Anyone got any tips on how to get the damn harness line into my harness hook faster?

Seems it takes me half the tack to finally swing the thing in, inbetween almost falling off due to losing my balance while i try to aim the harness line at the hook and failing...

Cheers!!!

Use a rigid harness line. Popping in and out is super easy.

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foilthegreats said..
Use a rigid harness line. Popping in and out is super easy.

Yes to this and use your thumbs to push it out of the way when you don't want to be hooked in. Think of motion you do when shifting gears on a mountain bike.

I personally can't stand the spectra line. I'm way more likely to get hit in the face by that stuff (can't rotate it away from you like mentioned above), and it often requires the gymnastics you describe to get in and out of it.

It took me a while to find the right rigid harness lines and then to decide the length that works best, but now that I have it dialed the work perfectly. These are the lines I prefer since you can cut them to your own spec www.inlandsea.com/p-6648-chinook-adjustable-harness-lines.aspx?_vsrefdom=adwords&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21130637996&gbraid=0AAAAADoZzAx0cPuhsQIJ0hT5b4RqT1YLF&gclid=Cj0KCQjwl5jHBhDHARIsAB0YqjwqzksjKAqfk4afqcSUMkjrfvaZOfqADyQdcdehxNSCKre1Oe-oqecaAtw4EALw_wcB

Yep, rigid for the win. I never think about it unless I slid my hook to the side. I use the 18" mono windsurf line. 2 pack for $37 is really cheap here.

chinooksailing.com/collections/harness-lines/products/quick-lines-mono-harness-lines-available-in-18-20-22-24-26-28-30-lengths

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BWalnut said..
Yep, rigid for the win. I never think about it unless I slid my hook to the side. I use the 18" mono windsurf line. 2 pack for $37 is really cheap here.

chinooksailing.com/collections/harness-lines/products/quick-lines-mono-harness-lines-available-in-18-20-22-24-26-28-30-lengths

These are what I use too. Keeps the boom clean and keeps the loop at the same distance (vs two point where one of the connection points might slide). It is harder to hold the mono loop out of the way with my thumb when pumping, and the loop does still crack me in the face every once and a while when I'm pumping the wing hard, but otherwise they are working well for me. Hooking in and out is very easy with these.

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Velocicraptor said..

BWalnut said..
Yep, rigid for the win. I never think about it unless I slid my hook to the side. I use the 18" mono windsurf line. 2 pack for $37 is really cheap here.

chinooksailing.com/collections/harness-lines/products/quick-lines-mono-harness-lines-available-in-18-20-22-24-26-28-30-lengths

These are what I use too. Keeps the boom clean and keeps the loop at the same distance (vs two point where one of the connection points might slide). It is harder to hold the mono loop out of the way with my thumb when pumping, and the loop does still crack me in the face every once and a while when I'm pumping the wing hard, but otherwise they are working well for me. Hooking in and out is very easy with these.

Thats good information, I was about to order a mono loop and paused thinking this might be the case.

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Oahuwaterwalker said..

Velocicraptor said..

BWalnut said..
Yep, rigid for the win. I never think about it unless I slid my hook to the side. I use the 18" mono windsurf line. 2 pack for $37 is really cheap here.

chinooksailing.com/collections/harness-lines/products/quick-lines-mono-harness-lines-available-in-18-20-22-24-26-28-30-lengths

These are what I use too. Keeps the boom clean and keeps the loop at the same distance (vs two point where one of the connection points might slide). It is harder to hold the mono loop out of the way with my thumb when pumping, and the loop does still crack me in the face every once and a while when I'm pumping the wing hard, but otherwise they are working well for me. Hooking in and out is very easy with these.

Thats good information, I was about to order a mono loop and paused thinking this might be the case.

Worth noting that Brian said he uses the 18" line, but I'm using the 24". I'm 6'3" for reference. Personal preference, but I don't think I'd want to go shorter at my height / wingspan. I also like having a lot of angle to play with and I think a shorter line would limit the angles.

