This is a performance question, kind of.
I understand that best performance of booms is to use them at low extension.
However, to me at my intermediate stage, flatwater blasting on big boards with an Ezzy Cheetah 8.5 freeride sail, i'm not sure if i will feel the difference?
90% of sail days it's the Cheetah. On 218-222 outhaul. But, the other days, it is a 6.4 KA kult, 7.5 KA or 8.1NP V8.
The outhaul range i need for all these sails is 190-222 We rig on the beach and i can only carry limited gear in the car.
The idea is to have one boom only, to keep it simple. Two masts and sails with me most of the time.
I am looking at a heavy duty 180-230 29mm Unifiber alloy boom for this purpose.
I had a good look at mobdogs in the garage and tested flex, it is way flexier at big extension, 222.
I really like this boom. Maybe i could handle running two, but there is no 200-250 in stock anywhere of these Uniber booms now. And i am about to do a trip up the coast and one boom would be nice.
I want to run one boom for big and smaller sails to be quick and easy out on the sand in hot sun swapping over from 6.4 to 8.5 sail, minimising extra stuff, uphaul line, harness line, pads.
I have minimal storage at the camp where gear is kept so this comes into play too.
This boom ticks the boxes for me, but is the springiness going to stuff me up sailing?
So, more a dilemma than a question i guess. Still, any input appreciated.
Thanks.
Photo of the 180-230 boom on 222 
The short answer is, yes, the springiness WILL stuff you up. The biggest sail is also the most likely to be used marginally powered, and pumping with a soft boom is almost a waste of time. The biggest sail is also quite likely to be sailed OVERpowered, because if you're drag-racing buddies you'll choose the biggest sail you can reasonably expect to handle. With a soft boom, when a gust hits the sail bellies out and bends the boom, effectively reducing outhaul, which is the exact opposite of what you want.
I sailed an 8.5 Cheetah for quite a while, and like you, I used it most of the time, from 12kt all the way up to 20. Spending the money on a quality boom - carbon, ideally - is almost never a waste. My old Mauisails 180-230 carbon Slalom boom is still usable at 222. I use it at 222 on my 8.5 Flyer FR sometimes, and while it's narrower than I'd like it's plenty stiff. It's had heavy use and is more than 10 years old and apart from replacing the front end once, and of course the grip, it's all original. The narrowness wouldn't be an issue on a fin. Other high-end carbon booms would offer similar performance even out near their limit - the Severne is especially well thought of.
BTW, that Cheetah is supposedly designed around the 490 Ezzy Hookipa, but I always thought it sailed better on a stout SDM. If you're lighter than my 100kg ymmv.
Select to expand quoteAwalkspoiled said..
BTW, that Cheetah is supposedly designed around the 490 Ezzy Hookipa, but I always thought it sailed better on a stout SDM. If you're lighter than my 100kg ymmv.
My 9.5 Cheetah rig came with an ezzy curve GT brand SDM (isthmus). Would be interesting to try it on a hookipa to see the difference.
Select to expand quoteAwalkspoiled said..
The short answer is, yes, the springiness WILL stuff you up.
Your answer makes sense to me.
thanks. Maybe a 190-240 carbon would do the trick for me.
Springyness will loose power in the sail as it will make the sail bag out in a gust and god knows what will happen if you catapult.
I've snapped loads of booms at full extension or bent them whilst just sailing in a straight line.
Also why only take two sails at a time ? I take 7 sails usually 5 in a quiver bag and two seperate. Cover all bases otherwise you just miss out.
Carbon booms are better for sure if you have the money.
Im using a duotone epx 175-225 which would fit your sails. The advantage of this boom is it grows in diameter at the back end so the extension arms are bigger diameter and therefore stiffer so id suggest even though close to full extension it will be stiff enough. My spare boom is an old chinook carbon 180-230 which Ive broken in two places but still works great, near full extension its definately floppier than the duotone.
Select to expand quotesailpilot said..
Im using a duotone epx 175-225 which would fit your sails. The advantage of this boom is it grows in diameter at the back end so the extension arms are bigger diameter and therefore stiffer so id suggest even though close to full extension it will be stiff enough. My spare boom is an old chinook carbon 180-230 which Ive broken in two places but still works great, near full extension its definately floppier than the duotone.
The chinook carbon is definitely floppier than the severnes too.
Select to expand quoteaeroegnr said..sailpilot said..
Im using a duotone epx 175-225 which would fit your sails. The advantage of this boom is it grows in diameter at the back end so the extension arms are bigger diameter and therefore stiffer so id suggest even though close to full extension it will be stiff enough. My spare boom is an old chinook carbon 180-230 which Ive broken in two places but still works great, near full extension its definately floppier than the duotone.
