I bought a used carbon boom and really liked the perceived difference. You should do the same - for instance someone is selling a NP X9 for $60, www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/Windsurfing-Sails/~tx71m/North-Pyro-3D-6-metre.aspx?search=2eFvHElczvBOMXXc6Z1OMw==

Hi Nigel,

Carbon is not really lighter. But far more reliable. And stiffer while sailing.

It depends how much you like swinming with your gear

Broke my last alloy boom 4 years ago, a few km out at sea....was lucky enough to be able to turn it around, but it took me ages to re-attach it and sail back very slowly....

Bought an AL 360, never looked back, even got another one !!

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Review/Aeron-V-Grip-Boom-2/

Okay, I think I'm sold (pun) on the carbon boom. Looking at a Gun Sails 160-220, which covers my 5m to 8m sail range. Justin (windsurfing religion) has them for $900... any experiences with the Gun Sails booms? I'd love the Chinook, but it's definitely out of my price range.

J have an X9 180-230 and sometimes I use it on a 8.6. Its pretty much full length and no problems with flex etc.
Carbon for sure.

Is the Hawaiian Pro wave too skinny for use with my 5m-6m race sails?

N1GEL said...
Okay, I think I'm sold (pun) on the carbon boom. Looking at a Gun Sails 160-220, which covers my 5m to 8m sail range. Justin (windsurfing religion) has them for $900... any experiences with the Gun Sails booms? I'd love the Chinook, but it's definitely out of my price range.

Being German I bought all my rig components from gun when I used to live there: mast extensions, booms, masts, harness lines etc. No complaints. I would not know what would make a Chinook any better than a gun boom. Go for it.

^^^ +1. At 110kegs, the Chinook alloy boom has lasted longer than any boom I've ever owned (although prob got the least use!). As a quality boom - I could buy nearly 3 for the price of 1 good quality carbon boom.

Hi Nigel, Carbon definitely worth getting if you want the best out of your slalom sails especially in the bigger sail sizes 7+.

The Chinook carbon boom has an interesting situation regarding wear.
The arms will last almost forever, but the boom head will become very wobbly where the boom body passes thru it, and trying to get the boom head off to fix it, or replace it, is so far a mystery among us. None of us as yet has attempted to contact Chinook, I don't have one so it's not my deal, but it is with several friends who have that boom, with that condition. If the head can't come off for a fix or replacement, then what good is the carbon body?

I've just had the boom grip replaced on my chinook carbon booms. Replaced the hardware, including new boom heads and had no worries at all with them. Brand new booms for a quarter of the price.
The gentleman that replaced the grip suggested that if I removed the old grip, it would cost about half the price as removal is the most time consuming part of the job.
I've had the chinooks for about three years and expect at least another 3 before I redo the grips, depending on how many times the fin ends up cutting into the grip after an unplanned excursion