I always store my aluminium boom in two pieces to stop in corroding do you have to store carbon booms in the same way?
I do not, but I rinse off boom after every use with the tail nearly fully extended to get rid of any sand and salt, let it dry before pushing tail back in.
Rinse cleats, clips and bolts.
Personally, I don't unclip, so they do corrode as I leave my sails rigged (but not tensioned.)
I replace them as soon as they get pitted as to not enlarge the holes.
^^^ I agree. There is way to much talk of washing n stuff
If sailing in salt water, nothing needs any maintenance apart from open the vent if its crazy hot and replace the tendon / boge each year. That's it.
I'm amazed at the amount of fussy washing and stroking that some seem to do.....
(EDIT - open the vent off the water its its crazy hot .....)
(EDIT #2 - some pins on boom clips did corrode and needed flushing but they're gone now. Not aware of any that corrode or swell anymore?)
you know i am of the same thought.
i never wash my gear. just chuck it in the garage until next time. but the boom clamps do fail and the water gets trapped in the arms so recently i started pulling them apart after sessions. kinda feel like its better for them as they completely dry and there is less water dripping out of my gear into the car or trailer.
same with sails, i stand them up battens down for 5 minutes after rolling to let all the water run out.
still don't rinse anything.
I only rinse when there is sand noticeably restricting movement, otherwise thin epoxy cover gets scratched, but that olso doesn't cause much problem. Part replacement once every two years is worth not spending time worrying about it imo.
Nope don't wash anything, go windsurfing come home, unload car, put on shelves, next day load car, go windsurfing.... repeat.
Actually I occasionally look at my boom and think should I do anything about the grip that has worn under the harness lines, nah.
After a session in saltwater I always rinse all my gear off with fresh water, and I mean everything, of course all metal parts, but sails, boom, inside of mast too after having mast get stuck together once, board, foil, harness, clothing, even car including underside if it is over 15 knots or so (park 20-30 feet from water). Now I am always on salt water.
Select to expand quoteSea Lotus said..
Part replacement once every two years is worth not spending time worrying about it imo.
Boom replacement every 2 to 3 years is easier and safer .. buy $1200, sell $500 = $350/yr
Select to expand quoteJakeNN said..Sea Lotus said..
Part replacement once every two years is worth not spending time worrying about it imo.
Boom replacement every 2 to 3 years is easier and safer .. buy $1200, sell $500 = $350/yr
Are you joking?, my main boom is 6 years old and I got it used!, shop replaced locking clips when I got it since one cracked while testing in store, so I have not replaced anything on it, cost per year = $0.0
Select to expand quoteSandman1221 said..JakeNN said..Sea Lotus said..
Part replacement once every two years is worth not spending time worrying about it imo.
Boom replacement every 2 to 3 years is easier and safer .. buy $1200, sell $500 = $350/yr
Are you joking?, my main boom is 6 years old and I got it used!, shop replaced locking clips when I got it since one cracked while testing in store, so I have not replaced anything on it, cost per year = $0.0
You are just foiling, not wavesailing.
Select to expand quoteSandman1221 said..
After a session in saltwater I always rinse all my gear off with fresh water, and I mean everything, of course all metal parts, but sails, boom, inside of mast too after having mast get stuck together once, board, foil, harness, clothing, even car including underside if it is over 15 knots or so (park 20-30 feet from water). Now I am always on salt water.
Your the kind of person I'd like to buy second hand gear from .
my smallest boom is an aluminium and I always separate them, because if I don't do that, it stuck.
also have 3 carbon boom and I brought all new (2015, 2017, 2021) and I never "wash" them.
I sail in salt water, I only wash the aluminium extension, the fin bolts, mast base, harness and my wetsuit and boots
when I started in 2007 I do wash everything... even the sail used to put it "drying" on shallow.... and guess what? if something have to break it will break... no matter if is washed every single session... (my opinion)
old people used to storage food with salt, right? :D :D
but I'm considering optimize my time and maybe I will only wash my wetsuit...
Select to expand quoteImax1 said..Sandman1221 said..
After a session in saltwater I always rinse all my gear off with fresh water, and I mean everything, of course all metal parts, but sails, boom, inside of mast too after having mast get stuck together once, board, foil, harness, clothing, even car including underside if it is over 15 knots or so (park 20-30 feet from water). Now I am always on salt water.
Your the kind of person I'd like to buy second hand gear from .
