Boom!

Holy! That is totally not the way I would have expected it to fail. The wonders of aluminum failing in a brittle mode.

Hey it looks like it broke at a bend repair?

Yep, its why I built a new one. It looks like someone dented the center of it at some point, and put some .25" aluminum plates inside to reinforce it. Unfortunately, they put the screws at the edges of the reinforcements, which was basically an accident waiting to happen.

I bent my new one, too. Good times.

Yeah, I think a 2" tube with a 1/8" wall is what is needed. If you get really adventurous and have access to a respirator, take a look at this link:

http://www.sailingsource.com/cherub/test/doku.php/tech/howto

Video and Written tutorials on how to make your own carbon fiber, masts, booms and daggerboards. I briefly thought about making new daggers for my cat before I realized how toxic the resin is and how difficult it would be to get the supplies.

I think the 2" x .125 is overkill, but that's probably the way to be sure. I've got a 2" tube, though, and it sure seems big. I'll try again with 1.5" x .125 and go from there.

Without starting or any willingness to take part in the heated debates of poly vs epoxy, I can tell you that the West System Epoxy is a breeze to work with, and doesn't take more than some latex gloves to lay on. Polyester resin is some nasty stuff, though.

That is good to know!! I will be interested to find out how your 1.5" boom works. That is what I would like to put on my boat eventually. Always better when someone else is the Guinea Pig. 🙂

Hey for interests sake what is the wall thickness on the stock boom? I never think about it when I'm at the cottage and I don't have a caliper out there (yet).

Hmm, I think I have to slow down commenting or get out sailing more. I keep seeing my name on the top 3 most recent posts.

edited by: Wolfman, Jun 13, 2010 - 09:45 PM

Wolfman wrote:
Hmm, I think I have to slow down commenting or get out sailing more. I keep seeing my name on the top 3 most recent posts.edited by: Wolfman, Jun 13, 2010 - 09:45 PM

Take Andrew with you . . .
Now that would be something, the two of you on the same boat. 🙂

Hey for interests sake what is the wall thickness on the stock boom? I never think about it when I'm at the cottage and I don't have a caliper out there (yet).

065

mummp wrote: Take Andrew with you . . .
Now that would be something, the two of you on the same boat. 🙂

you have been rather quiet of late?

i even saw you "politely disagree,">>>>????

what the heck happened to you?
politely ??? who are you and what did you do with philip?

Philip is working hard and traveling. Please don't tell anyone that he works. I will be handling his correspondence for now on.

Signed,
Philip's b i t c h

Signed,
Philip's b i t c h

hahah~!

:~p

As long as you are making a custom boom, I wonder if you could wrap a smaller diameter boom in glass and epoxy to strengthen it.

Yeah, I was looking at those video clips and thought the same thing. Take a weaker thin walled aluminum boom and wrap it in a couple of layers of unidirectional carbon fiber to give it some stiffness and strength. Also make it a little friendlier to the noggin too.

Nah, if I were to use carbon, I'd just use the aluminum as a mandrel. No point in keeping it in there.