hi, i am very new to windsurfing in fact i just got my first board! i bought it second hand from a man who had owned this for years but had no idea how to put it together! so i got it home and tried in my back garden to put it together but i just cant see how the boom fits to the mast ??? maybe i am being really dumb here but its got me stumped, am i missing bits to it?, i tried looking at pics and diagrams of rigs but no pics seem to be that clear 1
can anyone give me some advice please?
jane

What does the end of the boom look like? Can you post a photo of it?

All modern booms use a clamp fitting to connect to the mast, but the designs do vary slightly. Old booms (and we are talking pretty old these days) used to tie onto the mast, but if you have that sort I'd recommend changing it to a more modern clamp fitting boom straight away.

Al.

thanx for your reply, my fears i think are soon to be proved! i have taken a couple of pics but i reckon my set up is pretty prehistoric!- gutted! could i take it out anyway on our local lake just to see if i can get to grips with wind surfing before i spend loads of money on a decent set up? ( i say lake but its not that big!!) is it possible to windsurf with such an old one?
[img]new cam 146[/img] not sure if i have inserted pic ok? if not i will try again!
ok so i tried but dont know how to put photo on! lol if i was blonde i would be having a moment! lol
thanx again for your help
jane

[Edited on 20-7-2006 by spookie]

[Edited on 20-7-2006 by spookie]

[Edited on 20-7-2006 by spookie]

Yeah you can give it a go... if you can get it attached to the mast. It won't make life particularly easy, but it'll get out on the water.

To uplaod a photo, furst make sure it isn't too large and is saved as a .jpg and then on the 'Reply to Post' page simply click on the 'browse' button below the area where you enter the text of your post. This will provide you with a dialogue box from which you can navigate through your hard drive to find the file containing the image. Select the image, and click OK (or whatever the defuaklt button on your dialogue box says, then submit the reply.... Your image should then be uploaded automatically and displayed within the forums.

Al.

excellent and thanx, heres a pic i took this morning, i would so love to get out and have a go at windsurfing that if i can manage to get it together then i will be out on it, i am definately gonna look around for a new boom with a clamp fitting even maybe a whole newer set up, but was abit worried that i would spend a fortune then hate it! how much would i be looking at for a new boom?
jane

omg how embarrasing!!! i guess i got the size wrong! lol i am having a blonde day for sure! sorry!

No worries I'll sort it out for you now.... Here are some posting guidelines for future reference!!

Right, the image has been resized...Don't do it again!!!

The booms are indeed very old (I hope you didn't pay for them). There is a technique for attaching them, but even when done properly it won't give you a particularly positive connection and really will make life more difficult than it should be... Mind you, if the board and sails are of similar vintage then life isn't going to be that easy anyway. A brand new boom is likely to cost around £100, but you should be able to get 2nd hand ones for about £25.. I just practically gave two away!

It won't be impossibel to use what you have though, it is after all a lot more modern than the equipment I first learnt on!

Anyway, to attach you current booms to the mast you need to lie the boom along the mast with the boom attachement end where it should be and the other end towards the top of the mast. Then tie it on in such a way that if you then rotate the boom from the position where it is paraller to the mast to the normal sailing postiion perpendicular to the mast the rope holding the boom to the mast tightens up to give a more secure connection... Best thing to do will be find someone who has been windsuring for about 20 years and remembers how to put such equipment together and get them to show you how to do it. It is much easier to show you how to do it than to describe it in words.

Have fun!!

Al.

i didnt pay much for it so i guess i at a tenner i got wot i paid for!!! lol, i think i will definately be looking for new boom although i will be looking for someone to show me too now(dont suppose you live near me do you?)
so i can get going on this till i get a new one! thanx for re sizing pic, i promise i wont do it again! lol
jane

[Edited on 20-7-2006 by spookie]

Where abouts are you planing to sail Im sure there is someone on here willing to lend a hand. If not most windsurfers are a friendy bunch if you turn up at the local lake.

