an update,
got to use the neil pryde double pull adjustable today. love them. like the other guys commented on they work a treat.
it was marginal at times. 12-18 knots a few 20knot gusts but all in all light/moderate wind sailing on a 6.4 kult and 120lt nxs voodoo.
i tried lots of different lengths with the harness lines. something i found not mentioned already on this thread is that having longer lines dramatically improved my early planing ability.
cheers.
I switched from seat to waist harness this season and found adjustables set at 22.5" set a fist width apart and a higher boom height are making life alot more enjoyable. (5'6" and no gorilla arms or giraffe legs)
I've recently upgraded all my gear (board, sail boom and harness - incl lines) and found I'm getting better speed upwind, my stance "feels" better/more comfortable, and with the higher boom my control when jumping/gybing has improved, which could be from sailing more upright and being more upright when initiating moves. It took a few sessions (at least 6) to get used to the changes but its definately been worth it. I actuall started at line length of 26" then went to 24" and finally am hooked on 22"......
22 ooosss Whilst Wave riding with a 5.5 to 4.2 .... One spread hand space apart (outside pinky to outside thumb) , with a sliding waist harness.
For me wave rigs start to feel more locked in, the longer the harness lines and closer they are together, i find i loose the ability to use my body weight and arm strenght to throw the rig around and dump the harness. yer ?
Set ups are different if........... the need is for pure slalom or speed ?
To short your up wind ability is compromised because you carnt hangout.........but..........more people have to longer harness lines than short.
You need to be able to not only sheet in but over sheet when nessasssssarrry.To cranck offfff da rail / fin and motor up wind especially with twisty rigs .....Yer ?
Fully agree with the sliding harness bar, can't believe I sailed for so long on a fixed hook. So much better for my back as I don't have to get all twisted up.
But I believe long lines are the go for wavesailing too. Earlier planing and more manuevrability etc. Helps you to absorb the chop, easier to get in and out of harness.
wondering why formula sailors don't seem to use long lines when you look at the width of the board and you have to hang out
Ok .So the lengths you are quoting are the total length of the lines laid out straight?
I was just told I sail with my boom too low at chest height.A hangover from wavesailing days.I now sail on the lake with a waveboard, about 98litres(?) & tend to favour 5m as my biggest sail as it's the only modern one I have & much more user friendly than my old early 90's sails.I was having a low boom height ( with 24 inch ? ) lines because I wanted to be able to hook in & out easily in gusty or subplaning conditions.I have upper body problems which means I rely on the harness 95% of the time so need to be able to hook in & out regularly.I do have trouble going upwind so maybe I should get longer lines & set the boom at chin height?..I'm 5.6. and use a seat harness. I often find I have to get out of the straps in lighter winds to move further up the board to pull the sail in going upwind...Is this usual or would longer lines help this..Hope I haven't strayed off the topic?
hi sboardcrazy
sounds to me like your arms are not straight, and you are crouching. harness lines should be long enough so that your arms are straight with your hands resting on the boom. ie. you should look like a figure 7. back straight arms straight and extending horizontally. rig should be upright and not raked over your head to windward. ways to test your stance are to pretend to play the piano on your boom while your arms are out straight.
here is a very very good link,
www.windsurfing.org/train05.htm
www.windsurfing.org/train06.htm
www.windsurfing.org/train07.htm
Thanks Gestalt
I'll have a look. I want to get out there & put it into practise.Grr this info isn't any good to me as the wind isn't blowing! What an irritating sport..Its terific when it blows but frustrating when it doesn't especially if you can only afford one board & thats a waveboard that needs 15kt +
No short lines do not kill upwind ability. Going upwind is a balance of power (having as much as you can) and directing that power. The best way to get power is by opening the rig and forward then balancing the sail in it's sweet spot (going upwind raking the rig back is best direction of power). If your short lines are killing the power it is not a problem with the line length but a problem with you having the lines too far back so that you are oversheeting, killing the power and not having the drive upwind.
The one problem with short lines is larger board widths effectively makes you sheet in more so you are driving the power into the wrong place.
I used short (18") lines for many years and have always used a high boom and am not that tall at a smidge under 6 foot. Looking at photos of times gone by oversheeting whilst upwind was a sometimes a problem mostly when sailing into lulls they don't give you that reaction time a longer line does. Bending your arms is about technique not line length- if you are bending your arms with short lines whilst going upwind you are not leaning forward (which naturally rakes the sail back).
Regarding Formula, long lines help get the rig away and stop sheeting in over the centreline thus directing power the wrong way again. Upwind I did shorten lines a bit and never had any issues matching guys for speed and pointing who where far more experienced than me on formula.
Regarding Waveboards, I use 26" fixed lines and waist harness. I tend not to rake the rig back when going upwind but stand up and use the power of the rig and direct it into the right spot- raking the rig back on a waveboard loads the fin too much and kills your ankles. If I really need to point high I will rake the rig back, but take back foot out of strap and lean forward (bring back robby's second back strap 
). Its just easier to sail around in that sweet spot though.
For slalom and speed I use 22-30" lines and seat harness with it set most of time around 24 for upwind and 28 for reaching.
People need to adapt their technique, not look for quick fixes in something like line length. Short lines you tend to lean back alot to counter that rig, longer lines you need to consciously stand up straighter to maintain that 7 stance.
got a boards magazine the other day and it had a an article by simon bornhoft on winter tune up. he suggested harness lines should be one fist width apart and the length determined by the length of your arms. elbow to chicken bone part of palm with longest setting elbow to blister pad part of palm was his recommendation for waist harness.
i think that's about right for me. i use 20" lines but must have short arms
finally had a look at the links gestalt..great! If only I had read them at the start of the season id be a much better sailor! I need to get a higher boom & maybe if i get rich , a waist harness..