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Velocicraptor said..

Oahuwaterwalker said..

Velocicraptor said..

BWalnut said..
Yep, rigid for the win. I never think about it unless I slid my hook to the side. I use the 18" mono windsurf line. 2 pack for $37 is really cheap here.

chinooksailing.com/collections/harness-lines/products/quick-lines-mono-harness-lines-available-in-18-20-22-24-26-28-30-lengths

These are what I use too. Keeps the boom clean and keeps the loop at the same distance (vs two point where one of the connection points might slide). It is harder to hold the mono loop out of the way with my thumb when pumping, and the loop does still crack me in the face every once and a while when I'm pumping the wing hard, but otherwise they are working well for me. Hooking in and out is very easy with these.

Thats good information, I was about to order a mono loop and paused thinking this might be the case.

Worth noting that Brian said he uses the 18" line, but I'm using the 24". I'm 6'3" for reference. Personal preference, but I don't think I'd want to go shorter at my height / wingspan. I also like having a lot of angle to play with and I think a shorter line would limit the angles.

I'm 5'6" and my largest wing is a 3m now (smaller wings keep the rigid loop out of your face when pumping). Just for extra care after a fall I rotate the loop all the way out of the way so it's folded into the canopy while doing my water start. Once moving again I rotate it back out for use.

I use a rigid windsurf harness monoline. I wrap a thin piece of neoprene over the boom before attaching the harness line. Makes it easier to rotate it out of the way and protects the boom grip.

Here my take.... 2 bucks and working perfectly, always open and never tangled. In my opinion everything that have edges, Velcro or bulk up the bar are the premise for everything to get messed up when pack and unpack.....

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Faff said..
I use a rigid windsurf harness monoline. I wrap a thin piece of neoprene over the boom before attaching the harness line. Makes it easier to rotate it out of the way and protects the boom grip.

That's a great idea. Wingman has something like that, but your option is about $50 cheaper, lol.

While I can ride switch, I much prefer staying in dominant so that I can turn hard on surf or swell with my feet locked in when heading out and into a line up. One of my favorite feelings on a foil board.

To compensate for the impact of riding toe when going upwind, I started using a second harness hook that is on my hip (dominant side hook is mid torso/low chest). I've gotten to the point where I can ride just as fast upwind toe side when using that hip hook. I'm also noticing that my lines are getting progressively shorter than I initially thought they would. The ideal for me is a length where I can pull my hips away from the wing while toe side and effectively sheet in the wing getting my body positioned over my board and foil as it would be if I was riding in a dominant stance (hope that makes sense).

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Oahuwaterwalker said..

Faff said..
I use a rigid windsurf harness monoline. I wrap a thin piece of neoprene over the boom before attaching the harness line. Makes it easier to rotate it out of the way and protects the boom grip.

That's a great idea. Wingman has something like that, but your option is about $50 cheaper, lol.

I wanted to buy one, but it was out of stock. Disclaimer: some boom grips are hardier than others. I used this trick on a Slick boom, and I could see the harness line marks on the grip after a single session. The Fusion boom grip was unaffected after dozens of sessions.

Use an artness style retracting harness system and it is trivial to get the line into the hook because it is pulled taut.

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Oahuwaterwalker said..

To compensate for the impact of riding toe when going upwind, I started using a second harness hook that is on my hip (dominant side hook is mid torso/low chest). I've gotten to the point where I can ride just as fast upwind toe side when using that hip hook. I'm also noticing that my lines are getting progressively shorter than I initially thought they would. The ideal for me is a length where I can pull my hips away from the wing while toe side and effectively sheet in the wing getting my body positioned over my board and foil as it would be if I was riding in a dominant stance (hope that makes sense).

Holy **** that's a good idea! I keep thinking that my harness hook is always in the wrong place, it moves around when loaded up from the wing! Never tried hooking in riding toe!

