Hey guys i am new to the sport of windsurfing and have been using my dads old seat harness. Now i am looking to up grade and i am faced with the option of seat or waist harness. So who can tell me the difference between to two when riding with them and what the benifits are. Ultimately which is the best to go with. Cheers Brodie

It will probably depend on what type of sailing you do.

Most wave sailors use a waist harness as its easier to hook/unhook etc.

Speed sailors generally use a seat harness although some do use a waist harness.

Yup, freestylers and wave tend to use waist harnesses, and speed / slalom blasting sailors tend to go for seat harnesses. BIG generalisation though!

I use a waist harness because I find it gives more support more than any other reason - oh, apart from the fact that I got given one as a present years ago, and have never used a seat harness since. No hard and fast rules though. Go with what feels comfortable to you - see if you can borrow one from someone to see if you like it.

I was more comfortable with a waist harness when I started windsurfing because the hook was higher, so learning to use the harness was easier and more forgiving.

Now I use a seat harness because I haven't started surfing waves (yet!) so when I'm blasting on Botany Bay I can hang my weight down more effectively when I'm overpowered, and because I think it's more comfortable than my waist harness (which was pretty crappy).

EDIT: and I'm only 22! Haha

Old people wear seat harnesses, waist harnesses are for radical people.

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Rad Lad said...

Old people wear seat harnesses, waist harnesses are for radical people.

speaking of generalisations....................

I find a seat harnesses better for my back, and yes as a child I played with baby dinosaurs

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hardie said...

I find a seat harnesses better for my back, and yes as a child I played with baby dinosaurs

I have to say I fully agree with you on the back issue. If my back is a little sore (I have lower back probs) and I go sailing, my back feels 100% and will do so for days. The seat harness seems to straighten everything up and give good support.

I also have lower back problems and find the opposite, that waist harness is better. You just have to maintain correct onboard posture with a waist harness, not slump down in it so it becomes a chest harness. That said I recently purchased a dakine xt seat which is alot better on the back.

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mkseven said...

I also have lower back problems and find the opposite, that waist harness is better. You just have to maintain correct onboard posture with a waist harness, not slump down in it so it becomes a chest harness. That said I recently purchased a dakine xt seat which is alot better on the back.

That's what I've got the XT and it's bloody good, in my early dayz of windsurfing the harnesses we used were made from cow hide and pig intenstines

I began with a seat harness and have since moved onto a waist harness. The best thing about the waist harness is being able to stay hooked in when the board stops planing. In less than ideal conditions I can stay out hours longer with my waist harness compared to the seat.

Keep the seat harness and get a new waist harness so you've got the best of both worlds. I bet you wont go back to the seat harness!

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hardie said...

mkseven said...

I also have lower back problems and find the opposite, that waist harness is better. You just have to maintain correct onboard posture with a waist harness, not slump down in it so it becomes a chest harness. That said I recently purchased a dakine xt seat which is alot better on the back.

That's what I've got the XT and it's bloody good, in my early dayz of windsurfing the harnesses we used were made from cow hide and pig intenstines

luxury! When I was lad we used tie ourselves to boom with barbed wire.

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NotWal said...

hardie said...

mkseven said...

I also have lower back problems and find the opposite, that waist harness is better. You just have to maintain correct onboard posture with a waist harness, not slump down in it so it becomes a chest harness. That said I recently purchased a dakine xt seat which is alot better on the back.

That's what I've got the XT and it's bloody good, in my early dayz of windsurfing the harnesses we used were made from cow hide and pig intenstines

luxury! When I was lad we used tie ourselves to boom with barbed wire.

Barbed Wire!! Lookshoorie!!!!!

When we were lads we would tie our testycles to the boom!!!!!!!!!

Well I prefer the combo, (waist and seat combined), lets me "sit" on the harness, but gives lower back very good support.
Every seat I've tried, gives me back pains in about 1/2 hr, but the combo will reduce my backpain.
I find a waist by itself rides up too much unless it's uncomfortably tight.

The other things to consider are sliding bar, (very hard to find these days, lets you twist your body, so you don't have to twist your neck as much).
And quick release, if your tangled up in your harness under water, it's nice to be able to get some slack quickly.

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McMahon said...

