Hi
Broke another boom today, a hydro. Carbon booms are out of my market, so I was wondering what would be the most durable alloy boom available around the $300 mark. Im about 95kg and seem to be very adept at destroying booms and masts.
Im thinking about a Chinook or an Aeron at this stage, never liked the hydro.
Cheers
Rob
Were the booms you destroyed slimline?
At 95 kg you really have to use the normal diameter booms if you're going ally, slimlines are just too weak.
The other option is a secondhand carbon boom, you can get them from around $350 upwards.
Special,
I am also quite adept at breaking booms.
I have found the most reliable to be Pro Limit. I have broken them all - Maui, Chinook, North ...
That said - I buy a new boom each season.
- J
Do yourself a favour and get a carbon wave boom.
Yes they are more expensive BUT they will outlast any alloy boom everytime time.
When you work out what you are spending or have spent on replacing busted alloy booms you could have bought a carbon boom.
At 93kg and 194cm I have broken countless alloy booms... and just 1 carbon boom (got 3 seasons out of the carbon and it had been bounced across the country and some international destinations before it broke)
At the end of the day you pay for what you get !
As for a second hand carbon boom.. in my experience with carbon (booms and masts) if they don't break within the first 3 or 4 sessions they WILL go the distance.
Once you use a carbon boom you will wonder how you ever sailed without one and more importantly will be questioning why you spent hundreds on bendy, loose, sub-standard alloy booms for season after season.
My 2 cents
Power to weight (your weight vs the strength of alloy vs carbon) means you will simply keep snapping/bending/deforming alloy booms
Kev
Choco,
I have had booms break in all sorts of ways.
1. Catapault over the handlebars is a common cause with me landing on the boom. (have broken ribs doing this)
2. Boom snaps at the head (Pins on older North Booms) - in the middle of speed run - J falls backward onto the bank and the rig and board keep going!
3. Extension fails (Carbon) (no apparent reason - just sailing along)
4. Hit a Dugong at 29+ knots - Dugong 1 - J 0 - Boom bent (similar to catapault)
5. Hit a Sand Bank (at ~ 30 knots) - entirely my fault - pushing too hard to catch that Vando character - LOL
6. Fatigue failure at Head (Chinook)
7. Boom buckled in between harness ropes (only a month or two old) - No stacks, no bingles - just failed.
- J
Choco,
Actually, the Maui boom is the one I have been most unhappy with - failed for no reason. Also the "square head" I found gybing a bit harder during hand transition.
The Pro Limits are a single piece section - which I think makes them reasonably strong. If I trash one hitting a dugong or a sandbar - MY BAD.
Anyway I hear in the Grape Vine you are headed our way - Welcome in advance.
- J
New from aeron
Aeron is the inventer of Monocoque booms, and Europe's top boom manufaturer. The Aeron V-Grip is the latest technology in aluminum booms. The only one of its kind. This boom is AS stiff as carbon without the price tag, FINALLY! Single forged process makes this boom the best in the world, and in a price range that makes it very much available to any sailor looking for an ultimate performance boom without getting ripped off
Hi Special - I've got a reference sample of our 190-240 Alu-Race boom you can test for the rest of the season. We build them for the Formula Experience class so they're regularly used with 11.0's and 10.0's and hold up.
It uses an oversized (33mm) tube that's reduced to 29mm in the grip section, and a thicker wall to get the strength required for big sails on alu booms. The Formula Experience class rules prohibits the use of carbon booms, so we needed to develop this product.
Get in touch, and we'll hook you up with a boom.
Ben.
Just re-read the spiel on the aeron and now see that its the marketing hype *edit - from the manufacturer - that was included in Chocos post 
A thousand pardons !
Well I blew my last reply. Itouch not so good for this sort of thing.
Here it is again:
Nice comment Kev
Well at least Im not a donkey!
I agree with all comments on carbon being best, unfortunately I'm a tightarse with 3 young kids to feed so it just comes down to cash
one day............
Cheers Clydey
Hi Ben
Thanks for the offer, very decent of you.
Unfortunately I just bought an Aeron monocoque, so Im ok now.
Good concept for the future though
Cheers
Rob
