Timbo, from a biomechanical perspective the most efficient placement of the hook is closest to the body's Center of Mass (COM), which is located in front of the sacral bone (or S2). This happens to be the approximate location of the hook for most harnesses. The further you place the hook away from the COM, the more muscle action is needed to stabilize the body while on the wire, or more elaborate support mechanisms will be needed. If you would move the hook placement higher on the trunk, you would need more muscle activity of your lumbar extensors and other back stabilizers to stabilize your spine, and over the course of a day this would probably lead to more low back fatigue/pain.

Uh, and in case you couldn't figure out from that post, Arie is a Physical Therapist.

Sorry....couldn't contain myself! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Thanks Arie. Many years ago (1984) I had a windsurfing harness that had the hook up higher, near the chest, no butt support of course but I was thinking of something similar with a butt buckett as well as chest wrap around, put the hook half way between the two locations.

Tim: I don't think a waist windsurfing harness is going to work, with windsurfing you are mostly in an upright position.
Maybe a seat trapeze harness will work, I would definetly try to wear mine in an emergency though:
http://www.pro-limit.nl/displayitemv6comp.php?item_id=4482

Yeah, I remember those...
That could work, providing that there is contineous support of the spine along the back to prevent too much muscle action. One of the problems might be that this back support would need to be fairly rigid beween the chest piece and bucket, otherwise the area of the back opposite of where the hook is located would take a lot of loading. That rigidity that might make it more difficult to move around. Most windsurfers seem to have gone to lower placed hooks with the change in technique and technology.

I was thinking about one of the waist models but with a butt sewn on so it wouldn't slide up. Click on their "waist" models. Yeah, it might be to stiff to move around on the tramp when you have to snuff the spinn, etc.

I've always wondered why nobody made an integrated harness/PFD. Maybe the Coast Gaurd approval is too expensive for the volume of harness sales?

exactly. it doesn't even make business sense for most pfd's

Timbo,

Can't you run your shoulder strap adjustment loop over your PFD? I think I have that same harness (magic marine - the "pre" worrell name I believe), and I run the strap over the PFD on that side, so it's right there when I need to snug or loosen it...

But, all that adjusting does distract one from the sailing...

I have often thought of just getting a new PDF and having a sail-maker incorporate into a harness. Two separate units is nonsense.

I have the previous version of the Aquata Hydro. It is great for short course round the cans and is no inconvenience at all to wear when the likelyhood of use is 0.1%. However for longer legs my old equipe really takes some beating. The best suggestion I can make is take your normal sailing kit down to the next boat show and try the wares of the exhibitors out. It's alright saying one model is better than the rest but proper fitting is of equal importance. It is not easy to do this with with mail order, but if any supplier is worth his salt he should be prepared to ship a couple of 'best guess' sizes on information given and accept the unwanted item(s)for refund. Also, a comfortable fit over a wetsuit is not always a comfortable fit over a drysuit.

Cheshirecatman

I've been thinking about this arrangement for some time. http://www.catsailor.com/bb_files/146643-Telltails.jpg

Does anyone know more about it?

Pete:

What is the picture telling us? What are we supposed to be paying attention to?

A poorly trimmed jib? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Look where and how the trap line attaches to the harness. I appears to be a small line that goes from the hook to the shoulder straps. The attachment point seems to slide along that line.

<img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> On second glance, that is just the trap bungy! Still, I think I'll try to cobble something together.

The crew is using the wrong trap also, its much easier for crew to use the aft one.