Harness

[<Brian>]

Hi Guys,
I've been checking your site for a while now and I like it a lot.
Well, I'm at the harness learning stage and I'd like to know some little things:
1) How to hook in? (the move)
2) How to hook out? (the move)
3) How to know when is time to hook in and to hook out?
Thanks a lot.

[<Jack>]

Yoz, I'm actually a newbie too but i recently started using harness recently. I find that the best way to use the harness is to configure it for a strong wind set-up, ie the lines are set where the centre of effort would be on the sail in a stronger wind (further back), cos in light winds it seems to me there's no use hooking in anyway...

To hook in, bear slightly downwind cos u will need to put the sail back to hook in. Then, put your sail back ( u will start heading upwind ), step to the back of the board and hook in! By putting the sail back and stepping back you will ensure the the lines are lowered enough for you to hook in...

To hook out just follow the same procedure backwards... Grinz, happy planing...

One question for the pro's though, can somebody pls explain to me this mastfoot pressure business? Grinz

Jack

[sukhdev]

intially just cheat. get a waist harness, set your harness lines to be long and lower the boom to about chest/shoulder height. this way to hook in you only need to move your hips close to the boom. to unhook you stand up. one good side effect of this stance in the early stages is that it makes you bend your knees to keep hooked in.

i know this is not conventional advice or method of teaching but its worked for some i've taught. I also suggest getting into the harness as early in your windsurfing days as possible, especially if learning on a wide board like the Start.

when to hook in? all the time.
when to hook out? when making a gybe or tack.