The chinook carbon is definitely floppier than the severnes too.
Chinook carbon is the floppiest of all the carbon booms I've sailed. Still if the price is right (really really cheap) I'd still take a chinook carbon over an AL boom.
Using the longest setting will work but only occasionally. It may bend the boom especially when sailing powered up or with a heavy rider.
As for boom stiffness, we can often feel a boom is soft because the head has some give to it, it can also affect boom height!
Hey DONT get a heavy Duty Unifiber! They weigh a tonne! And the V grip is for devotees only
Get a carbon boom every day
If you can land a second hand AL 360 it will be gold! Good luck
I use a Duotone EPX 175 - 225 carbon boom at 220 with a Warp 7.7. It's solid with no noticeable additional flex at that extension.
This is what Duotone says about their alu booms.
Aluminium though can break and bend. Therefore a heavy rider and/or overloading (e.g. wipe-outs/catapults or landing super high jumps) might cause an alloy boom to bend when fully extended. As a guideline for really heavy (ab)use do not use the last 15-20 cm of the boom range.
When asked them they said all their carbon booms can be used at full extension.
Ended up buying an MK boom as it was half the price of the Duotone EPX, works perfectly when fully extended without any flexing.
gidday dmobbsy If you can afford a carbon boom you will get more power out of your cheetah ,i run SDM for my Lion 8,5 .
Naish make a 180-240 carbon ,try windgenuity sailboards ,
a 200-250 would be a better option for big sails ,7,0-9,5
maybe even a 200-250 alloy at least it wouldn't flex like a fully extended 180-230 and at 229 boom length
its pushing the boom to full flex ,
compared AL360 FR foil to Chinook Pro1, both carbon, both were new, and almost fully extended (230), HUGE difference, absolutely no comparison. The Chinook was way way way softer. I would not hesitate using the AL360 fully extended.
greetings
Thanks for all the responses.
In balancing them all up, i think i have my answer - Unifiber 190 - 240 carbon is my thing.
There, i have identified my ultimate boom solution.
But now, wheredafarkarethey!
Windsurfing in OZ, half the battle is getting gear!
SHQ hasn't stocked carbon Unifibers for some time and doesn't plan too.
Shame, brother mobdog has used most booms and is claiming these Unifiber to be far superior. I buy what he is saying.
The modular changeability is great, the double rope boom clamp has no movement, cant crush a mast, and has extra safety should a rope break there.
They only cost just over $1k AUD in Europe but that again to ship here.
Damn. Back to the drawing board. Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..
Overthinking. 222 on a 230 for an intermediate......
Fine IMHO.
I like what you say.
I might be approaching the upper end of intermediate i think. Gybing, carves and learning ducks. Hand drags, body drags, crashing into beaches (haven't learned how to brake yet). Racing other maddogs who have been sailing 20years. But mostly, why i think i might need carbon, is we are sailing flatwater, blasting all day, often in light winds, and because i want to push the use of one boom range. Select to expand quoteWind Smurf said..
god knows what will happen if you catapult.
Also why only take two sails at a time ? I take 7 sails usually 5 in a quiver bag and two seperate. Cover all bases otherwise you just miss out.
god knows, catapult bad.
A tactic of mine is to keep it simple. Keep the mind empty all zen like and just choose, light wind or strong wind.
Everything else in between can be compensated for.
And, as i said, we are rigging on the beach. Gotta take limited gear.
I sail everyday and just want it quick and easy. I'd rather be out with a slightly wrong sail than in, thinking about which one exactly. I find the wind speed and strength is never a totally predicable thing anyway. And i ride massive boards, 210ltr RS:One, and soon a JP SLW 165ltr, so that helps with using limited sails alot. Select to expand quoteTardy said..
Naish make a 180-240 carbon
Good tips. Thanks.
Naish is not to costly either. I like that, because, as mentioned allready, gear is stored undercover outside at a beach camp. And it will make me uncomfortable leaving a spanking a new $2k boom added to the mix there.
If anybody has a used Unifiber 190 - 240 Carbon V2 modular outside wide tail, and doesn't want, i'll give you gold for it!
*I had a snapped harness line and didnt realize for a few sessions, sailing on rubber band. But it led me to learn this 
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..
You're past intermediate
woohoo!
If only i hung on to this one, i could claim advanced. One day, one day. Maybe this season
If it's like surfing, where it's the one having most fun is winning, advanced, than yes, I am having big fun!
I have the Point 7 carbon 190 - 240. Nice boom, even though The Big Blue has closed contact them as Jurgen may still have some.
