How much time do I have? - Upper Boom Corrosion

wjejr

Active Member
Hello fellow Sunfishers.

I noticed today that corrosion has eaten through the upper boom about one foot below where I have the halyard tied. Have a look at the pictures.

My question is, is the boom likely to fold the next time I go sailing in any kind of a breeze, or will it last like it is for sometime to come? Also when these booms break, do they usually bend or do they break into two pieces. Having it bend is obviously a lot less destructive than if it breaks in half.

Let me know what you think.
 

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Is that a pop-rivet next to the hole? Someone may have tried to pop-rivet on a Strap-Eye
to attach the halyard to. Use a drill bit to remove the bad material and the walls of the new
hole will probably be corrosion free. Then see if you can find a pop-rivet bit enough to fit
the hole. The proper way would be to drive a aluminum sleeve in and pop rivet it in place
but it's quite a ways up the tube. You could always sleeve the outside, I have a boom where
someone welded a sleeve on where the goose neck goes.

Haven't seen them break but get a lot of bent Gaffs and Booms where people stick
them in the mud after overturning.
 
Is that a pop-rivet next to the hole? Someone may have tried to pop-rivet on a Strap-Eye
to attach the halyard to. Use a drill bit to remove the bad material and the walls of the new
hole will probably be corrosion free. Then see if you can find a pop-rivet bit enough to fit
the hole. The proper way would be to drive a aluminum sleeve in and pop rivet it in place
but it's quite a ways up the tube. You could always sleeve the outside, I have a boom where
someone welded a sleeve on where the goose neck goes.

Haven't seen them break but get a lot of bent Gaffs and Booms where people stick
them in the mud after overturning.

Thanks for the speedy reply.

No sign of there being a rivet.

The hole is already bigger than a regular pop rivet, so as long as it isn't likely to snap, I will just wait and be on the lookout for a used boom. I was worried that if it was likely to snap it would rip the sail which is quite new.

Thanks again.
 
A new gaff is $200. I agree, clean up and sail as-is but there is a cheaper alternative
to spending that much money.


If it kinks you'll end of with a bit shorter Gaff after repair.
 
Even after snapping my mast and tearing my racing sail in a "cell", my old, corroded, racing spars held up.

I was sorry to see them go with the sale of my Porpoise II. :(

P1010001_zpsjlugg2y4.jpg
 

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