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Oahuwaterwalker I started using a second harness hook that is on my hip (dominant side hook is mid torso/low chest). I've gotten to the point where I can ride just as fast upwind toe side when using that hip hook. I'm also noticing that my lines are getting progressively shorter than I initially thought they would. The ideal for me is a length where I can pull my hips away from the wing while toe side and effectively sheet in the wing getting my body positioned over my board and foil as it would be if I was riding in a dominant stance (hope that makes sense).

Yep do the same second hook stops the harness rotation.

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hilly said..

Oahuwaterwalker I started using a second harness hook that is on my hip (dominant side hook is mid torso/low chest). I've gotten to the point where I can ride just as fast upwind toe side when using that hip hook. I'm also noticing that my lines are getting progressively shorter than I initially thought they would. The ideal for me is a length where I can pull my hips away from the wing while toe side and effectively sheet in the wing getting my body positioned over my board and foil as it would be if I was riding in a dominant stance (hope that makes sense).

Yep do the same second hook stops the harness rotation.

Thanks for that photo @hilly, I was thinking of trying this after the session a couple of days ago and described it to a mate. He thought I was nuts. Good to know it works. I ordered an Ozone hook to try it.

But what's the benefit of riding toe-side hooked in? (I rode toe-side a lot (not hooked in) when I was learning to tack. I ended up with hip pain from it.)

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Faff said..
But what's the benefit of riding toe-side hooked in? (I rode toe-side a lot (not hooked in) when I was learning to tack. I ended up with hip pain from it.)

Upwind angle, no twist as you open up your stance riding 1 handed.

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hilly said..

Faff said..
But what's the benefit of riding toe-side hooked in? (I rode toe-side a lot (not hooked in) when I was learning to tack. I ended up with hip pain from it.)

Upwind angle, no twist as you open up your stance riding 1 handed.

Why not just switch feet?

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Faff said..

hilly said..

Faff said..
But what's the benefit of riding toe-side hooked in? (I rode toe-side a lot (not hooked in) when I was learning to tack. I ended up with hip pain from it.)

Upwind angle, no twist as you open up your stance riding 1 handed.

Why not just switch feet?

Because I ride waves natural, cannot be bothered changing all the time. Did that for years windsurfing and kiting.

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Faff said..

hilly said..

Faff said..
But what's the benefit of riding toe-side hooked in? (I rode toe-side a lot (not hooked in) when I was learning to tack. I ended up with hip pain from it.)

Upwind angle, no twist as you open up your stance riding 1 handed.

Why not just switch feet?

And if I switch feet to my goofy side when I gybe or tack onto a wave I would have to switch back to natural stance to get the best ride. I understand that there are riders who can switch feet at will on either tack without fail but sadly I am not one of them and probably never will be.
I have found that pushing upwind the Parawing really pulls and hooking in takes the load off, gets me better upwind angles and is just easier. So keen to try that for switch riding as well regular.

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hilly said..


Yep do the same second hook stops the harness rotation.

I actually use two separate harness "belts" one is the Ion Wingman harness that I wear close to chest level. The other is a belt with a hook that positions the toe-side hook just above or on my left hip. One of the local Oahu guys has been doing this to great effect for a while. I was skeptical until the first time I hooked in toe-side and WOW, what a difference.

Initially, I couldn't keep up with others who took a dominant stance going upwind crossed up, but now I'm going as fast or faster than some of the fastest on the water which include people going at near competitive racing speeds. Like Hilly said, I can point higher and maintain higher speeds. Additionally, all the shoulder and hip discomfort from riding toe-side without a harness are gone.

A few caveats...
-I've never tried doing this with a spectra line and imagine it would be challenging.
-Hard harness lines flip right in and out.
-I can ride both regular and goofy, but prefer regular (strong stance) for all the reasons said above (wave riding related) plus I almost never crash when I stay on my dominant side.
-I race recreationally, mostly downwind courses (M2O and other Hawaii based racing). If I got into course racing, I would need to become equally proficient on both stances, but also like Hilly, after decades of windsurfing and kiting, I'm not sure its in the cards for me to pursue the level of flawless transitions that it would take for that to make sense.