which harness?

Originally posted by Matt Jackson My advice (especially considering the type of boat you sail) is go strappy unless a: you like to be in pain and b: you are not planning on changing shape or altering the amount of clothes you wear whilst sailing.

This is a personal preference thing Matt. I have almost hospitalised myself on a couple of occasions with the magic marine leg strap harness yet find a nappy most comfortable. TRY BEFORE YOU BUY!

I've just got one of the P&B made to measures and it's great.  No straps to get tangled and it fits really well.  I'd always steered away from the P&B version as I really did not like the white sailcloth look (looks like a pair of pants and gets dirty quickly) but Dave has managed to source some back cloth that's up to the job and it looks the nuts.

I would personally steer away from any quick release systems at the moment though.  I've had problems with a well known manufacturer's version on a previous non-P&B harness (broken two of them, would not release) and I've also had to single wire a 12' skiff back home in a hoolie because my crew pulled his pin (another manufacturer) and absolutly could not get the thing back in for love nor money.

P&B will retro fit a quick release hook for you in time when the hook manufacturers perfect their designs and ISAF sort the rules.  In the meantime, carry a knife.

Ive got a P&B made to measure and i made sure i had it so when i had a full drysuit and wooly bear on it would be a nice snug fit.  Ive spent most of the time since in 1mm neoprene shorts and a few rashies and yeah there's a reasonable gap between hook and body but having a baggy harness has so far proved to be really quite comfy and hasn't detracted in any way from performance. 
Watching some skiff footage and things like higher and faster you'll see there's a fair gap between the hook and their body, so i really wouldn't worry about it. 

Doug.H

Also about 450 miles away....

Originally posted by *GM* How critical is fit with the P&B custom made jobs?  If I get one that fits when I'm wearing a drysuit and layers of fleece, will it be far too big when I want to wear a wetsuit?

Hence the reason I have an adjustable harness. I've cut the straps down to reasonable lengths and tape the tales off so nothing is left hanging free. As stream-lined as the made to measure jobs but gives the versatility of adjustment and means I don't need to have one harness to suit my wetsuit and another to suit my drysuit, and the one harness I do have fits perfectly.

Edited by 49erGBR735HSC