Hello All,
Sorry for another fuselage question. FWIW I previously posted about dealing with corrosion. In the end I sanded the corroded areas, primed with an etching primer and painted over top. This seems to be holding fine. Another local subsequently got his fuselage stripped and anodized for $80 so that was a good deal too.

In the meantime, this sabfoil fuselage has developed an 8cm crack along the side, approximately in the region of the slot for the mast. So it's done.

I can replace this 110cm fuse (and 900 wing) with a new 1000 front wing and 101cm fuse. I'd like to know how common cracks are with other brands though. I know 5 locals that have had their Sabfoil fuse crack. I think most, if not all, have been covered by a warranty. Mine isn't. Sabfoil has a 6 month warranty on gear when sold outside of Europe. I don't want to drop $1000 on a wing and fuse to have to buy another fuse again in two years unless that is pretty normal. Even worse I'd hate to have another situation where Sabfoil discontinues the 101cm fuse and then mine breaks.

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shmish said..
Hello All,
Sorry for another fuselage question. FWIW I previously posted about dealing with corrosion. In the end I sanded the corroded areas, primed with an etching primer and painted over top. This seems to be holding fine. Another local subsequently got his fuselage stripped and anodized for $80 so that was a good deal too.

In the meantime, this sabfoil fuselage has developed an 8cm crack along the side, approximately in the region of the slot for the mast. So it's done.

I can replace this 110cm fuse (and 900 wing) with a new 1000 front wing and 101cm fuse. I'd like to know how common cracks are with other brands though. I know 5 locals that have had their Sabfoil fuse crack. I think most, if not all, have been covered by a warranty. Mine isn't. Sabfoil has a 6 month warranty on gear when sold outside of Europe. I don't want to drop $1000 on a wing and fuse to have to buy another fuse again in two years unless that is pretty normal. Even worse I'd hate to have another situation where Sabfoil discontinues the 101cm fuse and then mine breaks.

Try something local? Then you can ask other people who use the gear about it and you'll get a honest opinion?
just a thought lol

I believe F4 are coming out with a full carbon windfoil platform very soon. Winging one is out already.

Fanatic has a full carbon fuse too

Axis crack in that location too, high load area, the alloy work hardens over time and a crack develops. Alloy fuselages should be treated as consumable, get a few seasons out of one then replace.
Carbon fuselages crack in this location too, especially when jumping is involved, nothing is perfect.

Do you have any pictures of this 8cm crack?
All mine are like that I still ride them. Petty corrosion still have all the faith in the world in.

Those photos make me cringe. You are asking for trouble if you keep riding that fuse. Those "cracks" are perfect spots for stress risers. Even though wing lift is compressing those cracks, they keep getting weakened with use. Make sure you are riding a front wing you don't mind losing.

Maybe you could get a stringfellow fuselage ?

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segler said..
Those photos make me cringe. You are asking for trouble if you keep riding that fuse. Those "cracks" are perfect spots for stress risers. Even though wing lift is compressing those cracks, they keep getting weakened with use. Make sure you are riding a front wing you don't mind losing.

This is not a pin that holds a jet engine to the wing of the plane.
This is a toy and toys are meant to get use and abused and if it snaps then I know it's limit.
I ride and ride it hard I don't waste my time tinkering and worrying about the sky falling.
My real world exceptions was to get a 3 year window of service from my foils and the SAB/Moses has done that and more.
I feel that most of the problem people have with the gear is self inflicted from overthinking everything..
Stop worrying about your gear and focus on how to get more time riding and improving your style and skill on the water.

To each his own.

Please post a photo for us after it breaks off. Who knows, maybe that won't happen for another six years.

I happen to be somebody who does not like to have gear breaking on me. A broken sail mast out in the middle of Puget Sound on a cold November day ain't my idea of fun. A broken fin on the "other" side of the Columbia River is not exactly a party, either. A broken boom in the middle of a formula race is a great way to come in last. A broken van in the middle (literally "middle") of Nevada is a great way to get on intimate terms with the local sagebrush.

I'll definitely send you pictures if it breaks.
I'm confident it will last the rest of the summer before I retire it.
Breakdowns are not an option for me either and I do my preventative maintenance and replace parts when I feel they need to be changed.

With two decades on San Francisco Bay windsurfing I've never had to use my radio to get rescued by the Coast guard.

I always just get a chuckle out of you guys making a big deal over the this type of corrosion it's quite minimal.
You can keep on worrying and I will keep on riding....

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airsail said..
Axis crack in that location too, high load area, the alloy work hardens over time and a crack develops. Alloy fuselages should be treated as consumable, get a few seasons out of one then replace.
Carbon fuselages crack in this location too, especially when jumping is involved, nothing is perfect.

Exactly we are not looking for the strongest foil we are looking for one with reliable performance that suits your riding style. If corrosion survives the punishment gwarn puts out I wouldn't worry too much

I'd rather have an uncoated fuselage than one which is poorly coated. I also wouldn't leave a carbon mast in an aluminum fuselage no matter what.