Boom Bars

Choosing the right boom for your boat

A boom bar is a rigid arm that runs alongside the boat at the right height for a skier to hold while learning. Instead of being towed 20 metres behind on a rope, the rider is half a metre off the boat — stable, supported, and within talking distance of the driver or coach. It’s the single fastest piece of teaching gear in the sport. Why a boom works for teaching. The rider gets immediate, hands-on feedback — the driver can coach through every start, every wake crossing, every adjustment. There’s no slack-rope problem, no late instructions, no shouting over distance. Kids who can’t get up on a ski usually pop straight up on a boom. Adults learning barefoot get the controlled environment they need to find their feet without 18 metres of rope drag working against them. What the boom suits. Combo-ski starts for kids and first-timers, slalom learners stepping off the combos, barefoot deep starts and trick work, wakeboarders learning edges and crossings, and returning skiers rebuilding confidence after a break. One boom covers all of it — the rider holds it the same way regardless of the sport. Mount types. The right boom depends on what you have to mount it to. Tower booms attach to a wakeboard tower, with the boom running out from the side. Gunnel booms clamp to the gunnel of the boat — the practical option for boats without a tower. Pylon booms mount to a centre ski pylon. V-drive booms suit V-drive boats. Quad-mount versions distribute load across multiple points for the longest reach. The Malibu XTi boom is a model-specific solution for that boat. Who makes them. Barefoot International (a Fly High brand) is the dominant manufacturer here, and the entire range above is theirs. Not sure what fits? Mount type, clamp size and boat configuration all matter. Send through your boat make, model and what you want to mount the boom off, and we’ll work out which boom suits before you order. For clamps, height adjusters, extensions, cable systems, quick-release pins and other boom hardware, see our Barefoot Accessories collection.