I have a 200-260 carbon boom, and 9.0 sail, for sale!, may be adding an 8.0 sail.
too.
Wash after every Saltwater session. As I do not know when next session will be I disassemble boom front part from rear end and rinse it and dry it. And I always keep every rope off the cleat to avoid corrosion on the aluminum parts... No hassle since 2006 when I got my first Pryde Carbon which is still in use..
I really think we can save you mob some time.
Don't wash anything. its designed for saltwater.
Now sails from freshwater, rolled up wet, you might have a problem. Otherwise, just use it then put it away.
I've been using a Hawaiian Pro-Line race all carbon for 10 years and it was second hand when I got it. No problems ever except for replacing worn clips and clamp once. I sail in saltwater and rinse off the whole rig after each session.
Pulling out my qualifications as a shipwright. Fresh water cleaning will increase longevity however salt water eventually F#*ks 99 percent of what humans make. Believing anything else is blissful ignorance and will require far less effort. Have a great weekend.
Select to expand quote
R1DER said..
Nope don't wash anything, go windsurfing come home, unload car, put on shelves, next day load car, go windsurfing.... repeat.
Actually I occasionally look at my boom and think should I do anything about the grip that has worn under the harness lines, nah.
I skip a few steps and add a few. 1 .hook up trailer ,
2. windsurf , 3. go home 4. unhook trailer. 5. Drink
1 windsurf
2 go home
3 take wet gear out of van, hang/lay out to dry - this is mainly for the van's benefit. Only time I'll wash stuff Is if I want to get sand off, or if I don't feel my wetsuit got a good enough flush since I last pissed in it!
4 drink. .. get a van Kato!
Select to expand quoteStretchy said..
1 windsurf
2 go home
3 take wet gear out of van, hang/lay out to dry - this is mainly for the van's benefit. Only time I'll wash stuff Is if I want to get sand off, or if I don't feel my wetsuit got a good enough flush since I last pissed in it!
4 drink. .. get a van Kato!
Working on it 
but rusting out trailers is cheaper atm
Select to expand quoteShifu said..
Fresh water = mildew
I only sail in fresh water and never dry anything after a session. I store all my gear in a little shed and in winter nothing dries for months. Never had mildew problem except for one sail bag (not the sail in it). No problems with the footstraps on the board that are also wet for several months a year either.
I'm yet to see them rinse the underside of a giant ship as its in the ocean and might get damaged.
Our stuff sees sporadic salt exposure then dries. By the time it corrodes (if at all) its obsolete or other bits are broken.
UV is far more harmful and I bet nobody carries around a tarpaulin to cover their gear on the beach. See a lot of sails being dried in the sun, that is 10x more UV that on water when its vertical. If you do anything, roll it up wet (if in salt water) before the light degrades it. More important than washing everything.
Select to expand quoteStretchy said..
1 windsurf
2 go home
3 take wet gear out of van, hang/lay out to dry - this is mainly for the van's benefit. Only time I'll wash stuff Is if I want to get sand off, or if I don't feel my wetsuit got a good enough flush since I last pissed in it!
4 drink. .. get a van Kato!
I add one, I leave the side door of the van open so any damp gear in the van can dry.
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..
UV is far more harmful and I bet nobody carries around a tarpaulin to cover their gear on the beach. See a lot of sails being dried in the sun, that is 10x more UV that on water when its vertical. If you do anything, roll it up wet (if in salt water) before the light degrades it. More important than washing everything.
Correct. If I've got multiple sails rigged I will cover them with shade cloth. A tarp gets them too hot and a greater risk of mast failure.
Select to expand quoteShifu said..
Fresh water = mildew
Only if one lives in a damp, dreary place where the rain never stops and humidity is forever +80 percent. Oh... wait... sorry mate, my mistake.
Select to expand quotekato said..Mark _australia said..
UV is far more harmful and I bet nobody carries around a tarpaulin to cover their gear on the beach. See a lot of sails being dried in the sun, that is 10x more UV that on water when its vertical. If you do anything, roll it up wet (if in salt water) before the light degrades it. More important than washing everything.
Correct. If I've got multiple sails rigged I will cover them with shade cloth. A tarp gets them too hot and a greater risk of mast failure.
In the Philippines the local sailors used car covers on their sails while the gear was sitting on the beach.
Elastic edged so easy to get on & off & doesn't blow away
