I have settled on this technique which Jem Hall calls the 'new school' getting into the straps and planing. To me this is the easiest at the moment. I don't see anyone else doing this. They more do the ?Traditional' and 'Active' approaches. Anyone familiar with all of these approaches and any recommendations for a go-to approach, or rather in what circumstances should I chose which one?
Active is way too taxing on the hands for a 2-3 hour session, Tradition feels very unsafe to me when getting the back foot in the strap and if I do this I always come off the plane anyway.
This is what I am doing now. I am 100kg, and sail anything between 115 to 135l boards. I can easily hook in and then get into the straps before planing. You have to commit to the harness - basically hang from the boom with bent legs in the straps. It is taxing on the legs to keep it like this for more than a minute so you need to anticipate when you wish to get going - what I like about it is that you cannot catapult as the back foot keeps you locked in. When a gust hits the move is to bear away and push the board onto the plane, and you can really push hard down wind (as you are locked in). You can feel the resistance of the board and how it gets pushed over the bow wave - just have to hang on! In lulls coming off the plane I stay in the straps, and repeat with the next gust.
This does get tiring in on-off conditions though.
