could your aluminum booms be breaking due to salt water ??
i used to weigh 245+ pounds (about 110 kilos) before my keto diet
only sail fresh water and 8.5 is my most used sail
i still have my Extreme Proline 180-240 alu boom from 2008
in 2009 i purchased an HPL carbon 220-280 boom (used - obviously)
both booms are still going strong
if it is salt water - rinse them after use ??
i sometimes wish my smaller booms were carbon too, but the prices put me off

btw the aluminium boom is also used on ice n snow - so in tough conditions



jump to about 140 seconds ...
that video was done @ -20 degrees C
and the wind was from the north = cold
we have snow now, just need more deep freeze

Carbon booms are an essential accessory. Good second hand booms are available and reliable. They can also be repaired if necessary. 190 - 240 Maui booms are particularly bomb proof.

//www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/Windsurfing-Accessories/~lqt6m/Maui-Sails-Race-Booms-And-Masts.aspx?_page=1&search=BiKz5764dDNZpLQmcjZGpPJVpk0Ajl4Z

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joe windsurf said..
could your aluminum booms be breaking due to salt water ??
i used to weigh 245+ pounds (about 110 kilos) before my keto diet
only sail fresh water and 8.5 is my most used sail
i still have my Extreme Proline 180-240 alu boom from 2008
in 2009 i purchased an HPL carbon 220-280 boom (used - obviously)
both booms are still going strong

What I felt based on where they broke, was that the aluminium booms were suffering from metal fatigue caused by the flexing but also the adjustment from my smallest sail to my biggest sail. In my case, from a 5.5m to a 7.5m.

They all seemed to break just down from where they attach to the plastic head which is where I imagine they flex the most when getting adjusted for a different size. When you looked at the broken ends, there was never any evidence of corrosion on them.

Are you using your 8.5m almost always and not adjusting the boom much?

I know I do tend to work my booms a lot too. I am very active when sailing and put weight through the harness lines a lot when sheeting in or out.

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JakeNN said..

AUS4 said..
Use what 80% of PWA slalom guys and girls use.......Duotone/North Platinum.

What is this based on?

When you look through the latest photos on the PWA website, this is not the case. . Even checking carefully for rebadging.

Perhaps your data was from the 1980s when there was a unique product or something?

Maybe open your eyes when you look at photos !!
Plus the XT extension if you want to start !!!

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Imax1 said..

JakeNN said..

AUS4 said..
Use what 80% of PWA slalom guys and girls use.......Duotone/North Platinum.

What is this based on?

When you look through the latest photos on the PWA website, this is not the case. . Even checking carefully for rebadging.

Perhaps your data was from the 1980s when there was a unique product or something?

I have also heard this rumour a couple years ago . Maybee in small local races , but would doubt in pro sponsored events . If this is the case , it would be hugely embarrassing for all the other brands .
Somehow I don't think NP would use North booms .

NP riders don't but the rest do. up until this year Matteo and Gonzo were using North, then they found the North factory and now Severne have the same race boom.

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joe windsurf said..
could your aluminum booms be breaking due to salt water ??
i used to weigh 245+ pounds (about 110 kilos) before my keto diet
only sail fresh water and 8.5 is my most used sail
i still have my Extreme Proline 180-240 alu boom from 2008
in 2009 i purchased an HPL carbon 220-280 boom (used - obviously)
both booms are still going strong
if it is salt water - rinse them after use ??
i sometimes wish my smaller booms were carbon too, but the prices put me off

btw the aluminium boom is also used on ice n snow - so in tough conditions

jump to about 140 seconds ...
that video was done @ -20 degrees C
and the wind was from the north = cold
we have snow now, just need more deep freeze

I checked the metal, and there was zero rust on it. The metal looked stretched. I mostly cause damage while going steep up-wind using large sails . I also broke three black fins like that. Only use the G10 fins since. I guess the same lesson should apply to the boom material.

It's good to hear from all of you. Wil get a carbon boom ASAP and keep this one as a spare.
I'm getting a good idea on the options, and hope to make a decision within a day or two.

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AUS4 said..
Maybe open your eyes when you look at photos !!

I'm not seeing it .. examples ...
www.pwaworldtour.com/index.php?id=2241&tx_pwagallery_pi1%5BcurrentPage%5D=22&cHash=f9dcb434b4c6e909e4cdf63ecf1a538b

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Imax1 said..
Im also heavy and in rough water and got over bending and breaking alloy . Financially alloy don't work for us .
So now I use a slightly ( 20cm ) chopped down NP RSX boom. 225 -265
So its now 205 - 245
Carbon .
Super strong and chunky .
Fits my 7.2 up to 9.4 , ( using about 20 cm of extension ).
Good second hand ones pop up for around $500 in need of a re grip.
I think you would have a hard time breaking it , especially a chopped down one only using 10 cm or so extension on your 8.5.

IMax, can the RSX use normal outhaul system, or is the adjustable kit mandatory?

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Obelix said..

Imax1 said..
Im also heavy and in rough water and got over bending and breaking alloy . Financially alloy don't work for us .
So now I use a slightly ( 20cm ) chopped down NP RSX boom. 225 -265
So its now 205 - 245
Carbon .
Super strong and chunky .
Fits my 7.2 up to 9.4 , ( using about 20 cm of extension ).
Good second hand ones pop up for around $500 in need of a re grip.
I think you would have a hard time breaking it , especially a chopped down one only using 10 cm or so extension on your 8.5.

IMax, can the RSX use normal outhaul system, or is the adjustable kit mandatory?

You can use it both ways.

The mauisails booms I was always a bit torn with, they are nice & stiff but excessively heavy, i ended up breaking mine in 5 places everything breaks with a big enough bomb & i was a bit disappointed to see glass in their layup.

The pryde x9's i've tried I really liked, havn't tried the xc.

Severne is good all things considered (cost, stiffness, weight, strength, profile, parts) initially didnt like the head felt flimsy but works well, particularly their rdm head is fantastic.

Cheaper carbons such as prolimit, naish, unifiber etc are still way better than alloys. Aside from my enigmas I have 4 old prolimit carbons that are 10 years old now that have survived their fair share of crashes, countless jumps & hours of fat guy hanging off them. I have them for use only in sub 220 sizes as profile & stiffness doesnt suit big sails.

Death to many carbon booms is the pins popping out, I think x-booms has a strap over theirs.

Alloy booms often the plastic plug can allow a slight bit of water past but breaking near the head is just fatigue.

Thank you everyone for your feedback. All of It helped greatly.

After considering all the feedback, I decided to buy a brand new boom.

So I bought an NP RS:X 180-230, at a very good price.
It seems pretty stiff, chunky and robust.

Very happy with the outcome

Thank you all again.

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JakeNN said..

AUS4 said..
Maybe open your eyes when you look at photos !!

I'm not seeing it .. examples ...
www.pwaworldtour.com/index.php?id=2241&tx_pwagallery_pi1%5BcurrentPage%5D=22&cHash=f9dcb434b4c6e909e4cdf63ecf1a538b

Based on this link, if I have a Duotone boom, it won't work on a Severne sail because the Pros on Severne are only using Severne booms. Likewise a GA boom is the only boom that will work on a GA sail, a Point 7 boom is the only boom that will work on a Point 7 sail, etc. Very illuminating...not.