What length harness lines should I be using for wave sailing? I'm 6'2, perpetual intermediate, absolutely love wave sailing. Been using 32 inches for years, but a pro told me my lines are too short.
I don't think 32" is short, it was considered long some time ago. I have the same length. But between brands there is quite some difference (e.g. dakine being shorter then MFC).
Most intermediate wavers are around this length. Some pros have longer (e.g. Pare), some shorter (TT), it all depends on feeling.
I think longer than 32" might be beneficial if you do one handed backloops, other then this I don't know what would be the benefit of going much longer.
You're tall so maybe longer
then if you're barely powered lots of the time you're running the boom higher maybe so yeah longer for sure
Don't listen to the pros! Many don't have the ability to relate to recreational sailors. If your 32" have been working well, stick to it. Otherwise, try a different size and see if you like it more.
180 cm and 34''. I am not jumping though, just an occasional forward every now and then.
20s were on trend back in the day.You had to be committed to catastrophic catapults.
I'm calling shenanigans on this whole long harness line thing. At 180cm with long arms for my height, 26" are borderline too long. Any longer and I have to artificially stick my rear out to load the harness properly, which is uncomfortable for my (healthy) back.
It is the modern wave-sails that calls for longer lines. The modern sails are used more upright, compared in the old days. It is also much more comfortable with longer lines in float and ride conditions.
I'm 175cm and I'm using 34" lines in waves, and adjustable ones at around 32" for slalom and Formula.
Select to expand quotewendell said..
I'm calling shenanigans on this whole long harness line thing. At 180cm with long arms for my height, 26" are borderline too long. Any longer and I have to artificially stick my rear out to load the harness properly, which is uncomfortable for my (healthy) back.
Nah, 26" is very short. It's probably a matter of getting used to the longer lines and you can never go back after. Try 28", then 30".
Anything from 30 to 36 can work. Depends on harness, belly, hook, boom height, stance, shoulders, etc.
A decade ago I was on 26in lines and with all the you tube talk of longer harness lines I went to 30in. Felt like I could hardly reach the boom, now I'm using 32in lines and thinking of getting 34's. I have never seen anything saying how to adjust to longer lines and I can't say how I did it as I eventually just adjusted. My guess is it's all in the body position, this is where the pro's and alike probably just adjust quickly. The difference in using longer harness lines, for me I feel I am staying in the harness longer, off the plane, transistioning on and off the plane, setting up on the wave. This summer I spent a lot of time using a 4.0 and 4.5 which is were I started thinking about 34in lines, in and out of the harness going from 18knts to 28knts.
Everything in life is a trade off. If you want to stay hooked in whilst off the plane and out of the straps, go long. If you want to generate more power into the board to get planing sooner, go short. In my experience, longer lines are also more likely to get snagged on your hook whilst maneuvering. I've been wave sailing since the 90s and I still use 20". Use whatever works for you. Don't follow trends, set them! 
Also the boom height (which should be lowish for wave riding) and the line attachment spread distance will affect the true length of your lines. You can also vary these 2 factors to effectively adjust the line length to suit different conditions.
I have been using 32 inch lines for ages but I use a seat harness with a higher hook than the usual slalom seats ( Severne CMR which I love ), and was sailing in Australia, however.....
I have recently been sailing in higher winds which are more dense in the U.K. and have been using a lower boom which with the 32 inch lines were really too long, so I have 2 booms, one with 32 inch lines and a smaller boom for higher winds with 30 inch lines and at the moment they work great, there will come a day when it gets windier whilst out on the water and I lower my boom and it'll feel weird but until then its all good.
Select to expand quoteMatt UK said..
[...]one with 32 inch lines and a smaller boom for higher winds with 30 inch lines and at the moment they work great, there will come a day when it gets windier whilst out on the water and I lower my boom and it'll feel weird but until then its all good.
Funny I have 30 for 4.7 light to medium winds and 32 for 4.2 medium to strong. Logic would be that the lighter winds force me to get closer to the boom, more upright over the board while stronger winds let me commit and be more outboard.
Yet, I'm often underpowered on 4.2 and have no issues with my lines being too long it's more of a balance thing.
Lots of people on short lines and big sails here so they can plane easily in moderate winds. All big shots on longer lines. Personal thing!
Sailed with 34 inch lines the last couple of days. The jump from 32 to 34 was mostly imperceptible to me, probably because it's such a small percentage change. I mostly noticed an improvement in slogging upwind , able to keep the sail further away from me and twist my body more upwind. I noticed that I was able to keep up with much better sailors who normally slog upwind at much higher angles than I have historically been able to achieve.
Select to expand quotephiln said..
What length harness lines should I be using for wave sailing? I'm 6'2, perpetual intermediate, absolutely love wave sailing. Been using 32 inches for years, but a pro told me my lines are too short.
I'm 6'2 as well using 32 and find them great. Just adjust my boom height by tad up for power or down for control, it gusty winds.
