Boom for an Escape 12'

[Jimmyd60051]

Hello everyone and happy Monday!
Just a favor to ask, a good friend just bought an Escape 12' sailboat without a boom I told her I would ask all of you guys and maybe someone would know where she could find a replacement.
Thanks all!
Jimmyd60051

[svHyLyte]

Try Escape Sailboats. Frankly, the boom is nothing but a bent aluminiu, tube that any tube shop could make up for you. You'd have to conjure up the insert for a base to slip in the foot of the tube, sized to fit the pin in the hull, but that shouldn't be too hard either.

FWIW...

(We have one of these boats--the Rhumba, aka Rum-Ba-Ba--and they can be a lot of fun.)

[Jimmyd60051]

Thanks,
I'll check that out. It can't be too hard to figure out.
JimmyD

[afriedma]

The Escape Rumba and the Escape 12 have the same hull - there are slight differences in the rigging and the sail, but they are essentially the same boats. The Escape boats were last produced in 2007 and distributed by Johnson Outdoors. The website listed above by svHyLyte has some remaining parts in inventory, perhaps they have a boom. If so, make sure that you tell them that you are looking for an aluminum boom - the earlier Rumbas were made with a composite boom.

Another alternative (other than having one made) is to get a boom from another boat that uses the same SmartRig layout. Catalina Yachts makes two boats with SmartRigs, the Expo 12.5 and the Expo 14 (Yachts and boats for sale - Catalina Yachts). Probably the Expo 12.5 boom would fit the Escape 12 nicely. Lastly, Laser had a boat in the mid-90s that used the same SmartRig as well, it was called the Escape Expedition, and they also had 12.5 and 14 versions (http://www.shortypen.com/brdboat/escexp2.jpg).

[afriedma]

I looked into this some more. The Catalina Expo 12.5 hull is the same as the Vanguard/Laser Zuma, with the difference being the SmartRig layout. The boom on the Expo 12.5 is a bit different from that on the Escape 12 - the Escape's boom is nearly horizontal, while the Expo's boom is not bent at nearly the same angle, causing it to angle substantially upward toward the stern. This was apparently done to minimize ducking during tacking, but the net result is that the Expo boom is probably not going to be a good fit in the Escape, unless it was easy to give it a slightly sharper bend.

The Expedition 12.5 is also a Zuma hull, so it may have exactly the same boom. The Expedition 14 (14.2?) has a Laser 2 hull with a SmartRig, but that boom might be too long. Apparently the right to manufacture the Expeditions was sold to Catalina.

[charlay]

svHyLyte, and anyone else who owns an Escape or Rumba, can you teach me some things? We just got one and it's fun, but my current question is, this boat gets filled up with water fast in waves. Is that just how it is? anything to worry about--can it handle the weight? If we take the drain plug out will the water really drain?
thanks!!

[afriedma]

Yes, water will get in, but as long as you are moving fairly fast, the water will run out the drain in the back part of the cockpit. On my Rumba, there is a rubber plug attached to a chord, so it is pretty easy to yank out the cord as soon as I pick up speed. I just have to remember to stick it back in when I slow.

[svHyLyte]

We've never had the problem although we carry a cut-down 1/2 gallon bleach bottle and a big spong to bail with should it be necessary. (Water in the forepeak area can be a pain in the neck.) As noted above, the self-drain at the stern does work once the boat's moving.

FWIW...