nov 1993 Posts: 4687

You saw Charlie Coffee. Charlie uses a harness system and configuration designed by George Greenough. The boom doesn't include harness lines, but it incorporates a knobby surface bonded on the inside area of the boom that provides a range of positions that would be similar to what harness lines could provide. A cut section of mountain bike tire offers the knobbiness needed to hold the hook. The harness itself is very different in its design. A large section of harder foam buffers the chest area from the movement of the longer extended hook assembly that is positioned on a desired spot on the boom. Greenough is a novel innovator like no one else, and much was done many years ago. Greenough was using this harness system in the mid to late 80s, and maybe even earlier.