Hi, just signed up, had a windsurfer for years but very limited use, recently been dragging it out and getting a feel for it (well, I can make it move now). It is an older style board/rig with a tie-on boom. I used to have a diagram on how to do the knot so the boom is attached firmly but have lost it. Tried searching the net to no avail, so thought I'd ask here. It's got 5 holes and a rope about 30cm long dangling off it. Any ideas?

I am not sure whether the Wally sailors still tie the boom to the mast. MOst new gear uses a clamp to attach the boom to the board.

Try to track down a Wally sailer in your area, they may be able to help. Otherwise read the attached (but it is really difficult to describe the method in words)

Many moons ago we used a short length of rope, looped, with a figure eight in the end. This was wrapped around the mast with the fig8 through the loop. The boom was placed parallel to the mast and the knot placed into a notch in the boomhead. Then the boom was moved until it was perpendicuar to the mast (an action that tightened the mast/boom connection)

Sorry I am not much more help.

JB

Yeah, might be easier to get some new gear, but I remember when done correctly this worked well. The stuff is old but I think it's good for learning, hopefully after some time on this gear I can upgrade. It's a "Tiga Pro" board, carbon mast and a funky fluro pink sail!

I don't think a tie on boom is good for learning, unless the alternative is no boom at all. They are inferior in every way to clamp on booms that are 15 years old.

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smc said...

Yeah, might be easier to get some new gear, but I remember when done correctly this worked well. The stuff is old but I think it's good for learning, hopefully after some time on this gear I can upgrade. It's a "Tiga Pro" board, carbon mast and a funky fluro pink sail!

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smc said...

Hi, just signed up, had a windsurfer for years but very limited use, recently been dragging it out and getting a feel for it (well, I can make it move now). It is an older style board/rig with a tie-on boom. I used to have a diagram on how to do the knot so the boom is attached firmly but have lost it. Tried searching the net to no avail, so thought I'd ask here. It's got 5 holes and a rope about 30cm long dangling off it. Any ideas?

two holes on one side of the mast, and three on the other?

take back end off the boom, lay the boom parallel to the mast, back of the boom pointed to the top of the mast, position tie-on where you want it... start rope through the side of boom with the two holes and wrap it around the mast two or three times, then up through one of the holes on the side with the three holes, then down through one of the other holes, then back up through the third hole, then pull the rope through the loop created by going through the first two holes, pull snug... but not too tight, can break the mast. lower the boom, causing the tie-on to tighten up.. put in the boom end... there ya go... easy as.
you follow that?

or just go buy a clamp-on.

I learnt to sail with a tie on boom because I didn't know any better, knowing better I would buy a clamp-on boom from the begining.
I actually managed to snap a mast by over tightening the rope, so it certainly is possible to get them tight!
Wave knaves desciption is spot-on from what I can remember but I reckon it would be hard to follow those directions if the haven't seem it done before.

The important thing to remember is that there are no knots in the whole arrangement. (well, actually there is one knot to stop the first end of the rope pulling through the first hole), the system is self locking if you get it right!

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wave knave said...
you follow that?

Yep, thanks for that, I have done it before so just need refresher and that description rang a few bells! Will look at getting a clamp on, would like a whole new set-up 'coz this thing is pretty cumbersome.

Smc, SHQ or RPS have modern demo gear available - you just need to let them know when you would like to borrow it; you may even be able to get it for a few days in a row.

Luckily for us sailors, the shops aren't into scamming the public anymore (well not much anyway...), ie: they are usually happy to lend gear, even if you dont end up buying stuff from them -> they understand that you may purchase second-hand gear elsewhere, but that guy ends up buying new gear.

If you haven't sailed in a _long_ time, also consider a lesson - they do it all the time so they can spot bad technique before it develops.

As for new gear - once you find something that you like (new or second-hand), ask on this forum what that gear is like (as you have just done...).

Mate ditch it. back in the day when I was using tie on booms they would sooner or later become loose. A nightmare. Phone around some shops, u can get a second hand clamp on for $70

smc, if you're keen, I will give you an older boom with a clamp-on end that I haven't used for years. Send me a PM.

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MikeyS said...

smc, if you're keen, I will give you an older boom with a clamp-on end that I haven't used for years. Send me a PM.

Sounds like a good deal to me, pm sent.