I'm a wavesailor so my advice on race booms may be crap but anyway.
The Tecnolimits booms are awesome and use some new alloy that is better (I'm too tipsy to remember the name )

Streamlined have a wickedly strong front end now.

Pryde break

Have a look at the Formula Experience website . They use Aluminium booms , it is in the rules .
Also starboard have an aluminium boom for their new proposed Formula Ome Design . It may not be available yet though , but worth inquiring about. Maybe ask the question to Reme or Riccardo on the Starboard site , they are experts on this subject.

It is a tough bullet to bite, but investing in a good quality carbon boom for large sails is money well spent. Remember with a 11m sail, if you get a gust, the last thing you want is the boom to flex and power up the sail.
Big sails are no fun if the draft is moving about.....
I can only speak for the Neil Pryde X9 as they are the only ones i have ever owned, but they are very stiff and light. (most pro's seem to use them regardless of who they are sponsored by)....
I also believe the extra cost is justified as they last for years, where alloy tends to deteriorate when not used.
Hope this helps?

HI Willy,

The HPL is probably the best value for money carbon race boom you can get your hands on and the front end is strong but the adjustment system is fiddly in rig changes as it likes to go back to its original settings. Given the price though it's pretty forgivable.

I've sold alot of bigger alum booms from most brands for formula sails (10 and up) and all struggle to last with most customers winding up on carbon in the end. No point mentioning brands here as none that I've seen leave me confident to sell them to customers when you talk 280+cm's, even the bigger names.

In the end Alum is cheaper but you will go through them 3 -1 compared to carbon. Carbon also has the advantage that in most case it can be maintained over time through running repairs where and alum booms can't. In saying this though I haven't seen the Pro Limit Form Alum boom and couldn't see one on their website. Is this a new model? Will hassle the importer to get some in if so.

As for the best carbon boom around the majority of the top 10 in any elite level regatta runs Pryde and MS. I think even Steve Allen toured and raced in Australia in Jan on a 3 year old Pryde X9.

Sam.

Hmm...I'm 85kg and I expect the wind to be up and down...good point someone made, when a gust hits, the less stiff booms will flex and effectively shorten their length, powering the sail...until...until...

I'm considering going carbon...this 11.5m sail is gong to be a BEAST, might as well have something solid to hang onto. Especially if the wind picks up...oh lordy lordy

AUS666 said...

I would have to agree and say go with carbon. I was using an NP X6 with a 10.7, after 6-7 months it gave way under the load. I wish I had bought a carbon boom at the same time I bought the sail, I aleady had the X6 for another sail and the 10.7 just fitted. Now I need to buy 2 new booms

Does anyone have any experience of Fiberspar booms, this http://www.gybesports.com.au/detail.htm?ProductID=F6BC250 appear to be reasonably priced.

Not too sure about current fiberspar booms but I have one about 3 years old and it's an awesome boom super stiff and easy to maintain(posi grip is the pick, much skinnier diametre). Only problem I have is the twist lock adjustment system, this system wears out quickly and needs to be replaced about once every year or two or it doen't work properly. I know of people who have had fiberspar booms for well over five years and the booms are still going strong!

I've had some advice that Fibrespar is way inferior to HPL for the big sizes - FSs break, HPLs don't. So they say.

The guy with probably the biggest sail in Singapore (an Aussie of course), is currently using an 11.8 Naish sail, and swears by the HPL. Damn, that is a strong looking boom! There's more carbon in there than in a quiver of skinny masts! (This guy planes more than anybody, too, as you can well imagine)

The MauiSails booms are certainly worth a look. Their carbon race booms are one of the best on the market. The MauiSails Alu boom is also a contender with the carbon boom front end.

as i know it fiberspar and pryde has the same company that makes them

Wet Willy said...

jp747 said...

as i know it fiberspar and pryde has the same company that makes them

That's funny...sometimes brand names are no indicator of superior quality. I bought a business shirt from Target 6 years ago for about 13 bucks, wore it to beaches and on holiday and at work, and it's still good as new...

Unfortunately these companies only make goods to (insert brand name here) specification .
If they specify crap, guess what
The Cobra factory manufactures for many brands but the spec is decided by the brand, only the quality is controlled by Cobra.

Drill through, find the booms!
jinlicomposites.com/index.php
and
http://www.windsurfing.com.tw/Windsurfing/boom/One%20Piece%20Monocoque%20Carbon%20Boom/kiteall.htm

Now you really are hardcore.....

Well, you can't complain about the price, but carbon or not, that thing's gonna flex quite a bit at full extension. Prolly won't help with regard to strength or longevity of the boom either. On a more positive note though, an 11.5 for you is not over the top if you're serious about sailing in the light stuff. I'm 65 kgs & not tall and I'm using an 11m. When you've got it all set up and trimmed right, it's easy sailing.