After 3 months of using harness I was still not close to getting in both footstraps on my 145 lt funster. I had resigned myself to needing gale force winds to provide the right conditions.

Last week I went out on the 121 Lt carve in some fresh gusty conditions around 15 Kts - much heavier wind than I had ever been on the carve - it was like I was trying to give a cat a shower and trying to hold it down. I was all over the shop. I tried moving the mast track more forward - I started it a bit forward to start with - it helped a bit but was still loose.

So I googled a bit and found a starboard forum thread where the SB staff recommended to someone else to start by putting the mast track ALL the way BACK and test - then move forward 1cm at a time until sufficient control is achieved.

I found this a bit counter intuitive, i thought back was for less control. Anyway, I decided to try this on the funster yesterday just to see what effect it had.

It was a bit lighter and quicker to steer but that was about it. But, imagine my surprise when the wind picked up a bit and I looked at my feet and they were both next to the straps! I got excited and thought to myself, I should be able to just slide my feet into those - and walaaa!!! I was finally standing in those damn elusive bastards.

Afterwards I thought it was obvious. I'm a short ass, 5' 6" and moving the mast track back put me in a position to reach the straps - der.

Now I need to figure out the harness positioning - it just never felt totally comfortable no matter where i tried them.

Good stuff nice to hear the stoke :)

With the harness lines, I think sometimes it is best to get somebody else to set them for that sail on that day, then you just use it.
If they are in the wrong place you will compensate by moving your body and therefore too much back foot or front foot pressure etc and other things go wrong. Then you're forever chasing why things don't feel right.

Greg

Where did you sail Friday ?

I thought it was a bit light and up and down. 5.8 was OK for short periods at a time but it wasn't the easiest afternoon's sailing I have ever had.


With the harness lines - get a bungy cord, put a mark 1/3 of the way along it (or use a cable tie because the mark is hard to make on a patterned bungy)

The rig up, stretch the bungy from boom head to clew and where the mark is is where the BACK harness line goes. Put the front line a fist width in front (your fist).

Do the same everytime you rig, it takes about 30 seconds. Make sure nobody is watching or they may laugh at you.


Now sail like that for several good sessions without changing it. If it feels wrong it is still right. If you feel like it is going to catapult you it is still right. If it is uncomfortable, tough ****, it is still right.

When it feels right and you feel conformtable then move them one inch forwards and backwards to see if it feels righter.

2/3 rule is the go.
However, if you don't have anything to measure with...

Plan B:
Put the harness lines about a hand's width apart right where the deepest part of the draft in the sail is. Approximately.

See the picture of the guy with green sail over there? --->
See how the harness lines are about where the deepest part of the sail is? It's a good starting point.

Then, adjust 1-2cm at a time in whichever direction your arms are getting tired in, until you can almost/just/completely let go.

Having the harness lines just, perfectly right makes means you're going to have a good time.

Carantoc said..

Greg

Where did you sail Friday ?

I thought it was a bit light and up and down. 5.8 was OK for short periods at a time but it wasn't the easiest afternoon's sailing I have ever had.


With the harness lines - get a bungy cord, put a mark 1/3 of the way along it (or use a cable tie because the mark is hard to make on a patterned bungy)

The rig up, stretch the bungy from boom head to clew and where the mark is is where the BACK harness line goes. Put the front line a fist width in front (your fist).

Do the same everytime you rig, it takes about 30 seconds. Make sure nobody is watching or they may laugh at you.


Now sail like that for several good sessions without changing it. If it feels wrong it is still right. If you feel like it is going to catapult you it is still right. If it is uncomfortable, tough ****, it is still right.

When it feels right and you feel conformtable then move them one inch forwards and backwards to see if it feels righter.

That's the guy cribb way.. I usually set mine up like that. It works- the only time I move mine are in the case mentioned above..when there's no wind.