The first target from the Point-7 Black Team when developing a boom is the curve. This is not about having a curve from the new generation as many might call it. It’s about having a curve which allows your front and back arm to sit in a natural ergonomic position while sailing, automatically positioning the sail at the right angle for the wind to enter and exit the sail. This position varies with the wind strength and windsurfing discipline, so each boom size needs to be developed accordingly.

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The needs of a wave boom’s curve is very different from the curve for a slalom boom, just like a slalom boom for strong wind is very different from a boom for light wind slalom – one needs to offer control and the other power. Developing the right curve brings comfort and, respectively, performance.

We have developed the correct tail width to suit each boom size and its uses. The width of the back end of a boom is very important – the wider, the more power; the narrower, the more control. We have studied each size to fit best the sail sizes it’s designed for.

Diameter is another important factor as it does bring comfort to the forearms and saves wasting energy whilst out on the water. At Point-7 we have developed our boom using the Octatube – a carbon tube shape with 8 sides, designed to ergonomically fit the natural shape of the hand when gripping. We vary the diameter used according to the discipline; 25mm for the wave boom, 26mm on the free wave\slalom 160 and 170-slalom boom, and 29mm on the two larger sizes of the slalom boom.

The stiffness of a carbon boom is also very important, the right mix between reflex and comfort needs to be found. Just as masts have different IMCS, our booms are also being developed to offer the right stiffness to allow comfort in smaller sails sizes, and more reflex in bigger sail sizes.

You can have the lightest and stiffest boom available, but if these main features are wrong then the boom will feel heavy and uncomfortable. The weight needs to be front oriented on the boom, leaving the tail end of the boom light. A heavy tail-end will make a light boom, in general, feel heavier than it really is. This is why we use a taper through to the tail section, the wider diameter allows to have thinner and lighter carbon walls where there is no need for us to grip, but also more stiffness where it is most important.

All our carbon booms are monocoque built, including the tail ends with molded holes. All our carbon booms are tapered giving a thinner diameter in the area you grip while sailing, and a wider diameter on the rear part to allow stiffness and light weight where most needed.