Surfladle

This is a bit of a READ but worth it if you are pondering a new Windsurfing Boom.

I mentioned in my post last night (that never made it onto facebook.. there are 4 copies of it floating around in the 'Internet' somewhere!) re. Two customers who had finally seen and then Felt The Light! Carbon Booms for windsurfing.. the Holy Grail for the majority of windsurfers of whom 90% foo foo them as not needed and too expensive, which I can understand. Seems odd that the majority do splash out on 100% carbon masts 'as they make a difference' but then fail by not adding the final piece to the Carbon Chassis that the sail craves! It just goes by every time.. when a customer comes to buy a boom it generally starts with 'How much is a Carbon?' (which in Wave boom sizes now start from £465.00 for a very good product) shortly followed by 'Show me the best Alloy boom'. There is nothing 'wrong' with an alloy boom. They do flex and offer a degree of 'comfort' as per the Deep Plush footpads RRD used to fit to their boards. I guess they are also fine for those who use low carbon masts and do have to keep to a tight budget.. just seems a shame that those who SHOULD have the missing link can't seem to see the same benefit as the mast seems able to... not enough information from the trade perhaps is to blame. And that is where I will hand over to a Guy who has been 'in the trade' (via the Holiday Resorts aspect of it) for a fair old time and one who you think would have used a carbon boom in all of those years.. Phil Dobner of Moon Beach Resort and various other companies is Customer One!

 

Hi Danny

On buying my first full carbon boom (ever) I'm super happy with it but now also super frustrated that it's taken me since 1981 to discover what a necessity a carbon boom is! Why did this happen?.. because of the extra cost which I didn't think would make a huge difference! Big But time.. but I did want one and after I thought about it they are not that bad when you work out just how much money you *waste on beer, wine and coffee a year! So that is where the money came from and these are my thoughts on why they are so much better.

Weight? In the wave size it is slightly lighter but I don't think the weight saving really makes a difference, it is the stiffness that is the key to EVERYTHING!

It's really nice in a straight line as you can feel the rig 'working' but that's not its strength... it's in the pre- planing area (getting the board going) of sailing that it really excels. Instant Mast Foot Pressure is apparent when beach starting, instant MFP when hooking in and getting the front foot in, which translates into a flatter faster planing experience, especially when you have hooked in and commit your full weight to the harness. I found the board was bearing away and accelerating way faster than I had ever experienced before (it was so different!) and with less effort than normal.. also whilst going in a straight line taking my front hand off to wipe my **face was making the board bear away super aggressively due to the zero boom flex! And for the more advanced.. on landing forwards the instant power in the rig (due to lack of flex in the boom) pinged you backup onto the board earlier, making those elusive planing forwards a millimetre closer!

The only downside I can see is for you Guys... it is the Ten plus year lifespan due to no corrosion (another reason to go Carbon!) meaning lack of return customers for Surfladle!

Cheers

Phil

 

* We worked out that we were each spending £735.00 a year on coffee.. which was bad news for the Bakery as we could not justify it when other things were needed.. hate to think what the Beer and Wine bill amounts too but I guess that is next!

** Obviously wiping away the Tears of Joy re. his latest purchase

 

Then we have Customer Number Two, who I think a lot of you will identify more with , as Phil's sailing level is way above a lot of us (he had a misspent youth...) whereas Tim Morey, who many of you will know as he has been sailing the local beaches for years, is an ordinary human being who just loves his windsurfing and finally decided it was time He took the plunge. I would like people to quiz Tim if they see him as he came into the shop with that look of someone who had Seen the Light. He cannot believe the difference it made to how the sail and board felt and how he suddenly was making more planing gybes than he had ever done in the past.. all he could put it down to was his new Carbon boom. Ask him.. please!

 

OK.. both Phil and Tim did buy one of the best booms around which was Duotones *Platinum Boom (Phil's a 140cm and Tim's a 170cm) They cost around £780.00 so these are at the upper end, alongside Streamlined and Severne's Enigma, just to name two other popular brands, but you can get a very good 140cm carbon from as little as £465.00 from Duotones EPX range and Simmer's S8 bom range or spend a little more to get Neil Pryde or Goya's version. Slalom 170/180cm lengths are available from as little as £540.00 so you do not have to pay the earth.. just a little bit more for something that gives 'a lot' more back !

And there you have it.. a long read but one that hopefully will make you look at where the extra money could come from and just how much you will ENJOY the feeling it gives you (not that coffee, beer and wine are not Nice).

Please do ask Phil and Tim for their views, as they said I should do this review.

That's it!

 

* There is an approximate 3 month wait for these booms.. worth the wait.

Pictures removed in case of Copyright.