Since I started using carbon booms, I just can't go back to flexy ali. Sorry, it just doesn't feel right. But on the other hand, they don't make carbon booms like they used to and $1000+ is too much for me to risk on a hard landing --> breakage.
So when I broke my 2nd boom in two weeks (one carbon, one ali), the $ decided it for me and I got another ali.
The first thing I noticed when i unwrapped it was that the arms are stiff but the back end is flexible and above medium extension the flex was intolerable.
Seeing as it always seems to be the arms that break, I have a few good back ends lying around so I decided to experiment with aluminium arms / carbon back end hybrid. I had to slightly increase the diameter of the back end to fit into the aluminium arms without any slop. For my prototype I went with a few layers of duct tape (I wonder what I could use for a more long term solution?).
I tested the concept yesterday on my biggest sail (5.8m) which requires almost full extension. It was awesome! After a season on a full ali boom it felt like a different sail. I realised that the flex in the full ali boom was opening up my leech and wasting the power of the sail. The stiffer hybrid fixed this and I got planing in less wind than ever before!
If you've broken your carbon boom and can't bear to fork out for another one, I recommend the DIY hybrid!
I just found out that Pro Limit have been selling this concept for a few seasons now, also.http://www.pro-limit.com/displayitemv2.php?item_id=4523
www.pro-limit.com/itemimages/4523
I have that same boom Leech (Prolimit Hybrid). Having only had it for a month or so I can't comment too much however, although it is much stiffer than my previous X3 and the shape I find much more comfortable....I also find the shape helps when water starting as it alloys you to hold the rig just a tad higher towards the front of the boom.
Yep sflack,
The X6 has been around for 4-5 seasons now.
Reduced diameter Monocoque Aluminium Boom arms with carbon back end. No corrosion where the arms meet the head. There are no bolts there.
Not having known anything but an aluminium boom, do the carbon booms make all that much difference?
Aeron ally's - with the new (well its about 1 year old now) curve delivers 80 % of the siffness of carbon with 20% of the price. Thats a great value proposition
Yes - there are plenty of flexi ally booms out there. usually the older ones used on max extension.
The new Aeron makes up the front of my hybrid. True the arms are awesome stiff, but the tail is too flexy for my liking.
To increase the diameter of the back end, you could use a braided cloth, it is like carbon or glass braided into a continuous tube. This is better then wrapping with a cloth around something as it is smooth and no joins means stronger. When you pull it, it decreases in diameter so it is easy to slip it over you back end tubes, wet it out and pull it to laminate it on.
If u roughed the surface and laminated glass braid on with an epoxy, you could easily increase the dia of the carbon end tube. With glass you could see thru it to drill your holes thru in the same place...
A couple of seasons ago i bought the Loft monocoque carbon wave boom. Its a great boom and still going strong. When its time for another boom i will definitely buy another. At the moment they are still under $600.
Yeah no worries then. Rough it up with about 100grade, rub down with some metho or acetone, then a glass braid with West 105 / 206 combo epoxy, redrill holes and done!
About 1-2mm? It is hard to say as the braid gets thinner as you stretch it longer.... if too thick though, it would be a bugger to sand it down evenly all along its length
