What harness would be best for me?

Question
Hello Patrick,
I have a Hi Fly Spirit 346 board.  I am trying to improve my windsurfing skills.  I use it on the Mississippi River in Illinois.  I have a 5.7 sail and a 4.4 sail.  I want to get a harness but don't know whether to get a seat harness or a waist harness.  I have a 34 inch waist.  What would you recommend and why?  I know that the board that I have is old, but I haven't used it much and I believe that I can learn a lot and improve my windsurfing skills a lot with this board.  
Thank you for your help,
Steve Bose

Answer
It's a matter of personal preference. See if your local shop will let you demo both types. I personally prefer a seat harness.  It gives me more leverage and feels more comfortable.  I feel like I am sitting down when I am in the sweet spot...downwind running about 20knots in a stiff wind.  It also supports my lower back well.  I also prefer the hook down.  I do not like the bars with a roller i/o hook as they keep popping off the harness lines.  I use adjustable harness lines also.  Upwind and light breeze the lines are long.  High speed downwind I shorten the lines up. When you can, update your board.  The newer boards are much easier to sail and progress on.  You can look for  used boards on ebay or windsurfingclassifieds.com.  Go with a 130 to 150 liter board depending on your weight.