I began with a seat harness and have since moved onto a waist harness. The best thing about the waist harness is being able to stay hooked in when the board stops planing. In less than ideal conditions I can stay out hours longer with my waist harness compared to the seat.

Keep the seat harness and get a new waist harness so you've got the best of both worlds. I bet you wont go back to the seat harness!

Now that sounds like a plus.
I have only a seat harness and have to hook out all the time when the board stops planing, and that's when my arms get tired.

PS Thanks Brodie for asking this question because I've been wondering about it too.

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hardie said...

NotWal said...

hardie said...

mkseven said...

I also have lower back problems and find the opposite, that waist harness is better. You just have to maintain correct onboard posture with a waist harness, not slump down in it so it becomes a chest harness. That said I recently purchased a dakine xt seat which is alot better on the back.

That's what I've got the XT and it's bloody good, in my early dayz of windsurfing the harnesses we used were made from cow hide and pig intenstines

luxury! When I was lad we used tie ourselves to boom with barbed wire.

Barbed Wire!! Lookshoorie!!!!!

When we were lads we would tie our testycles to the boom!!!!!!!!!

Allright. We used to be forced to go windsurfing at ten o'clock at night, sieve the river water clean through our teeth, rake the beach sand with our toes to remove shells and sharp pieces and in the morning our parents would whip us and steal our boards and we'd have to sit on the beach and blow while they would sail around yelling hallelujah!

I can guess the response now...

River! You were lucky to have a river!

I like my seat harness. Most speed/flat water sailors use a seat harness, most wave sailors use a waiste harness. Waist harnesses can slide up, but you casn be comfy. Just try both. I think they use to make them where you can modify it, and use as either, maybe they still do.

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Windxtasy said...

hardie said...

NotWal said...

hardie said...

mkseven said...

I also have lower back problems and find the opposite, that waist harness is better. You just have to maintain correct onboard posture with a waist harness, not slump down in it so it becomes a chest harness. That said I recently purchased a dakine xt seat which is alot better on the back.

That's what I've got the XT and it's bloody good, in my early dayz of windsurfing the harnesses we used were made from cow hide and pig intenstines

luxury! When I was lad we used tie ourselves to boom with barbed wire.

Barbed Wire!! Lookshoorie!!!!!

When we were lads we would tie our testycles to the boom!!!!!!!!!

Allright. We used to be forced to go windsurfing at ten o'clock at night, sieve the river water clean through our teeth, rake the beach sand with our toes to remove shells and sharp pieces and in the morning our parents would whip us and steal our boards and we'd have to sit on the beach and blow while they would sail around yelling hallelujah!

I can guess the response now...

River! You were lucky to have a river!

LUCKSHURY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Im in monkey mia at the moment and in perth i went to a shop called windsports (i think) and i got a harness called the kite seat which means its a kite surfing harness, but it has a really high back, an yesterday i found it didnt make hooking in and un hooking that hard, and i only fell in when it would shift 30 degrees and strengthen another 10 knots. I like seat harnesses more because i race 29ers (little skiffs) and im more used to a harness like that. Now im just trying to fill in time until the breeze comes back....

Hey Sailingkid, go pat the Dolphins, that will fill in about 1 hr, then go get some Chips and Sav's in batter at your local Fish & Chippy shop, that will fill in another 30 mins, then have a little arvo nap (like I do) then by the time you wake up, it will be windy. Good Luck.

Stewie

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Windxtasy said...

McMahon said...

I began with a seat harness and have since moved onto a waist harness. The best thing about the waist harness is being able to stay hooked in when the board stops planing. In less than ideal conditions I can stay out hours longer with my waist harness compared to the seat.

Keep the seat harness and get a new waist harness so you've got the best of both worlds. I bet you wont go back to the seat harness!

Now that sounds like a plus.
I have only a seat harness and have to hook out all the time when the board stops planing, and that's when my arms get tired.

PS Thanks Brodie for asking this question because I've been wondering about it too.

I bought some NP "race" adjustible harness lines, which lets me lengthen the lines when there isn't any wind, or when there is lots of wind and its not choppy, plus it's pretty handy to be able to adjust the lines depending on the sailing you are doing.

But for me, if the wind isn't strong enough to pump the board onto the plane then it isn't strong enough to make my arms sore...

