For anyone interested , after more testing the boom grip modification is great.
Feels good and easy to hang onto.
No harness marks or problems.
Would highly recommend ( bit of a job but not too hard )
Hi Imax1, great looking idea! My hands tire quickly. Im keen to give it a go. Qs. How thick is V hump? Positioned at inner most,widest point of boom diameter in a horizontal plane. Or slightly above horizontal? With the V hump, is the standard boom grip from shops wide enough to cover completely?
The hump is 6mm thick , two layers of 3mm.high density Eva foam.
Horizontal works perfect.
I didn't use the shop stuff.
I bought a sheet of foam 1mx1m ,2mm high density eva foam delivered for about $ 40.
Its the same stuff.
On Monday I'll let you know the company name and details if u like.
Hi Imax1 can you post address for eva grip.
No worries oldskool , I will on Monday
Am also looking for grip to regrip a NP X9 boom.
Was thinking of using Cork like on the X-Booms race board booms but am finding it hard to get 2mm thick cork sheets.
Has anybody tried using cork or found a suitable product for windsurf boom grip ?
Am also looking for grip to regrip a NP X9 boom.
Was thinking of using Cork like on the X-Booms race board booms but am finding it hard to get 2mm thick cork sheets.
Has anybody tried using cork or found a suitable product for windsurf boom grip ?
Try spotlight, I'm going to give it a go next week. I will use the 0.9mm to make my ENIGMA even more toy like
Bought some of the 2mm thick 1M long sheets from Spotlight today, but I think it is too soft and won't last well.
The company name is ALGEOS.
Dandenong , Vic.
( 03 ) 97064355
The stuff i used is EVA HD 2mm
It works perfectly.
Sheet size 100cm x 80cm.
Cost $ 14.75 + gst
Ring them for a delivery cost.
There would be other closer to you places selling the same stuff.
Ok so i tested my custom eva VGRIP boom. Sailed in gusty 8-12kts. Not much harness use. Plenty of pumping to induce the board to plane. Sailed a brand new stocko round boom for the first hour. Hands & fingers quite sore. Rerigged my custom VGRIP boom. Sailed the next 3hrs with very little fatigue. TOTALLY AMAZING how much EASIER to grasp the boom. Keen to strip my new boom down & VGRIP it as well!! Seriously worth the day or so effort to complete. AWESOME...
Nice job olskool. Looks good , I know it feels great .It really is a good thing , we just got to keep this secret to ourselves.
I think I'm going to regrip a boom using cork. I can find modelling cork in 1mm and 1.5mm. Is thus going to be tough enough?
Any tips would be great.....
Im not sure how cork would last . Plain cork sheet is porous and very weak and crumbly so i wouldn't use that . There is cork and rubber mix sheet that is used for rocker cover gaskets that is slightly stronger . The cork sheet used on boom grips is probably a specialized cork and EVA mix or something similar . I wouldn't know where to get that from.
Great thread just trying to work out what you did, have you put the severne enigma grip on plus extra yellow grip ?
Is vee grip seriously that much more comfortable? Where did you put your seams inside , outside bottom , top ?
Nice find, rubberised cork looks like it'll do the job.
those xbooms look great, I think they started the cork thing!
That rubberized cork is not that tough , it still rips very easily . Maybe when its glued down ??? I would still think it would crumble.
Hows your boom going azuli ?
The grip fell of my Maui carbon wave boom and yesterday i taped over the many missing bits with one inch wide Elastoplast tape.
Used it yesterday for the first time and never noticed a difference.
Cork sounds a great solution but I'm useless with my hands.
Getting a boom regripped is not cheap,I'll stick with the tape.
Is vee grip seriously that much more comfortable?
Yes , by a mile ! Especially with the spongy V part . Even the solid v grips are way better.
Only use half the effort to hang on.
Mine has had a heap of use and still looks brand new.
All my other body parts give up way before my hands and arms do.
Whoever comes up with a profiled replacement boom grip is going to sell a hell of a lot of them.
Ive looked into it , a lot , the EVA foam used for grip is sliced from a block of foam , this opens the air voids in the foam which gives the grip needed . You can't profile cut it this way . One way is to inject mould which would be very expensive at this size . Also it would leave a shiny skin which would be bad and end up solid not foamy in such a thin profile. I'm sure you cant extrude foam in this thin shape and again it would leave a shiny skin.
The only way I can think of is to glue the V profile to a flat strip , but it would have to be pre curved before gluing. Major work.
Or just sell the V lump.
It needs to be a one piece thing.
If anyone knows of a way to do this we should talk !
Any physiotherapists here that can explain why this shape is better and reqires less effortcto hold on ? Just curious.
Great thread just trying to work out what you did, have you put the severne enigma grip on plus extra yellow grip ?
Is vee grip seriously that much more comfortable? Where did you put your seams inside , outside bottom , top ?
Ive used Severne grip either end with yellow grip where harness lines go. Just one layer.Did this so i can mark different positions for different sails.
So imagine the tube as a clock. Looking at tube from rear on starboard side. I put V part at 9-10 oclock,the join is at 5 oclock. Finger tips seem to grip to about 6oclock when sailing.
I have absolutely punished this ol boom n still going strong. Unique grip job has everyone wondering what boom is that? Whered you get that? Hahaha its a 90s gaastra relic.
Comfort wise i find it slightly changes the angle of pull at the wrists. Also fits into the bent fingers nicely. Spreading the load from just the palm / fingers junction area. Ive just got a new boom ( round). Have sailed it many times. Seem to fatigue quicker than usual???. ( lightbulb moment) Hhmmm looks like i may have to Vgrip the 250 raceboom.
Like olskool says , the smaller V profile sits nicely in curled fingers and the tips of the fingers sit under the hump . Both stop the fingers unrolling off the boom. Saves energy in two ways , you dont need as much grip force saving the fingers and i think more importantly because the fingers dont unroll off the boom as easily you dont need as much forearm strength to keep pushing the knuckles forward. So you dont seem to get arm pump as easily and when you do its still so much easier to hang on to.
olskool has his hump slightly offset , i have mine at 90 degrees , both seem to work wonders