I have a half-half boom. Not bad. Stiff and quite light.

I have had some guys at the beach tell me half-half is a bad idea due to reaction between carbon and alloy and more corrosion. Not sure if I believe that...

Might be a good option if the price of carbon windsurfing kit goes the way we are being told it is going to go Damn bananas

Nup. On a 6.5 they are not needed unless you race a lot / well. There is not enough flex in an approx 2m ally boom for 80% of sailors to notice any difference in sail performance.
Anything over 8.0m sails, yes, carbon is worth the money.

Well I hope they're worth it, cos I just ordered one.
I like to sail powered up, and end up breaking the arms at the head from flex. I use Chinook cos I used to break the heads (Pro Line, NP etc).
This happens at lest every 10 months, so I'm sick of it.
I'm thinking if the cost works out the same over time, at lest I've had a stiffer lighter boom anyway.

Cheers,
Bob.

i believe aluminium booms definately soften and fatigue over time....
i have carbon booms that are 5 years old and still stiff although as they are not continuous tail versions they are starting to show signs of wear. i am not a pro but i can pick the diffeence straight away between carbon and aluminium.

this is what fiberspar say..
www.fibersparsports.com/whycarbon.html

the stiffest boom i have ever used was the fiberspar carbon posigrip. i used it on a 6.4 kult. prior to that i had aluminium. going to carbon made the sail respond superbly. the entire rig felt locked in and predictable. a damn site easier to sail. however, i managed a break the boom when i botched a forward attempt. still unable to do them..... i found real benefits to a stiff boom for bump and jump and flat water blasting.

regardless of whether you get carbon or aluminium i think the following important factors when comparing booms.

a continuous tail piece and head piece. i have also found that in the larger sizes, (170+) booms, with wide tails they feel stiffer than the same booms with standard tails. (don't know why)

also look at the locking mechanism. the twist locks system fiberspar use is easy and quick but will wear out. go the twin pins if you can.

try and get a boom with an articulated head. saves the mast.

Well I was using a North carbon boom (2m - 250. with 6.5 V8)for a few years before it broke, ( the part that failed was alu.)and I guess I took it's performance for granted. While I was waiting for my new carbon Neil Pryde X9 boom, I used an aluminium NP Race 2000 boom and I tell you I could not believe the step down in performance. It was terrible. Basically, the ever-changing c of e. So when I got my new X9 2m-250, everything was good again, only better. That is one hell of a stiff boom - don't think there is any stiffer.

Oh yeah.... just read the June edition of Boards magazine where they test Carbon booms and a few aluminium as 'control samples' I guess you could say. Definitley worth a read. The test may be on their website, www.boards.co.uk

ka43,

Have to say I have has the same experience with alloy booms as well.

Feel Like I'm a regular boom wrecker - have been through 6 in the last 2 seasons - with no wavesailing sailing - all slalom with some bump and jump.

Best boom I've owned was a hydrodynamix which lasted 9 seasons before giving up in the shipping channels off middle park/port melb -in Port Philip bay - memorable swim back home - after dark!!

J

Comrade Windsurfer/s

I have carbon boom and I only wave sail.
Have broken countless ali booms in waves
If not braking ali booms I bend them... I not have this problem with carbon.
Carbon very strong, very stiff, very lite, very responsive but very expensive yar !

I take big wipe out in Mauritius 2 weeks ago, I got flicked off wave when attemtping aerial. Landing very ugly... ontop of boom with all weight (90kg) on top of it.
Boom still perfect... pride dented ! Ali boom would have broke for certain yar !
MA have big laugh while I get next 4 waves on head and swim long way for my gear (he catch 6 waves in time it takes to swim to gear)

Comrade Firiebob, carbon is good choice for you and you will save many rubles in long run

Kremlin

Ok, so carbon it is but what brand, ive seen hpl and fiber spar but am a little sketchy on how the tail peice adjusts and chnook booms have a plastic head so what the best and why