Windsurfing harness

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The windsurfing harness is a contraption used in the sport of windsurfing to connect the windsurfer to the rig by a line attached to the boom. It consists of a girdle-like contraption that is worn around the body, with a hook for attachment. Hooking-in the harness is done by pulling the sail toward the body and hooking into the harness lines on the boom. The harness turns windsurfing into a long lasting activity, taking the weight of the sail off the arms of the windsurfer.

[edit] Types of harnesses

There are three basic types of harnesses:

The waist harness: Worn around the waist and lower back, providing back support.
The seat (or slalom) harness: Fits around the backside, with straps that pass between the legs.
The chest harness: Fits over the chest like a vest, providing buoyancy and padding for protection.

[edit] History and development

The first truly functional harness was developed by Pat Love and Larry Stanley of Windsurfing Hawaii in Kailua, Hawaii in about 1974. It consisted of a vest-like nylon jacket to which a hook was attached. The sailor used the hook to attach to lines attached to each of the wishbone booms.

When future world champion Robby Naish began using a harness in Kailua in 1975 when he was twelve years old, he had problems with his chest being painfully squeezed by the force on the hook. Mike Horgan and Larry Stanley developed a spreader bar to balance the load and prevent the harness from squeezing the wearer's chest. The spreader bar is now in almost universal use.

Many companies have developed the harness over the years with major innovations coming from DaKine and Windsurfing Hawaii.