What brands/models of adjustable harness lines are most commonly used in pro slalom?

I was talking to a bloke at my local spot. He was saying that duotone Vario race are very popular.

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Foiling/Best-adjustable-harness-lines-?page=1#27

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Henners said..
I was talking to a bloke at my local spot. He was saying that duotone Vario race are very popular.

+1 on the Duotones!
The NP vario racelines where the go to lines a couple of years ago. Since then most guys I sail with, including me, switched to the Duotone Vario race lines. They are cheaper, easier to adjust and don't slip when the strap gets worn.

Also heared positive notes about the P7 adjustable lines.
ps. Duotone also has the Vario Race SL 2.0, these are the same as the NP vario racelines. The regular vario racelines are the ones to go with ;)

Thank for the suggestions so far.

Any of you ever use Severne adjustables? How do they compare?

I am located in Vancouver Canada. Slalom around here is not anywhere as big as in Europe and elsewhere. Most windsurfers here pretty much exclusively use Chinook or DaKine due to our relative proximity to Hood River, Oregon. I probably will need to replace lines on two or three booms. Individually it's not a big purchase but if you do a few booms it does start to add up. Further, its seems no one in Canada sells anything other than Chinook or DaKine so I have to order sight unscene.

Adjustment range is a bit of an issue as well. I am a smaller sailor. The fixed lines I sometimes use are 28 and 30 inches. I've noticed for adjustables the adjustment range of some brands is right on the edge what would be my ideal adjustment range which. This does eliminate some brands for me.

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mamero said..
Thank for the suggestions so far.

Any of you ever use Severne adjustables? How do they compare?

I am located in Vancouver Canada. Slalom around here is not anywhere as big as in Europe and elsewhere. Most windsurfers here pretty much exclusively use Chinook or DaKine due to our relative proximity to Hood River, Oregon. I probably will need to replace lines on two or three booms. Individually it's not a big purchase but if you do a few booms it does start to add up. Further, its seems no one in Canada sells anything other than Chinook or DaKine so I have to order sight unscene.

Adjustment range is a bit of an issue as well. I am a smaller sailor. The fixed lines I sometimes use are 28 and 30 inches. I've noticed for adjustables the adjustment range of some brands is right on the edge what would be my ideal adjustment range which. This does eliminate some brands for me.

I look at those Duotones. Their adjustment range demonstrates the issue I am concerned about. Their range is either 22-28 or 28-34. My target length is 28 so both those Duotones are on the cusp of my length. Not ideal. What lines that pros would use are in the 26-32 kind of range?

These cam cleat ones are great.. Easy to adjust sailing and they last well.
windsurf.nautix.com/nautix-accessories-windsurf-harness-lines-rope-fungrip-eva-board/nautix-accessories-boom-harness-lines-windsurf/nautix-windsurf-harness-lines-race-clamcleat.html
I've tried the ones where they have a cover over the fitting and you have to uncover it and adjust things- a pain in the bum.
These are great as they can be attached without taking the back of the boom off.

I prefer lines which can be attached to the boom without pulling the tail piece off

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mamero said..
Thank for the suggestions so far.

Any of you ever use Severne adjustables? How do they compare?

I am located in Vancouver Canada. Slalom around here is not anywhere as big as in Europe and elsewhere. Most windsurfers here pretty much exclusively use Chinook or DaKine due to our relative proximity to Hood River, Oregon. I probably will need to replace lines on two or three booms. Individually it's not a big purchase but if you do a few booms it does start to add up. Further, its seems no one in Canada sells anything other than Chinook or DaKine so I have to order sight unscene.

Adjustment range is a bit of an issue as well. I am a smaller sailor. The fixed lines I sometimes use are 28 and 30 inches. I've noticed for adjustables the adjustment range of some brands is right on the edge what would be my ideal adjustment range which. This does eliminate some brands for me.

The Severne ones self adjust on you until the webbing gets worn in.
you've got Trident (now called Tiki group I think) in Vancouver who are the importer for Severne so you should be able to see them somewhere.

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mamero said..
Thank for the suggestions so far.

Any of you ever use Severne adjustables? How do they compare?

I am located in Vancouver Canada. Slalom around here is not anywhere as big as in Europe and elsewhere. Most windsurfers here pretty much exclusively use Chinook or DaKine due to our relative proximity to Hood River, Oregon. I probably will need to replace lines on two or three booms. Individually it's not a big purchase but if you do a few booms it does start to add up. Further, its seems no one in Canada sells anything other than Chinook or DaKine so I have to order sight unscene.

Adjustment range is a bit of an issue as well. I am a smaller sailor. The fixed lines I sometimes use are 28 and 30 inches. I've noticed for adjustables the adjustment range of some brands is right on the edge what would be my ideal adjustment range which. This does eliminate some brands for me.

Yes I am 5'5" with short arms. I love the Nautix cam cleats ( I think mine are 28 - 32?) but I've had to cut several cms of the tube covering off so I can get them shorter.
I just had a look at them and the only thing determining the minimum length is the plastic tubing.
Cut as much off as you need to get the minimum length. There should still be plenty left so I don't think there will be a downside?

This might seem a bit dumb, but are you meant to adjust line length on the water? Like shorten the lines going upwind and let them out for a powered up reach?
Otherwise, don't you just get lines that match the length of your forearms.

