Boom extender

[kburns]

Hello all,

We recently purchased a 2003 Malibu Response Barefoot edition. The boat has a boom and I've attempted to use it to barefoot. What I have run into is that I am in the spray of the boat. I don't seem to be far enough away from the boat to get into that nice smooth water like I see in all the videos. Can a second extender be applied to get me out of that spray?? Let it be known this year is my first attempt to barefoot, so far I can glide across the lake on my butt because I don't dare put my feet down in the wake of the boat. Any experience or guidance would be appreciated!! Thank you!!

[Eagleboy99]

Which side are you running the boom on?  What speed?  I assume it is a BI - they sell an extender for it; looks about 2 feet futher out.  $120

[SkiPablo]

1 extender is enough on my 2003 sunsetter.  

[Michigan boarder]

It also helps to shift the weight of the occupants from one side or another to reduce spray.  If you have several people in the boat, have them move to the opposite side that you are footing on.

What boom do you have?

[Woodski]

@kburns - you are noting stepping in to the wake of the boat as you use the boom.  Even with the boom extending straight out off the pylon and resting on the gunnel very near the end of the side window, you should not be close to the wake.  Chine spray maybe, but not the wake itself as the wake on an RLX starts at the pylon.  The boom extender will get you out away from the chine spray.

[footndale]

On 8/9/2020 at 8:06 AM, kburns said:

Hello all,

We recently purchased a 2003 Malibu Response Barefoot edition. The boat has a boom and I've attempted to use it to barefoot. What I have run into is that I am in the spray of the boat. I don't seem to be far enough away from the boat to get into that nice smooth water like I see in all the videos. Can a second extender be applied to get me out of that spray?? Let it be known this year is my first attempt to barefoot, so far I can glide across the lake on my butt because I don't dare put my feet down in the wake of the boat. Any experience or guidance would be appreciated!! Thank you!!

All boats are helped by an extender. Some use 2.

 

[footndale]

Pictures/video would help a lot too.

 

[justgary]

I have one extender on my SSLX and can use a 5' tether with no problems from about 30 to 42 MPH.  Are your bow cables tight enough?  What speed are you going?

[kburns]

I'll try to get a picture this weekend. The boom has one extender. I'll have to look at the brand. It's very new to us. It does connect at the base of the pylon and then angles up over the side of the boat just behind the drivers seat/window. The boom only has one bow cable that seems tight. I'm trying to barefoot between 30-35 mph.

Also, I should have said spray, not wake of the boat. I do know where the wake begins.

[justgary]

Your boom cables should both be at equal tension while you are using the boom.

I am pretty light (under 160#), and I find 30 to 35 too slow for anything except directly on the boom.  If you are on the end of the boom the spray is probably not going to get you at that speed, but on a tether you may want to speed up a bit.  The spray will get better then also.

Take a look at the setups in this thread.