sunday was blowing pretty crazy down my local. i'd misjudged the forecast and left my smaller board at home. riding over serious chop on my 120lt very powered up on a 5.8 i did one of the most violent catapults in memory.

i'm not quite sure how it happened, but i was really cranking just off the wind when suddenly the mast was scything down just to windward of the nose. i was pulled from the straps and swung by the harness lines in a screaming arc. i hit hard facing backwards, like dropping onto floorboards on my back from a story high...the impact winded me pretty seriously and rattled my noggin. i was glad to be wearing a boyancy vest which must have soaked up a bit of the strike.

coming up my board and sail looked fine but the boom was now bent upwards inbetween the harness lines. reluctant to get in the harness lines on the ride back to shore in case it completely broke and damaged my fave sail, so i rode home on arms alone.

that sapped any energy i had left so practically crawling onto shore and sucking air hard for twenty-minutes i began to ponder whether i should take another look at a helmets...after i buy a new boom of course...

If you haven't checked your UJ for a while, now (start of the season) may be a good time.

I was doing some speed runs 7.8m sail & 115L board, clocking 32 knots on the last run I was just heading up wind for another down wind run when the UJ snapped.

I'd hate to think what I would have broken if it had off snapped on the down wind run doing 32+ knots...ouch.

If you haven't checked your now might be a good time for an inspection or a replacement.