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PRODUCT DETAILS: BOSS™

diagram of the TWINS™ Sail

BOSS™ (Balogh Outrigger Stabilization System)

The BOSS™ system uses inflatable floats or amas and is very lightweight with each outrigger assembly weighing less than 3 pounds. A typical 32 sq. ft. BATWING™ BOSS™ rig for a double folding kayak would weigh approximately 22 pounds and will break down for stowage aboard or at home in the closet. These rigs can and do travel anywhere you can take your folding or hardshell kayak. Combine the strongest, lightest, simplest, most user friendly hardware with the best built, most efficient sails ever offered and you have folding kayak rigs that can't be beat. We're confident that you will not find a better value in sail equipment for your folding kayak.

If you are shopping for kayak or canoe sailing gear, it is likely that you came to us because you were aware of our reputation for our legendary BATWING™ sails or because you have heard about the excellent Balogh Outrigger Stabilizing System, or BOSS™. If you ask most any kayak sailor out there, except maybe one or two of our competitors, "What it the most sophisticated, well proven, outrigger system available?", the answer will likely be the BOSS™.

What makes the BOSS™ so good? Up until the 1980's most kayak sailing was done in relatively wide kayaks by serious enthusiasts. We found ourselves sailing narrower kayaks and using small sails to make up for the lack of stability. Like any other sport enthusiasts, we wanted to do more, to push the limits of kayak sailing. We wanted more stability, but we didn't want to give up the light weight and portability of kayaks that brought us to the sport. We also felt that the ability to convert from a kayak to a sailing kayak and back, at any time, on the water or on the beach was absolutely critical if our boats were to maintain their function as kayaks. Hardshell outrigger hulls or amas that weighed half as much as the boat with their heavy and bulky cross arms or akas were out of the question. They simply could not be stowed aboard and once installed, you were stuck with a trimaran configuration until you got back to base again. Plus, the extra weight would make the kayak more difficult to move about on the beach and harder to paddle on the water. We felt that there had to be a better way. Enter the BOSS™.

Using light weight aluminum tubes for the akas and modern laminates to make inflatable amas we invented the BOSS™ outrigger system especially for sailing kayaks. Among the challenges were to make a sturdy inflatable ama shape that could compete hydrodynamically with the long thin traditional ama shapes. During development, we came up with a design for mounting the amas to the akas that is completely unique and covered by two U.S. patents. The patents cover a method of mounting that allows automatic and manual adjustments of the ama to alter its hydrodynamic characteristics to suit specific conditions. In short, the suspension system allows the ama to adjust its shape in reaction to the water. Our testing confirmed that the suspension would let us use a novel new ama shape and still compete with the low drag figures of the spidery hard shell amas with the same volume or stability. With the drastically reduced weight and unbelievable stowability, the new BOSS™ system was nothing less than a breakthrough. One BOSS™ aka and ama set weighs 3 lbs. Two BOSS™ ama and aka sets weigh less than most single hardshell amas without their akas. A complete BOSS™ BATWING™ sail rig weighs about the same as one of our competitors ama sets alone and 10 to 15 lbs. less than the lightest non BSD outrigger sail rigs we have found . As far as stowability, we could store our entire rig in the volume inside one of our competitors hard shell amas. What does this mean to you? You can rig or de-rig your kayak on the water and in most cases stow the complete rig with outriggers in your boat or on deck. It means that you can put the rig in security of your trunk for transport and your closet for storage at home, out of the weather and away from potential dangers. It means that if you travel with your folding kayak, you can pack up your rig in your boat bags and pick up a sailing trimaran from the baggage claim in some exotic location half way around the world.

BOSS™ technology has completely changed the face of kayak sailing. You can now own an able sailing machine for expedition or recreation that still has all the portability and fun you got into kayaking to enjoy. If you want the best outriggers available, you need the BOSS™.

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