I'm a beginner windsurfer (not even on the water yet!). I bought a couple of sails, a mast and a boom off the forum here; don't have a board yet.

I tried to rig up the sails on the weekend to see if I knew how to put it together and found that I can't adjust the boom. I can unclip the boom and pull the bracket back (I can see the pins are clear of the holes), but the extensible bit is stuck fast.

I guess it hasn't been used in a while and wasn't washed down after use and has bonded itself. Being quite rough with it didn't budge it, and washing it down has made it shiny, but it still won't move.

Any suggestions for getting it unstuck?

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hamx5ter said..
I'm a beginner windsurfer (not even on the water yet!). I bought a couple of sails, a mast and a boom off the forum here; don't have a board yet.

I tried to rig up the sails on the weekend to see if I knew how to put it together and found that I can't adjust the boom. I can unclip the boom and pull the bracket back (I can see the pins are clear of the holes), but the extensible bit is stuck fast.

I guess it hasn't been used in a while and wasn't washed down after use and has bonded itself. Being quite rough with it didn't budge it, and washing it down has made it shiny, but it still won't move.

Any suggestions for getting it unstuck?

Try wetting it good at the tail piece and hook the tail piece on a tow ball and pull it out that way. always works for me. Once you get it out regular movement will keep it free for adjustment.

^+1 What he said. Although i have broken some old relics which were too corroded. Sometimes banging the tailpiece on the ground can loosen it before you yank on it. Use plenty of water to flush particles out.

Yes, bang it in on the ground before pulling it out.

Hot water can help dissolve the salt and expand the aluminium (if it is Ali?). A pressure washer can help get water up the jammed tube which might break the salt ali corrosion. Good luck. Where are you based? If in Sydney look us us for some moral support on your first outings.

I tried banging it on the ground but it's stuck on well and truly... will give it another thorough wash and tried the tow-ball routine.. This is by hand right? not actually hitch it to a car and drive away??

@peterowensbabs - in sydney on the north shore; I'm hoping to go out to Narrabeen lakes. There's also some windsurfers at Balmoral but I think the lake should be easier to learn on + my son's scout friends do Friday evening sailing there, so they can kinda mix it up there..

If it's the sort you can remove either end, you have a better chance by by twisting each side one at a time.

chuck it in the swimming pool for a few days....

^^ have heard this also works for unsticking a mast. Saltwater pool?

Attach outhaul to pole, and yank on head.
Gentle hammer blows inside tail towards the outside. Use wood block wrapped with rubber to protect from denting, scratching, damaging.
Penetrating oil inside clips.
Gently heat up parts with hair drier.

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greenleader said..
chuck it in the swimming pool for a few days....

Nothing has worked; still stuck fast. This swimming pool thing might be the last hope... Just any pool? I assume not freshwater pool and for how long?

Curious: what happens? google sent me on a trip down the rabbithole

Car jack.

Well, a few days underwater hasn't seem to have helped it much. I guess it will be a fixed length boom for whenever I get to use the bigger sail. I'll go looking for a second hand boom in the 170cm range... Thanks for the tips. I'll try the car-jack thing sometime and let you now if it worked out..

Has anyone suggested vinegar. It removes aluminium oxide. Soak over night.
Of course if the boom is stuck due to oxide it's not going to be reliable anyway.

Are you sure it's not bent?

8 men.....4 each end twisting in unison always works

Tie each end to a car and drive one away. If it breaks before unsticking you don't want it anyway.

If it's one of those ridiculous "hybrid" booms with a carbon tail piece and aluminium main part, you're f****d.

Someone should be able to sort you out with a boom for pennies, there are so many people that have upgraded to carbon that all the alloy booms out there are virtually worthless..