TK Tips - Techno Boom

24 February 2006

How to attach (and remove) the HPL Taper Boom

by Ali Masters

To Attach:

  1. Start with the sail starboard side facing up (luff tube on the right as you look up the sail) and minimal luff tension.

    You could start with the sail port side facing up, but you would then need to ‘pull up' rather than ‘push down' in the action described below.

    Tushingham recommends that you use the plastic protector supplied with the TK masts. (the sail and mast protector are not shown in the following photo's in order to try to make the movements clearer)

  2. Place the boom clamp over the mast, pushing any loose material from the cut-out in the luff tube to one side, so that the mast rests against the two lugs on the sprung jaws section.

    Note: It is important to make sure that the clamp lever is closed in order to create the maximum space for the mast to engage against the lugs on the jaws.

    Wrong Right

  3. Hold the mast firmly (well away from the clamp mechanism), then smoothly push down on the boom arm so that the lugs on the sprung jaws are stretched open. Maintain the continuous, firm downward pressure until the jaws snap round the mast. If the mast slips off the lugs, re-set to the start position and repeat

    VERY IMPORTANT: Never ever try to open the sprung jaws with your fingers - they can bite! You must use the mast to stretch the jaws open.


  4. Re-open the lever. Attach the inhaul rope and then tighten up the clamp. Done - It's really that easy!

To Remove:

  1. Open the lever and disconnect the inhaul rope

  2. Place one hand on the mast and the other on the upper boom arm - both about 60cm away from the boom clamp.
    In a single continuous movement swing the boom end towards the bottom of the sail. As you do this the sprung jaws will twist open and snap off the mast. Easy!


Check out the broken stump of Aloha mast used in these photos - my dad used to tell me that pink was fast!

All of the above is much simpler to do rather than to read about and I'm sure that once you've tried it once then you won't have any problems. If you're still not sure then please feel free to ask me or my dad at any of the training or racing events and we'll try to help you out.

Ali