Select to expand quoteGestalt said..
Why not get adjustable and set it to whatever works best for the conditions.
Exactly what I was going to suggest. That way you get exactly what you want. And you can experiment all you like.
Select to expand quoteMuppet said..
Everything in life is a trade off. If you want to stay hooked in whilst off the plane and out of the straps, go long. If you want to generate more power into the board to get planing sooner, go short. In my experience, longer lines are also more likely to get snagged on your hook whilst maneuvering. I've been wave sailing since the 90s and I still use 20". Use whatever works for you. Don't follow trends, set them!
That is not a trend and will never be. Me sailing since the 70s can tell you one thing. If you don't change to longer lines you don't know what you miss. So much easier and relaxing windsurfing it is with them. The problem with many old guys is they don't understand that the sport progressed and they have to adjust to it. Life is always about learn something new and that is so much fun.. So wrt to lines. You have to adjust your harness technic. But it is not easy to get rid of old habits.
Select to expand quotephiln said..
What length harness lines should I be using for wave sailing? I'm 6'2, perpetual intermediate, absolutely love wave sailing. Been using 32 inches for years, but a pro told me my lines are too short.
pros are idiots when it comes to advice. (not everyone) Here is a really good advice from Boujmaa Guilloul: I am a pro, don't compare.
For waves I spent years and years on 28s, several years ago tried 30s, it was better, especially slogging. Thinking of going 32s, I'm 5'10".
For freerace foiling using 32- 40 adjustable.
Maneuver foiling 28s.
Select to expand quoteSchobiHH said..Muppet said..
Everything in life is a trade off. If you want to stay hooked in whilst off the plane and out of the straps, go long. If you want to generate more power into the board to get planing sooner, go short. In my experience, longer lines are also more likely to get snagged on your hook whilst maneuvering. I've been wave sailing since the 90s and I still use 20". Use whatever works for you. Don't follow trends, set them!
That is not a trend and will never be. Me sailing since the 70s can tell you one thing. If you don't change to longer lines you don't know what you miss. So much easier and relaxing windsurfing it is with them. The problem with many old guys is they don't understand that the sport progressed and they have to adjust to it. Life is always about learn something new and that is so much fun.. So wrt to lines. You have to adjust your harness technic. But it is not easy to get rid of old habits.
FYI I am only 42 and I am well aware of the sport's progression over the past 30 years.
I have tried longer lines and I prefer shorter, just as you prefer longer. The difference is, I do not believe I am right and you are wrong, because I believe there is no wrong answer. Both experienced amateurs and pro's use varying lengths because they have experimented with different lengths, so they use what suits them (as with every other single variable in windsurfing set up).
Also, you say that windsurfing is 'much easier and relaxing' with longer lines. That is exactly why I use shorter lines. We are not the same!
And i still believe long lines are trendy now just as short lines were trendy in the 90s (and they were pretty long in the 70s, so maybe it is you, who has not progressed?)
Select to expand quoteSchobiHH said..philn said..
What length harness lines should I be using for wave sailing? I'm 6'2, perpetual intermediate, absolutely love wave sailing. Been using 32 inches for years, but a pro told me my lines are too short.
pros are idiots when it comes to advice. (not everyone) Here is a really good advice from Boujmaa Guilloul: I am a pro, don't compare.
Sounds like ignorant arrogance to me. I'm not saying amateurs should have identical set ups to pro's. But if budding amateurs are not meant to emulate the elite, then who are they supposed to emulate? I'd bet my house that Boujmaa would have compared his set ups with other pro's before he turned pro himself. It's the first thing I do when I see a pro's rig on the beach...
Select to expand quoteSchobiHH said..philn said..
What length harness lines should I be using for wave sailing? I'm 6'2, perpetual intermediate, absolutely love wave sailing. Been using 32 inches for years, but a pro told me my lines are too short.
pros are idiots when it comes to advice. (not everyone) Here is a really good advice from Boujmaa Guilloul: I am a pro, don't compare.
Good advice; Bouj is an animal.
Select to expand quoteMuppet said..
Sounds like ignorant arrogance to me. I'm not saying amateurs should have identical set ups to pro's. But if budding amateurs are not meant to emulate the elite, then who are they supposed to emulate? I'd bet my house that Boujmaa would have compared his set ups with other pro's before he turned pro himself. It's the first thing I do when I see a pro's rig on the beach...
Kinda but not really. A famous sail designer used a sail designed and set up for a famous pro, came back in after an hour and was genuinely perplexed, he couldn't understand how the pro could even sail in a straight line, and he said that's one of the worst sails he has ever used. The famous pro was like ..WTF ...this is the absolute best sail In the world....look what I can do on it!
The sail designer was pretty good at designing sails for customers, he was not very good at designing sails for this particular pro. There is not necessarily any point in setting your gear up like a Top 10 pro, if you are an average weekend warrior.
True story.
