Hi all,

I'm getting back into windsurfing after about a decade off. My old alloy boom (a Prolimit assault vgrip 180-240) has seized up and needs replacing. I've been tossing up carbon vs alloy and decided to go with (I think) a Severne Enigma (100% carbon).

My current sails are 5.3m and 6.6m with a boom length of 181cm and 193cm respectively. I intentionally got the old boom at the 180-240 size so I could rig my sails with minimal extension for extra stiffness & strength (I've bent & broken alloy booms before).

I've never sailed a carbon boom before but I know they're supposed to be stiffer, but where I'm looking for advice is: am I going to regret going for a 160-210 length, or should I go for the 170-220 length? As far as I can see: pros for the 160 are a smaller diameter tube (26mm vs 27mm) & can rig smaller foiling sails (if that's what I want to do, not sure yet). Pros for the 170 length would be more strength & stiffness.

It looks as though the 170 also has a squarer tail and the 160 has a wave-style outhaul but I'm not sure that matters to me either way.

In terms of me & my sailing (in case it matters), I'm about 190 cm, 90 kgs, intermediate sailor who primarily sails freeride/b&j.

Thanks for any thoughts & advice!

I used to bend and break quite a few Aluminium booms, first off I bought a Streamlined boom, which was good but a little fiddley with the two little clamps on the front end and not having a loop and go back end. It was stiff and the boom connection to the mast was fantastic but like I said fiddley.

The Enigma is the next level up in performance and I'd never use a different boom again.
Front end connection is as good as the Streamlined, the loop and go back end is good too and the curve just seems slightly more comfortable.

Streamlined can be bought through the windsurfing shed online and are cheaper for sure.

I would say the only down side with the Severne is that the tubes on the back end did wear quicker than on the Streamlined and it has become noticeably looser but its around 8 years old. I re-painted a layer of epoxy resin on the tubes and this dod make it a smoother fit and sprayed some silicone spray on it too.

I've got both the 160 and 170 enigma booms and like them a lot, the 160 I use on cammed sails 5.5/6.2 and freeride sails 6.0/7.0. The narrower diameter is great for easy handling in stronger winds. The 170 I use on the 7.0/7.8 machs, it has the adjustable outhaul pulleys on tail and plenty of stability for the bigger sails.
if your 6.6 is a freeride type sail, and the biggest size you are likely to use, the 160 will be fine. If you might be adding a bigger sail at some point though the 170 would give you better range.

I believe the 3 bigger enigmas now only work with adjustable outhauls, no cleats on the end of them. That would stop me getting one.
apart from that they are great, I have the older version that works without the adjustable outhaul.

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Dezza said..
I've got both the 160 and 170 enigma booms and like them a lot, the 160 I use on cammed sails 5.5/6.2 and freeride sails 6.0/7.0. The narrower diameter is great for easy handling in stronger winds. The 170 I use on the 7.0/7.8 machs, it has the adjustable outhaul pulleys on tail and plenty of stability for the bigger sails.
if your 6.6 is a freeride type sail, and the biggest size you are likely to use, the 160 will be fine. If you might be adding a bigger sail at some point though the 170 would give you better range.

Thanks very much, this feedback was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks everyone else for your contributions as well.

The Severne website refers to numerous improvements on the "latest generation" of enigma booms. Does anyone know what exact year models the "latest generation" refers to?

Oh man, don't write off adjustable outhauls. They vastly increase the range of any sail. I use AO on everything I own, even the small stuff.

Yesterday for dawn patrol on the Columbia I rigged a 5.0 for foiling. Pulled flat at first since the wind was about 21 mph. Later it abated to about 15 mph (as predicted). Rather than rig a bigger sail, I just eased the AO and kept going.

With loop and go you're stuck with the setting you started with. Of course, you could drop in and loosen it some. However, the AO does this in one second while still sailing.

If you are worried about he complexity of AO, check out the Sailworks system. It fastens to the boom quickly and without tools, and you don't have to disassemble the boom. The release is a strap with buckle. Couldn't get simpler and easier. Rigging the sail takes about 5 seconds longer than with loop and go.

One other thing to be aware of is that severne doesn't produce an RDM shim so you either have a dedicated RDM boom or dedicated SDM boom. I've got the 160 enigma, which is great for my sails up to 6.7m with the RDM front end, but now I've been thinking about getting a bigger sail and most require an SDM - which would then require a new boom as well....

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Widget said..
One other thing to be aware of is that severne doesn't produce an RDM shim so you either have a dedicated RDM boom or dedicated SDM boom. I've got the 160 enigma, which is great for my sails up to 6.7m with the RDM front end, but now I've been thinking about getting a bigger sail and most require an SDM - which would then require a new boom as well....

I've been told the sdm clamp will work on rdm too but I haven't tried myself.

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aeroegnr said..

Widget said..
One other thing to be aware of is that severne doesn't produce an RDM shim so you either have a dedicated RDM boom or dedicated SDM boom. I've got the 160 enigma, which is great for my sails up to 6.7m with the RDM front end, but now I've been thinking about getting a bigger sail and most require an SDM - which would then require a new boom as well....

I've been told the sdm clamp will work on rdm too but I haven't tried myself.

I've heard this too but I want to be sure because my mast is RDM. I know that the current generation of enigma booms in 160 and 170 length both have SDM clamps (source: www.severnesails.com/booms/enigma/). Dezza how does this go in your experience?

They fit both sdm and rdm masts equally well, no shim necessary. Ive used them on both, a secure fit to either sdm or rdm masts.