So what I've been doing for the past 10 years is owning 2 sets of adjustable lines with "quick fix" (ie, you can attach them without taking the boom off). Severne Race adjustables do this very well, and there's plenty on the market like this.

I'm yet to find a line that doesn't eventually become stuck with corrosion and grit so I run them "fixed", assuming I will never adjust them on the water.

First line is 22-28 (I run them at 28) so they can't slip any longer. This is typically for light/med winds on a big board (with a waist harness). Second set is 28-34 which mine are stuck around the 34 and this is what I use in med/strong winds where I want longer lines. I don't run them at the same time I just take them off and switch them in between a race as it only takes a second.

Why not use a fixed line then? I find the adjustables much stiffer (no "swinging" which makes it hard to hook in to) because of the extra stiff parts to hold down the cleats. Why so long? I would guess most of the pro's run a higher boom than the average sailor because they are using very powerful fins which push the nose down on the modern boards which you are trying to counteract with a bit more boom height.

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sboardcrazy said..

mamero said..
Thank for the suggestions so far.

Any of you ever use Severne adjustables? How do they compare?

I am located in Vancouver Canada. Slalom around here is not anywhere as big as in Europe and elsewhere. Most windsurfers here pretty much exclusively use Chinook or DaKine due to our relative proximity to Hood River, Oregon. I probably will need to replace lines on two or three booms. Individually it's not a big purchase but if you do a few booms it does start to add up. Further, its seems no one in Canada sells anything other than Chinook or DaKine so I have to order sight unscene.

Adjustment range is a bit of an issue as well. I am a smaller sailor. The fixed lines I sometimes use are 28 and 30 inches. I've noticed for adjustables the adjustment range of some brands is right on the edge what would be my ideal adjustment range which. This does eliminate some brands for me.

Yes I am 5'5" with short arms. I love the Nautix cam cleats ( I think mine are 28 - 32?) but I've had to cut several cms of the tube covering off so I can get them shorter.
I just had a look at them and the only thing determining the minimum length is the plastic tubing.
Cut as much off as you need to get the minimum length. There should still be plenty left so I don't think there will be a downside?

Small point, those are CLAM cleats not cam cleats.

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Mr Milk said..
This might seem a bit dumb, but are you meant to adjust line length on the water? Like shorten the lines going upwind and let them out for a powered up reach?
Otherwise, don't you just get lines that match the length of your forearms.

Yes.

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Mr Milk said..
This might seem a bit dumb, but are you meant to adjust line length on the water? Like shorten the lines going upwind and let them out for a powered up reach?
Otherwise, don't you just get lines that match the length of your forearms.

I dont think many sailors would adjust their lines on the water as a matter of course, except maybe some Formula?Raceboard sailors. I would see people going from slalom to waves sails and seat to waist harness adjusting their line length, but that would probably take place on the shore and usually only if they use the same boom/lines combo.

I use ajustable length lines but once I have found the best length I rarely change them. I'm ore likely to move them slightly along the boom when changing sail sizes, than to adjust the length.

That said, I guess if you change your boom height for tuning, then being able to adjust on the fly could be an advantage.

I've just bought a set of Severne adjustables, mainly for foiling. I hadn't really seen a need or want to have to adjust harness lines on the fly till now, but apparently they are a big help when you go from upwind to downwind angles.

I'll report back when i've had a go. (Im expecting some slippage till they're worn in as above)

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sailquik said..

Mr Milk said..
This might seem a bit dumb, but are you meant to adjust line length on the water? Like shorten the lines going upwind and let them out for a powered up reach?
Otherwise, don't you just get lines that match the length of your forearms.

I dont think many sailors would adjust their lines on the water as a matter of course, except maybe some Formula?Raceboard sailors. I would see people going from slalom to waves sails and seat to waist harness adjusting their line length, but that would probably take place on the shore and usually only if they use the same boom/lines combo.

I use ajustable length lines but once I have found the best length I rarely change them. I'm ore likely to move them slightly along the boom when changing sail sizes, than to adjust the length.

That said, I guess if you change your boom height for tuning, then being able to adjust on the fly could be an advantage.

Sailing the crappy conditions we often get I often lengthen them for subplaning ( easier to hook in ) and shorten a bit when the wind kicks in or maybe going upwind. I don't adjust on the water very often but the cam cleat ones are quite doable in chop if the conditions aren't too extreme.

I got to use the severne adjustables on slalom kit today.

As Ben1973 suggested there was some slippage under load, which i think was probably happening when i rehooked after gybing. Hopefully this will get better as they soften up with use. But man it was good being able to dump them out to full extension for downwind, then back in for upwind.


They use a strap buckle type arrangement with one loop pulled down to shorten, and an upper loop pulled up to release/lengthen. once you've got the moves sorted out it was easy enough to adjust them on the fly. If today was anything to go by, its more a case of hitting the maximum or minimum rather than hitting different lengths of adjustment, no time to look at the adjusters when powered up. They have white lines sown into them to arbitrarily show length settings. maybe with a bit of practice it'll become easier to know where im pulling them to without having to look.


now to try them foiling.

I just ordered the Sailworks adj. lines, V cleat with a pulley, swing, do not need to remove tail, 24-30", but can get made longer according to a reviewer. I was stuck on fixed adj. lines, but decided to give them a try since Sailworks guys know what they are doing.