hi, i live on the isle of sheppey in kent, i think i have most of the set up sussed, i know how to downhaul and outhaul!? but i just cant suss how to tie the boom to the mast?! any suggestions except buying a new boom with clamp ( which i wanna do but not today) lol
there are quite a few windsurfers that come to our beaches but i would be so embarresed to turn up with my board and gear and not know anything
jane

How big is the board you have as if its too small it will be to be very hard to learn on

my board is relly long, i'd say about 12ft!!!! we watched some windsurfers up the beach today and their boards look tiny compared to my one! they could carry their board and sail out the water and up the beach in one go......i DEFINATELY couldnt do that with mine!!!! lol

well here goes first time i gonna give it a go! its do or die lol

[Edited on 21-7-2006 by spookie]

Haver fun.... Thats all that counts... It won't be long before you want some more modern kit though... Then once the bug bites you'll be drooling over all the latest toys and will end up wondering where all your money has gone!!!

Al.

i did it and i am still here! it wasnt half as bad as i thought! it wasnt easy either but then there'd be no challenge if it was! i loved it...every minute of it, it was exhausting after awhile but i will be going again real soon, and already we have been talking of new kit!
jane

Nice one.... You can now add your first ever entry to the Forces-of-Nature Windsurf Diaries.
It'll make interesting reading seeing how you progress.... I wonder how long it will be before you are attempting forward loops!!!

Al.

Theres the force of nature questionaire as well to keep an eye on how you progress although ive seam to have come to a standstill scorewise. My excuse is the lack of wind inland this year , living on the isle of sheppy you won't have that excuse spookie.
I know all about wondering where all the money keeps going its a fine balancing act between windsurfing, fishing and mountian biking just lucky im single with no family or I'd be selling body parts by now

That gives me an idea BEFS.... I wonder if there is a market on ebay for nipples.... I don't really need mine, but some funds for a new board would be handy!!

Al.

i think i would like to keep all my body parts lol, and we have 5 daughters too so splashing out on new gear may have to wait a couple of weeks or 3! lol, my husband bought a speed boat last week that we gotta pick up this week, so his spare dosh is spent, mine on the other hand...........is already dedicated! oh and whats a forward loop? lol

ok so i have got the bug (dont need to sell body parts yet! lol!) but maybe soon loel! we've been out couple of times now and there is definate improvement, although exhaustion and improvement go hand in hand! we are definately in need of newer kit! can you tell me tho what would be better a smaller sail or a largwer sail? we have a huge one and after awhile i really struggle just to lift it!! any advice?
jane

What sort of sail do you have now? Im assuming its one of the old style sails A smaller sail is going to easier to learn with as it will be lighter and easier to move about. When you get better it will be usable in strong winds. As your near the coast you will get away with smaller sails anyway I lot of my sailing is done with an 8.5 m sail where as Al who lives by the sea ($!"&*^%) biggest sail is 6.7 and he still gets more time on the water.

hi, i think my sail is 5.5???? least thats what it says on it? its huge tho compared to alot of the ones i've seen out tho! i think with a new board and smaller sail i would be well away, only money doesnt allow this month! unless i sell body parts lol! now thats got me thinking lol!, i am improving slowly, uphauling can be a killer tho! if the sail has water on it i can pull with all mt might and still i cant get it vertical! i think that may be down to my prehistoric kit! i need to find a cheap newer one to buy although e bay hasnt turned out much lately that i found!
jane

5.5 isn't a bad size to learn on but the weight of the rig is just as important and heavy old masts don't help much.

My girlfriend learnt on a modern 3.7m sail (tiny I know!) and short 400 carbon mast and small boom makes for a light rig in the early days when its all about uphauling and then falling in! As you get better need a bigger sail that has some pull but for the first few sessions lighter the better. Now uses a 4.7 and 5.3.

One tip to try is to slide the rig out of the water when you'll uphauling rather than trying to pull it straight out. Also if you are on very old kit I imagine the sail will pool some water so uphaul it a bit and try and let some water drain off first before giving it the big heave.

As you are self learning as most of us probably did, a book may be useful for some reference! Think I've got an old one somewhere, if I can find it you're welcome to it (its quite old so there may be a chance they're using similar kit to you )