Long Harness Lines: the easiest (and cheapest) way to become a better windsurfer
And why yours are probably too short
Control is everything
Since the beginning, windsurfing has been a highly technical sport driven by innovations, which have often allowed people to discover completely new facets of this sport. For example: foiling has recently gained prominence. As windsurfers, we obviously want to ensure that our gear is perfectly trimmed and in the best possible condition to unleash its full potential, enabling us to do the same.
When examining the various ways to tune and trim windsurfing gear, one of the easiest, cheapest, and most effective changes we can make is adjusting the length of our harness lines.
It might sound a bit too simple, doesn't it? However, let me explain the different effects that harness line adjustments have on your body position and the way your gear feels under your feet and in your hands.
Longer lines will change your windsurfing life forever, literally.
Of course, we all have different body types and heights, and therefore, each person has their own line length with which they are most comfortable. But some rules apply to all of us, and the simple fact that you won't see any windsurfing pro (even the women) using lines shorter than 30” should draw your attention to this topic.
1. Enhanced Sail Maneuverability: Key Benefits in Critical Situations
You have more freedom to open your sails in critical moments. This could be due to a strong gust or perhaps your board catching a bit of chop; as we all know, moments like these often lead to catapults. It is important to mention that catapults are probably one of the gnarliest ways to crash in windsurfing - minimizing the risk of these is a quite important argument. But longer lines are key not only for crash prevention; increased sail maneuverability applies in almost every situation, whether it's clearing whitewater, during the early planning phases, or when fully overpowered while flying downwind.
2. Sail Efficiency Unleashed
The sail stays more upright, allowing it to work more efficiently, especially in light winds. This is the case, because with shorter lines your bringing the sail more with you to the windward side if you lean out. This results in less projected sail area which gets presented to the wind and therefore a significant loss in efficiency.
Even more importantly, this results in a lower body position in which you can use your weight more effectively to control sail and board. This is because your center of mass is further away from the mast base, creating higher leverage. Especially in overpowered conditions you can lean really far out and have much better counter balance as well.
The longer the Harrnes Lines, the greater the distance between the center of mass and mast base.
3. Let the fin do its magic
Standing more beside your board rather than on top of it allows you to more easily push with your legs against your rails which ultimately which transmit the pressure to the fin. The lateral pressure on the fin allows it to generate lift. Of course, this effect varies depending on the fin’s shape and material, but the basic dynamics can be applied to any type of fin (except weed fins, but that's a different story). This again leads to a really essential technique in windsurfing: lifting up the windward rail. This not only allows the board to plane more freely over chop but is also crucial for achieving high average speeds.
A low body position is essential to use the full potential of a modern Freeride/Race Windsurfing Board.
What you need to know (before changing your lines)
So after we've clarified that you should definitely try longer harness lines, let's focus on a few points that will make your experience (even) better.
Windsurfing, being a sport demanding high coordination, makes our body notice even the smallest changes in our equipment. When transitioning to longer lines, it can therefore feel extremely strange to even try out a slightly longer option.
Generally, it is essential to understand the significant effects that variable line lengths have on our body position. You might find yourself in a completely unfamiliar position, which could even cause some pain. To prevent this, here are some tips.
adjustable lines
Make sure to get yourself some adjustable lines - they have two main benefits:
1. You can gradually increase your line length and find the option you're most comfortable with. This is especially valuable for Freeride, Freerace, and Slalom sails, as it not only dramatically expands the wind range of your rig but also makes sailing at different wind angles much easier.
2. You can use your harness lines as a trim element because they offer you the possibility to adapt to different wind speeds quite effectively. More precisely, this means that you are able to shorten the line length in really underpowered conditions to maintain a comfortable position and keep planing, even if it's really patchy. On the contrary, there is the possibility to use a longer length to make use of all the advantages already mentioned.
When choosing the range of your new Vario Lines a good starting point are your old fixed ones - so for example your old ones are 26”, make sure to get something like 26” - 32”. By doing this, you have the possibility to easily compare the new sensations with a familiar feeling.
Vario Lines allow you to change the length on the water, giving you some handy advantages
Hand position
This often gets overlooked but has a crucial impact - and it's the easiest possible change to your technique. When riding with longer lines, you might have the feeling you can't reach your boom anymore. To counter this, try to grab it narrower than you normally would. This not only makes life easier for your muscles but also gives you more freedom in your sail movement.
Its your turn: try them!
These are just a few, but nonetheless, the most important aspects related to the topic. The best advice, as always, is to simply try and experiment for yourself to see if you like it. However, the above-mentioned aspects should definitely serve as an incentive to unlock more potential from your sessions.
And last but not least, if you're looking for a set of Vario Lines, check out surf-center.com!
