Sport Today

My PowerEx RDM came with what looks like a eight-inch lengh of plastic hose slit
up the side.

Doesn't work all that well.

It's a major hassle to slide the booms up or down on the mast because the hose
sticks to the mast better than the booms stick to the hose.....needs a flange at
least..

Has anybody come up with a "real" shim?
-----------------------
Pete Cresswell

Chinook has a boom head the right size - no shim needed.

With the Powerex adapter it helps to rough up the hose with sandpaper.

Cheers,

Brett  USA-70

I disagree.  The wash-hose that the Powerex comes with is fine on most booms, and
works great for me.  The pliable material allows ample snugging of the boom front
end, without fear of damaging your mast.  You can set the part in the sun (e.g. on
your dashboard) wrapped around a mast extension, so it can acquire the correct
round shape of your masts.

I could never get it to work right on Windsurf Hawaii-type front-ends, though I had
those booms for many years.  I'm on Chinook now, much preferable, and I would
mention two things to make sure it works better:
1.  Align the ends of "shim" with the ends of the boom clamps (i.e. don't allow the
boom clamp ends to overlap the hose).  This allows for a snugger fit.
2.  Crank your boom clamp lines snug *after* you attach the rope, but before you
close the front-end.

Also, you can get Chinook front-ends specially made for these masts, as another
poster mentioned.

I love my skinnies...  Haven't broken one yet (knock on wood).

-Ed

RE/

On the inside or the outside?
-----------------------
Pete Cresswell

RE/

When you have the adapter on the mast and the boom jaws loosly (i.e. not
tightened yet...) over the adapter and you move the boom up or down three
inches, what happens?

For me, the boom moves but the adapter does not.
-----------------------
Pete Cresswell

Small price to pay for a lighter, stronger, less obtrusive mast.  Try going
back to a standard diameter and it'll feel like you are sailing with a tree
trunk out in front of you.

"tedjacobs" > wrote > Small price to pay for a lighter, stronger, less
obtrusive mast.  Try going

I debated (with myself) for a long time whether to go skinny last time I
bought masts. I went fat, but will reconsider the next time I buy masts. So
tell me, again, what we gain with skinnys. Their many fans are almost
fanatical, so I feel I must be missing out on something.

Weight? Some skinnys are heavier than my Powerex Super Waves, my most-used
masts are inherently light 12- and 13-footers anyway, and what's an ounce or
two?

Stronger? Everyone agrees with that one, but I've never broken a modern mast
yet, I do very little sailing in shorebreak, and my masts are surf rated.

Less obtrusive? I touch my mast only when rigging, and my hands are
***-sized so I don't notice its size anyway.

Given those non-advantages (to me), my decision factors were their lesser
flotation (I spend a lot of time in the water, especially in deep lulls),
the hassles Pete's discussing, their non-availability in two-piece when I
bought mine, their length selection when I bought mine, and their price
matters somewhat (I buy a pile of masts at a time).

What am overlooking?

Mike \m/

When I looked into things the mast extensions useable with skinnies
weren't all that hot looking: either heavy (Windsurfing hawaii) or a
retrofit to a stubby extension (Chinook). Maybe there are better ones
(lighter, big range) out now? In any case, extra cost.

A friend of mine (formerly sponsored by Nolimitz) also was of the opinion
that the skinnies don't have as lively a feel as even the NL carbon wave
(20% carbon). 100% carbon doesn't help, if the geometry isn't right.

R!

--        ,--+___.                                            oOOOOOOo
        ,/   |    \                                            /  /
  ___  /     |     \.       Rainer Leuschke                   /  /
   __ /      |       \.     phone: (w) 206-685-0900          /  /      
 __  /   14  |\        \           (h) 206-547-8927         /  /      
     |   ~~  | \        \                                  /  /      
     |       |  \        \                                /  /      
     |       |   \        \   Weight is only of use      /  /    
     |       |    \        |  in steamrollers.           o /          
     +--o o--|     \       |             - Uffa Fox     'U~    
    .|_[]{ }_|------+======'                             )\
   M|_______________|                                   -;---'
   U       H
           U

FYI:
NoLimitz has a really nice adjustable internal base extension now for RDM
masts. It is expensive but all of us who use and love skinnies finally have
a functional base extension.

 - Bill

------------------------
William D. Hansen
Sail Design/R&D
http://www.windwing.com
------------------------

in article

RE/

Singular.   Only one hassle: the sub-standard adapter.
All things considered, I like the skinney.

Just being able to grab both sections easily in one hand means something to me.

My WindWing Interface convertables seem to have a slightly different feel with
the skinney in them....but then again, I'm one of those people whose car seems
to drive better after being washed....

-----------------------
Pete Cresswell

Pete-
     I had a Powerex which broke. I now sail a Nolimitz skinny. The
***ized/plastic mast sleeve needs to be a little stiff. I have 3
different ones and the stiffest is the best. It is slightly thicker and
easily adjusts up and down the mast but doesn't slip. The others I have
sound like the one you have- when they are wet they are almost impossible to
move. The very hard plastic adapters do not work either. The boom slides
down if you jump waves. Find a piece similiar to the one you have just a
little thicker and a little stiffer.