Harness for big guys

Select to expand quote

MarkSSC said..

mathew said..

MarkSSC said..
If that is so then why do so many of the professionals go for the waist harness? Coaches like Guy Cribb make strong arguments for them also. To me the seat version looks good for long straight runs, while the waist is more versatile in manouvers, learners as well. The Mystic seems to have solved the number one problem with the waist by stopping the upward movement. What I don't understand is how a beer gut is a disadvantage. I would have thought that anything positioned under that layer would not be moving upwards ever

... and why do professionals use seat-harnesses ? Dont use an "appeal to authority".

How about actually trying out each type of harness, then choosing whichever you prefer ?

Some of us don't have the spare cash to buy then try. I respect those who teach the sport and if you are better than they are, then your opinion counts too. When I hear of people criticising the professional coaches it reminds me of tall poppy syndrome.

Not all the top sailors agree with each other anyway.

Peter Hart had an interesting article about harness line length where he noted that people have different length arms and that one size does not fit all. He also tried a bunch of sailors with different boom heights to see if they sailed better according to the 'wisdom' of the time of high boom heights.

People sailed better on the equipment settings they were used to. Is this just because they are used to it or because people are different and need their equipment to be rigged differently?

I went to a Guy Cribb clinic and was told to use a waist harness. I have used waist harnesses and seat harnesses, tried them out and still use a seat harness, so I refused to use one for the clinic. After he saw my sailing I think I got a begrudging acceptance that maybe I don't need a waist harness. I think I was the more advanced sailor in that group, and whether I had a waist harness or seat harness had nothing to do with my ability to gybe.

With a seat harness my hook ends up rising up so much that it may as well be a waist harness... at which point I tighten it up. That's one thing I do agree with.