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Skinny booms are awesome, are they ?
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GURGLETROUSERS



Joined: 30 Dec 2009
Posts: 2643

PostPosted: Fri Apr 06, 2018 2:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you sir, but I am just a normal enthusiast continually doing what comes naturally. I'm sure many such do likewise.

In the early 1970's, as a passionate canoeist, I'd returned to a local beach with my sea kayak and was loading it with camping gear when I noticed a frail old gentleman with a walking stick, silently standing back and watching me. I smiled and said hello.

Turned out he was in his 90's and was 'poorly', but had been a solo yachtsman from the end of the war until age and ill health had forced him to give up. I explained I was just going on a two night wind down trip after returning from a solo English Channel crossing and camping cruise along the french coast.

He told me of one of his experiences, in those same waters. He'd been sailing the Channel one dark night in the early 1950's and had spotted a small dark mass ahead which, on shining a light, was a canoeist slumped froward (pretending to be asleep) but who suddenly shot up and asked, 'which way is it to France?'

It was humbling to hear of that anonymous and unsung kayaker, and to listen to this clearly exceptional but then frail and fading old gentleman, both of whom were of a different era, when self publicity and promotion were considered vulgar, and boastful.

It is even more sad to realise that they, and all like them, have now long since passed away, and are forgotten. It brings home how little life counts for, eventually.
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mrgybe



Joined: 01 Jul 2008
Posts: 5180

PostPosted: Fri Apr 06, 2018 2:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good story GT. Harkens back to a different era. Haven't seen the word "poorly" for years. Reminds me of the British comedian, Spike Milligan, whose gravestone is reputed to read - "I told you I was poorly...........Bastards!"

Forgive my ignorance of the topic, but I have always used standard diameter booms and masts. Do the skinny booms require skinny masts or is there an adapter?
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capetonian



Joined: 11 Aug 2006
Posts: 1196
Location: Florida

PostPosted: Fri Apr 06, 2018 4:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mrgybe wrote:
Do the skinny booms require skinny masts or is there an adapter?


Depends on the brand and the size boom. For example the Severne boom (Enigma) has an RDM boom head for the 140-190 and the 150-200, but an SDM head for the 160-210 and bigger sizes. So the smaller sizes can only be used with skinny masts, while the bigger sizes can only be used with an RDM mast if you also use an adapter.

On the other hand the Streamlined boom can be ordered with an RDM head or an SDM head regardless of the size of the boom.
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GURGLETROUSERS



Joined: 30 Dec 2009
Posts: 2643

PostPosted: Sat Apr 07, 2018 3:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quite so Mr. G. I read Spike's book of his war experiences, and there were moments of real black humour.

They were all digging in in the desert while being bombarded, with explosions and soldiers randomly being killed. Spike blurted out to the Major 'Sir, they're being blown up.' With massive understatement the Major calmly replied 'Yes, there's a lot of it about!'

By the way, the North alloy narrow arm booms I now use have a clever head design which fits both standard and narrow masts, with no need for any extra fitting part.
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mrgybe



Joined: 01 Jul 2008
Posts: 5180

PostPosted: Sat Apr 07, 2018 8:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Capetonian/ GT, Thanks for the info. With ever advancing decrepitude, in wetsuit weather, my forearms get fatigued earlier. Perhaps a skinny boom will help. Worth a try.
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windward1



Joined: 18 Jun 2000
Posts: 1400

PostPosted: Sat Apr 07, 2018 11:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mrgybe, just keep a stiff upper lip. It will help you get you through a lot. I think that is what GT would say. Smile
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Sat Apr 07, 2018 5:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mrgybe wrote:
Capetonian/ GT, Thanks for the info. With ever advancing decrepitude, in wetsuit weather, my forearms get fatigued earlier. Perhaps a skinny boom will help. Worth a try.

Three lessons I learned decades ago are:
1. Skinny booms feel WAY mo bettah than normal ones, even with my big hands.
2. Buy wetsuits with big forearms. I've never met an O'Neill neoprene wetsuit I could get my arms into comfortably.
3. Use my arms/hands only for steering, letting the harness line carry all other forces. An electrical engineer would put it this way: The harness line carries the DC workload ... the power ... while the hands carry the AC ripple ... the signal. If I'm pulling with both arms at the same time, I'm wasting energy and burning up my forearm tendons.

(Of COURSE there are limits to #3, especially in expert-level DTL wave sailing, but that limit can be extended a long ways by developing the skills that allow most recreational level DTL and damn near any oshore/Gorge wave/swell rider to stay hooked in most of the time between jibes. Speaking of which ... it's hardly necessary to use much pulling power even in jibes, even when dramatically overpowered, with the right techniques.)

BTW, I fought lateral and medial epicondylitis (tennis and golfers' elbow) in both arm for many years, but it ceased when I learned those lessons, especially #3.
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manuel



Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Posts: 1158

PostPosted: Sat Apr 28, 2018 4:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have been switching between streamlined and Severne booms. It does feel like the smaller grip reduces arm fatigue but may also strain hands faster. Possibly because the skin may get pinched more easily.

I'll update as I ride more often both. With a pretty thin grip cover, the Severne does feel a bit harsh on hands. I also used to think the streamlined size would cause forearm fatigue and tendinitis, but while a slippery grip can cause this, it was due to the sail being too jerky and direct in power delivery.

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