Does anyone else with a loft boom have a really disconcerting creaking sound? It happens particularly when I'm underpowered and hanging my weight down off the harness, but also fully powered banging through big chop.

This is a new boom, used only four times since my last boom disintegrated in my hands 500m from shore. It's the Loft 170-235 slalom boom used with a Loft O2 7.4 set to 218cm. The creakinf is coming from the mast clamp end. I haven't had any catapaults - no crashes at all. Just wondering if this is a normal sound as I'm enjoying doing some long runs at the moment and don't want to get stuck 6km from my car...

I've got a scarey thought...maybe it's the mast.

I don't think it's the mast - my last boom didn't make any noise.

Not really any help , but my aeron continuous ally wave boom creaks too,
well it did till i started using a skinny mast with a thick rubber adapter.

i think its just the plastic moving slightly on the mast surface , its nearly a year old and hasnt broken yet.

Must admit I haven't heard it recently, but my Loft boom creaked when I first got it as well.
Makes you think "I might be swimming soon" when you first hear it.

Hi Michael,
I have 2 Loft booms. 1 creaks (a bit) and the other doesn't. I tend to use the one that doesn't

Try tightening the bolts that hold the clamp together. I've had booms that creak and haven't worried about it.

not good... get rid of it!

Last thing you want is it breaking in the waves!!

Why not rig it up, and simulate sailing on land while someone listens closely to determine which part is actually creaking..

It could be your knees..

Of course you could just do as sflack suggests and throw it out without ever knowing why - a bit like getting rid of your otherwise perfectly good car because it needs new brake pads..

I've had a number of loft Alu booms and I'm sad to say I think they are ****e (unlike the sails which are very well made). I had two booms (175 - 135) fail, one lasted 6 months the other 3 months. They both snapped within the head piece. Bud replaced them without objection which was good. My third one started to creak about 4 months in. The max extension I use is 220 so its not too close to the end. I just don't trust it and am going to get a Chinnook 182 - 244 for sail that need 186 - 220 cm. Local dealer said they are stronger than NP X3 and North Alu booms.

Got an np x9 that creaked, but I ignored it because the other one did the same..x6
This only happened when it was new, hopefully be the same for you.

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mgorman said...

Local dealer said they are stronger than NP X3 and North Alu booms.

That's not really setting the bar all that high [}:)]

I creak more than my booms Noisy buggers they are to

Thanks guys, I'll ignore the creaking while I throw it out, on the way to the orthopedic surgeon to get two knee replacements.

I'm about to buy a Loft Alu Slalom 175-235

Is this creaking a worry? Or don't you have the mastgate closed tight enough to stop it moving up and down on the adapter and making creaking noises?

If it's a worry, can anyone point out a boom that is safer, that sorta price/dimensions and delivery cheap to Nth NSW?

Don't have a loft but My 2008 NP x3 creaks like crazy - more without the RDM shim as I don't have a rdm 400.

I feel like it's gonna all explode when the 6.4 is powered up and it's sloppy on the clew end unless its outhauled a fair bit and the end clamps never sit flush.

It's brand new replacement for the one that just broke after 9 months, that used to creak and groan until it went pop then bang and broke under the plastic mould at the mast end and also had the clear boom attachment replaced because that exploded.

The shop has happily helped out warranty wise - but sometimes I question my gear selection and whether a high boom using 94KGs is designed for alloy booms - you lose confidence and I am worried its going to snap again in a difficult situation out then back of Kent reserve get washed onto the dry reefs and battered by sets.. or in white pointer territory in the gulf

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dism said...

I'm about to buy a Loft Alu Slalom 175-235

Is this creaking a worry? Or don't you have the mastgate closed tight enough to stop it moving up and down on the adapter and making creaking noises?

If it's a worry, can anyone point out a boom that is safer, that sorta price/dimensions and delivery cheap to Nth NSW?

Neil Pryde X9 MATE! the WAY to roll!

You will break before they do!

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sflack said...

dism said...

I'm about to buy a Loft Alu Slalom 175-235

Is this creaking a worry? Or don't you have the mastgate closed tight enough to stop it moving up and down on the adapter and making creaking noises?

If it's a worry, can anyone point out a boom that is safer, that sorta price/dimensions and delivery cheap to Nth NSW?

Neil Pryde X9 MATE! the WAY to roll!

You will break before they do!

they are nearly as good as your boom

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Al McLeod said...

sflack said...

dism said...

I'm about to buy a Loft Alu Slalom 175-235

Is this creaking a worry? Or don't you have the mastgate closed tight enough to stop it moving up and down on the adapter and making creaking noises?

If it's a worry, can anyone point out a boom that is safer, that sorta price/dimensions and delivery cheap to Nth NSW?

Neil Pryde X9 MATE! the WAY to roll!

You will break before they do!

they are nearly as good as your boom

nearly mate... nearly!

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dism said...

I'm about to buy a Loft Alu Slalom 175-235

Is this creaking a worry? Or don't you have the mastgate closed tight enough to stop it moving up and down on the adapter and making creaking noises?

If it's a worry, can anyone point out a boom that is safer, that sorta price/dimensions and delivery cheap to Nth NSW?

DavMen's got the same boom as me, and he says that his creaked on his RDM mast until he put the shim in. The Loft boons are designed to fit on RDM and SDM masts. He's sure it's just the clamping mechanism on the mast. I'm not worried anymore about the noises.

Mine creaked for a while then last month I decided to have a look and found that one side was very loose coming out of the boom head,I put it on the ground with my foot on one side and gave it a pull and it came apart.The aluminium piece that goes through the plastic had broken in the middle,I can now see why it did not come apart while sailing as the weight on the boom stopped it sliding out.Anyway I'm glad that this was discovered on the beach as booms seem to be a problem for me this year with 1 Gun boom breaking,1 Loft boom coming apart and a 3 month old Chinnook boom breaking in the front[replaced by dealer]I am now looking at carbon but am I going to be any better off?

Mine's been creaking for the last 6 months, I landed the flatest biggest jump I mean it was huge the other day (my ankles knees and hips hurt) and the boom slid down the mast 30 cm when I landed. I figure after that as the boom didn't break, then theres nothing to worry about with the creaking! and I'm no light weight at 88kg.

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Rider5 said...

Mine's been creaking for the last 6 months, I landed the flatest biggest jump I mean it was huge the other day (my ankles knees and hips hurt) and the boom slid down the mast 30 cm when I landed. I figure after that as the boom didn't break, then theres nothing to worry about with the creaking! and I'm no light weight at 88kg.

mmmm... If it hadn't slid down the mast, it may have indeed failed, this dosen't really prove or disprove much!

Sorry to be a killjoy.

My loft wave started creaking so I decided it would make a good spare and bought another brand, I hate not having 100% confidence in my gear while on the water,
It might be allright but but it will definataley make a good spare.

here is a photo of loft boom.

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DavMen said...

Rider5 said...

Mine's been creaking for the last 6 months, I landed the flatest biggest jump I mean it was huge the other day (my ankles knees and hips hurt) and the boom slid down the mast 30 cm when I landed. I figure after that as the boom didn't break, then theres nothing to worry about with the creaking! and I'm no light weight at 88kg.

mmmm... If it hadn't slid down the mast, it may have indeed failed, this dosen't really prove or disprove much!

Sorry to be a killjoy.

Hmm good point I had't thought about it that way