It definitely "can" be done. The argument that the lifejacket gets in the way of the harness hook is pretty much bogus and is really just another "excuse" not to use a PFD. I sailed for many years on a lake that does require windsurfers to wear a PFD, and it most certainly can be done with no loss of performance or discomfort. With the right PFD, it is basically a non-issue, especially if you're using a seat harness (which virtually all racers use). A waist harness may be a different story.

As I said, it's largely a cultural issue. The majority of windsurfers don't wear PFDs, are not required by law to wear them, and simply don't want to wear them. Rig separations are very rare, so this type of incident simply isn't that common.

Tethering the mast to the board with a leash of some sort has been done in the past and brings about a whole other set of issues.

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