Heres another question for anyone to help with. Where is the ideal place to set the boom. I have been setting it so that it is horizontal to the clew of the sail and pulling the sail out as hard as possible. This makes it level with about my chest.

Should it be high or low, do I adjust for different conditions??



plus any good book recommendations, I've got 'windsurfing' by Ken Winner from the 'outdoor pursuits series' but it appears to be about as much help as a chocolate fireguard.



Cheers

Steve

Most people have their boom at about shoulder height. It is down to personal preference though. I used to have mine around nipple height and often even lower, and still like it low for flat water speed sailing. I now have it just lower than shoulder height for sailing in the waves though.



Al.





edited by: justal, Apr 22, 2003 - 06:39 AM

Wow, did you get kicked out of bed



I tend to set my boom a similar height - say chest to shoulder. I do sometimes put it a little higher in strong winds - if I'm out on a particular sail and the wind gets up a lot and I can't be bothered to rerig I'll pull more downhaul & outhaul on to flatten the sail and either shorten the harness lines or higher the boom (which does the same thing) to give a more upright stance and control over the board.

I might also put a slightly smaller fin on the board.



A recent experience may be relevant - whilst on holiday we had some marginal conditions and one set of kit between three of us (the company hasn't replied to my letter of complaint before I slag them off....) and the other two sailors would always put the boom up quite a bit when they took the kit over from me. Interestingly I spent nearly all my time planing whereas they mostly sank !! similar sized people etc. Maybe I've spent more time in the UK's dodgy conditions or too much time near 'helium bones' Grover.....



Bert

Quote:Maybe I've spent more time in the UK's dodgy conditions or too much time near 'helium bones' Grover.....



Bert



Yea, fat may be fast but thin planes first time everytime. Anyway its not my weight its my skill and technique!!!!!!

Quote:Wow, did you get kicked out of bed







hehehe...Thats nothing, I was on the water at 6am the other day!!! I always get up early to check the surf / wind and update the forecast on my site. Although, it has been getting a little silly lately.



Al.

The Simon B method of lying the mast along the centre line of the board with the boom at the tail end and setting the height at between 1 and 2 inches off the tail is best for sailors between 5'8 and about 5'10 is best. Adjust about 1 inch for every couple of inches higher or shorter.

NB this works for most boards manufatured in the last 3/4 years.



The height is directly related to mast foot position and your height. Moving the mast _base_ 1 inch forward will result in approx 1-1.5 inches higher and vice versa.



If you need early planing or are sailing overpowered I may raise my boom by around 1 inch. The reasons for this are:



A higher boom allows you to put more weight through the harness which helps early planing.



A higher boom allows you to sheet out and still retain mast foot pressure when over powered. read maxed/struggling.



When you see people sailing with the boom around their kness they generally cannot sail very well, they are not quick to plane, they are slow, they hit their bum on the water in waves or large chop, and they have difficulty gybing because as soon as they sheet out there is no mast foot pressure and the board nose rises often causing spin out.



The downside to a high boom is that hooking in and out is more difficult, especially in marginal winds. But again this is good for your sailing as it forces you to anticipate lulls better



Marc