I remember my early days of windsurfing - early eighties - when the only harnesses you could get were like a floatation vest with a hook located just below the breast plate. After a few hours out on the old HiFly 300 you'd feel like your whole ribcage had been trampled by the AllBlacks on a losing streak.

Give me a seat harness any day.

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hardie said...

NotWal said...

hardie said...

mkseven said...

I also have lower back problems and find the opposite, that waist harness is better. You just have to maintain correct onboard posture with a waist harness, not slump down in it so it becomes a chest harness. That said I recently purchased a dakine xt seat which is alot better on the back.

That's what I've got the XT and it's bloody good, in my early dayz of windsurfing the harnesses we used were made from cow hide and pig intenstines

luxury! When I was lad we used tie ourselves to boom with barbed wire.

Barbed Wire!! Lookshoorie!!!!!

When we were lads we would tie our testycles to the boom!!!!!!!!!

I sadly grew up in a tough neighborhood .....we would tie some elses te$ticle$ to the the boom...[}:)]


Seriously though
I own both, general sail, throw some moves and have a cruise...go waist
Want to let it fly and run fast...go seat.

Having said that, in the recent Lancelin Classic, did I see the Peter Voltwater running up the beach in a waist harness...?

cheers

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Stewie said...

Hey Sailingkid, go pat the Dolphins, that will fill in about 1 hr, then go get some Chips and Sav's in batter at your local Fish & Chippy shop, that will fill in another 30 mins, then have a little arvo nap (like I do) then by the time you wake up, it will be windy. Good Luck.

Stewie

Got to see you back Stewie. Hope the job at your uncle's fish and chip shop is going well. You seem to have been away for a while - did you get an injury at the shop?

No paddymac, just don't get as much time to jump on the shop PC much anymore, too busy. Also I may have to update our shop PC, it's covered with grease, oil and flour from a few years of being near the food prep area.

Hey Stewie they dont let you touch the dolphins... Im not sure if you can get fish and chips here, but if you can i think it would be expensive. I just went windsurfing anyway, because i was sailing my dads old hifly 555, which doesent exatly have a problem with floating. Eventually the breeze came in, but it was pretty shifty, but because the water is so nice it was fun.

I learned with a seat harness and sailed with that for a while. When I started to get better I noticed a lot of people riding with waist harnesses and thought I'd give it a shot. I still remember the first time I used one....it was like wtf is this s@!$, It just felt so weird compared to the seat. However I persisted and after getting used to it would never go back. I have tried the seat a few times since when sailing the big gear and have never lasted longer than about 10min. It just feels wrong now.

The biggest difference I notice with a waist harness is that you have far more control over you rig. With a seat harness when you get hit by an overpowered gust it tends to pull you up onto your toes which can lead to catapult shenanigans, I've found with a waist harness I find it tends to pull you in rather than up which is far easier to control, particularly if you are learning.

In my opinion for learning you can't go past a waist harness. The ease of hook/unhook, more rig control (imo), more freedom of movement etc.

Good on ya Sailingkid, sounds like it would be a nice place to be in the water, sailing.

With the Dolphins, just go pat em, if anyone complains, just put on some dodgy european accent, muddle up your words, and then eventually spit out "not from Orstralia, I thought dolphin was allowed to be pat, back home in Albania, we have pet Dolphin, and eat them, like you ossy eat Kangaroo" and all will be cool. Go a little cross-eyed if you can while you are talking, and they will leave you alone.

Yeah it is, but the wind comes in a bit late. Today i saw 11 dolphins, 1 shark, 1 sea snake, and two stingrays. I might try winsurfing off the point tommrow where there is about 5 knots more wind, which might make it easier.

i like nappy harnesess

Waist ,,,, In general means more lower body freedom for wave sailing and freestyle.

Seat ,,,, In general means more leverage and pressure for speed.

However, the most important thing to consider is your own personal stance/riding style.
Along with boom height and harness line length, stance will determine which of the two harness options will be most efficient/effective.

Note,,,, Ross Williams Top 3 in the Formula world champs used a waist harness.
,,,,,,,,,, Sam Parker Top 3 in Australia formula/Slalom,,,, etc,,,, uses a waist harness.

Interesting note,,,,,,, Some racers use a waist harness to world class level, but I haven't heard of any wave or freestyle sailors using a seat harness.