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Dezza said..
They fit both sdm and rdm masts equally well, no shim necessary. Ive used them on both, a secure fit to either sdm or rdm masts.

Me too, I only use RDM masts on my 180-230 Enigma.

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Ben1973 said..
I believe the 3 bigger enigmas now only work with adjustable outhauls, no cleats on the end of them.

my 2022 180-230 enigma came with an optional cleat that can be added in case no adj. outhaul is used.

what sail brand ? if other than severne . I believe you can swap the head around so the clamp Is oriented the right way when rigging. severne sails rig backwards....(luff is on left hand side of sail...instead of right handside of sail..... I think its b/c the toilet bowls flush opposite )

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skyking1231 said..
what sail brand ? if other than severne . I believe you can swap the head around so the clamp Is oriented the right way when rigging. severne sails rig backwards....(luff is on left hand side of sail...instead of right handside of sail..... I think its b/c the toilet bowls flush opposite )

I still don't get whats soo bad about rigging up with the sail on the other side...????
I use an Enigma boom, its great and I just roll out my sails the other way compared to my mate who uses a North boom, so what.
I'd rather do that than undo all the bolts and then re-attach the head the other way up.
You could also use the boom upside down if life is that hard. The Enigma is a great shape, really good connection to the mast, is comfortable to use, is easy to use and adjusts nicely, it has a good back end and is well engineered.

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dieseagull said..
Hi all,

I'm getting back into windsurfing after about a decade off. My old alloy boom (a Prolimit assault vgrip 180-240) has seized up and needs replacing. I've been tossing up carbon vs alloy and decided to go with (I think) a Severne Enigma (100% carbon).

My current sails are 5.3m and 6.6m with a boom length of 181cm and 193cm respectively. I intentionally got the old boom at the 180-240 size so I could rig my sails with minimal extension for extra stiffness & strength (I've bent & broken alloy booms before).

I've never sailed a carbon boom before but I know they're supposed to be stiffer, but where I'm looking for advice is: am I going to regret going for a 160-210 length, or should I go for the 170-220 length? As far as I can see: pros for the 160 are a smaller diameter tube (26mm vs 27mm) & can rig smaller foiling sails (if that's what I want to do, not sure yet). Pros for the 170 length would be more strength & stiffness.

It looks as though the 170 also has a squarer tail and the 160 has a wave-style outhaul but I'm not sure that matters to me either way.

In terms of me & my sailing (in case it matters), I'm about 190 cm, 90 kgs, intermediate sailor who primarily sails freeride/b&j.

Thanks for any thoughts & advice!

I use up to a 195cm ext ( 7.5m) on my 160 - 210 length with no issues. I'm a lightweight ( a fat 70kg atm) and I love my enigmas.

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Widget said..
One other thing to be aware of is that severne doesn't produce an RDM shim so you either have a dedicated RDM boom or dedicated SDM boom. I've got the 160 enigma, which is great for my sails up to 6.7m with the RDM front end, but now I've been thinking about getting a bigger sail and most require an SDM - which would then require a new boom as well....

My enigma takes RDM or SDM without any shims.

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Wind Smurf said..

skyking1231 said..
what sail brand ? if other than severne . I believe you can swap the head around so the clamp Is oriented the right way when rigging. severne sails rig backwards....(luff is on left hand side of sail...instead of right handside of sail..... I think its b/c the toilet bowls flush opposite )

I still don't get whats soo bad about rigging up with the sail on the other side...????
I use an Enigma boom, its great and I just roll out my sails the other way compared to my mate who uses a North boom, so what.
I'd rather do that than undo all the bolts and then re-attach the head the other way up.
You could also use the boom upside down if life is that hard. The Enigma is a great shape, really good connection to the mast, is comfortable to use, is easy to use and adjusts nicely, it has a good back end and is well engineered.

The only issue is if you use mixed gear like KA sail on an Enigma.. It just takes an extra few steps to flip the sail over and back. If you have all Severne gear, no hassles.

I ended up pulling the trigger and grabbing a 160-210 enigma. Haven't had a chance to use it yet.

Maybe it's just been too long (it definitely has) but I can't think of why a sail would be harder to rig on one side than the other? I've got KA sails so sounds like they'll be on the "wrong side" compared to the Severne sails. In any case I look forward to working it out once I get a chance to use it!

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Ben1973 said..
I believe the 3 bigger enigmas now only work with adjustable outhauls, no cleats on the end of them. That would stop me getting one.
apart from that they are great, I have the older version that works without the adjustable outhaul.

Tie it off don't need a cleat

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dieseagull said..
I ended up pulling the trigger and grabbing a 160-210 enigma. Haven't had a chance to use it yet.

Maybe it's just been too long (it definitely has) but I can't think of why a sail would be harder to rig on one side than the other? I've got KA sails so sounds like they'll be on the "wrong side" compared to the Severne sails. In any case I look forward to working it out once I get a chance to use it!

You want the zips to access your cams to be on the same side as when you're clamping your boom on. I flipped my boom head to work with my Simmer sails

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Stretchy said..

dieseagull said..
I ended up pulling the trigger and grabbing a 160-210 enigma. Haven't had a chance to use it yet.

Maybe it's just been too long (it definitely has) but I can't think of why a sail would be harder to rig on one side than the other? I've got KA sails so sounds like they'll be on the "wrong side" compared to the Severne sails. In any case I look forward to working it out once I get a chance to use it!

You want the zips to access your cams to be on the same side as when you're clamping your boom on. I flipped my boom head to work with my Simmer sails

Ah gotcha! My sails are both camless so that's why I couldn't figure it out!