Toeside - check, Jibes - check, Harness time?

[Dwight (DW)]

What length harness lines are you guys using?  I pulled  my 24” Dakine lines off my windsurf boom and had to laugh as no way they will work with Duotone wing unless i have a 20”  harness hook.

Same as windsurfing. Same boom, same arms, same harness lines. Pull the wing down like a sail. You don’t have to ride like Mary Poppins.

When you want to ride with it over your head, unhook.

[jondrums]

I used to have one of those retractable leashes from the early days of kitesurfing.  I'm kicking myself now that I gave it away years ago.

[SUPladomi]

I wonder if the retractable leash is stout enough for crashes. If it were to break, is it likely your board + foil would get away from you?

[Caribsurf]

What length harness lines are you guys using?  I pulled  my 24” Dakine lines off my windsurf boom and had to laugh as no way they will work with Duotone wing unless i have a 20”  harness hook.

Same as windsurfing. Same boom, same arms, same harness lines. Pull the wing down like a sail. You don’t have to ride like Mary Poppins.

When you want to ride with it over your head, unhook.

Dwight the short 24” wave sailing lines translate to like 12” from boom to harness hook, so that’s not nearly enough room.  The wing would be right in my face ...I only tried the set up on land and knew right away it’s too short. 

[Dwight (DW)]

The point is, whatever you use windsurfing, should be the same winging. I don’t windsurf with 24”, but assumed you did.

I use these. Probably set around 28” because that’s my windsurf length.

https://www.dakine.com/collections/windsurf-accessories/products/dakine-lines

[Caribsurf]

Adjustable lines, good idea. 

[lieutenantglorp]

I wonder if the retractable leash is stout enough for crashes. If it were to break, is it likely your board + foil would get away from you?

I have not tried it in the waves yet but so far it is great, especially since the extended length of the leash is much longer than any coil leash I would feel comfortable using.

I like this hook better:

[clay]

I wonder if the retractable leash is stout enough for crashes. If it were to break, is it likely your board + foil would get away from you?

I have not tried it in the waves yet but so far it is great, especially since the extended length of the leash is much longer than any coil leash I would feel comfortable using.

I like this hook better:

Is that the Dakine Maniac Retro?  Looks like it is the same width as the leashlok belt?

[PonoBill]

Dakine used to make a simple hook with two loops, no spreader bar. It was meant as an adjustable center hook. If you can find one you'll discover it fits on any 2-inch belt and provides a hook that you can slide out of the way--even to your back. I do find standard harnesses to be a PIA getting back on the board. Windsurfers don't generally climb onto their boards to knee start--we start from in the water next to the board. A standard harness isn't helpful. I'll shoot a picture of my setup, but it's as simple and bare-bones as it gets. I have a LOT of harnesses, including the shorts that DW suggests. Normally I just take what DW says as gospel, but this time, not so much. Having a simple sliding hook on a belt is Da Kine. And of course, it actually is Da Kine.

[liv2surf]

I wonder if the retractable leash is stout enough for crashes. If it were to break, is it likely your board + foil would get away from you?

I have not tried it in the waves yet but so far it is great, especially since the extended length of the leash is much longer than any coil leash I would feel comfortable using.

I like this hook better:

It is not pretty when I slither onto my board (I don't do a push up, I slither, claw and climb). Crazy idea probably, but here goes. Could the hook be on the line attached to the kite wing with just a soft (non-damaging) slider rope on the 'harness' attached to the rider so that hook does not dig into the board when rider is climbing onto the board. Would hook on wing be too dangerous?

[Dwight (DW)]

Dakine used to make a simple hook with two loops, no spreader bar. It was meant as an adjustable center hook. If you can find one you'll discover it fits on any 2-inch belt and provides a hook that you can slide out of the way--even to your back. I do find standard harnesses to be a PIA getting back on the board. Windsurfers don't generally climb onto their boards to knee start--we start from in the water next to the board. A standard harness isn't helpful. I'll shoot a picture of my setup, but it's as simple and bare-bones as it gets. I have a LOT of harnesses, including the shorts that DW suggests. Normally I just take what DW says as gospel, but this time, not so much. Having a simple sliding hook on a belt is Da Kine. And of course, it actually is Da Kine.

Shorts, never said shorts. Dakine Cameleon is a waist harness, with Velcro attached seat you remove and throw in the trash. My buddy tried the XL, it sucks. It’s super huge, encompassing the entire back. The L, M, S is way different. Small, nimble, don’t even know you’re wearing it.

Regarding hooks dinging boards. My buddy who needs an XL harness, had to pass on the Cameleon, so he’s using some old seat harness he found. Unfortunately that harness with hook, is tearing his deck pad up. Another buddy, used his current kite harness, don’t recall which one. His harness hook also tore up his deck pad. I have barely any marks on my deck pad.

[Dwight (DW)]

Mr Gong also uses the Dakine Cameleon.

Looks like he swapped out his spreader bar from the kite model to the windsurf model. I bent the hook more open on the kite model, it came with.

[lieutenantglorp]

Is that the Dakine Maniac Retro?  Looks like it is the same width as the leashlok belt?

Yes it is and it's close enough 😀

[Solent Foiler]

Tips for getting on the board with a harness (plus awesome waterstart technique)...

[Dwight (DW)]

Did you notice the deck pad he put on the rail. Yikes

If you’re really freaked out about the hook, you can spin the whole harness on your torso while climbing aboard.

I have to spin my harness on the beach to reach the handle pass loop where I connect my leash. I often forget to spin it back and don’t notice the hook is pointed to the side until I’m on my board. Old guy issues with the brain.