“When the world is running down you make the best of what’s still around.”
-The Police, from the album Zenyatta Mondatta
The song is from 1980 but it sure seems to fit the times. My gear is running down, so when my 20 year old boom (a big Fiberspar, reserved for the 7.5) came apart after a Mecox session last week, I had to think creatively about how to keep the 7.5 in active quiver.
Fortunately (in my mind, not in the wife’s) I hang on to my old booms when they’ve aged past safe usage. I rig them for nonplaning freestyle, or I think “I may need the parts”. For 18 years I’ve had this junk collection, and I finally got to use it. Swapped out the boom head from a Fiberspar wave boom. That boom is so small it never gets used above 4.7, but I am no longer willing to jump with that boom so as a high wind tool it’s pretty much worthless. I’m hanging on to the tail piece and swivel adjusters, but the boomy part is headed for the junkyard.
Now I just need 12-14 to test the rebuilt one.
(Photos: Top: The donor boom and the grateful recipient. Bottom: Boom head detail. Notice that the dead head is completely missing the red plastic shim stuff. Also note that I used "grateful" and "dead head". It's alright.)
Comments