Apart from putting a slight (temporary) bend in the mast is there any other concerns with leaving a rig fully tensioned - say 3 to 4 days. (Stored under cover, no sunlight also) As I live on the beach, it makes for a quick sail after work if the wind has set in for a couple of days.

Previously I could leave my wave sails rigged up by releasing down haul, outhaul and boom head, but not with cammed sails. I haven't noticed any ill effects (yet) and wonder if anyone has had any problems doing this before.

Most people in Singapore leave their sails rigged up year round, hanging them up by the hundreds in sail lofts at the clubs.

Even with cammed sails, you just release a few cm of downhaul and outhaul, not the whole lot, and sometimes when you de-rig next year the mast is fine, and other times it's a tiny bit bent. You just need to find the balance point where the battens aren't forced to bend too sharply.

On the other hand, with camless sails, you will often see holes worn in the luff sleeve.

WW,
Remind me never to buy a used sail or mast from Singapore.
Leaving it rigged up for a year - That's got to do some damage, wouldn't you think?

You probably wont be able to pull your mast apart too easily?![}:)]

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sflack said...

You probably wont be able to pull your mast apart too easily?![}:)]

Well, they don't know: they never take rigs apart

Of course masts and extensions do get stuck, but 99.9% of the time, you can get them apart. And the other 0.1% become 1-piece masts or very sail-specific mast/extension combos. Win-win.

Regarding the harm it does...actually, I've noticed a lot of people are using really old masts, which suggests that it's not causing too much of a problem. They say the longer 100% carbon race masts, 520s and 550s (one guy I know has a 580 mast which had to be imported from the UK!) are the ones that feel the strain the most.

But you do see breakages from time to time, and it's not due to getting pounded by the ankle-high shore break! It's hard to say - windsurfing gear wears out, does it not? What's the average lifespan of a mast, used once or twice a week?

I've heard that sailboard hire places rotate their masts 1/4 turn every month or so, this stops them 'creeping'.

Apart from that let off the out and downhaul a bit before you hang it up.

I reckon rolling the sail and then stacking it in a car to be bounced around and have stuff piled on top of it, to be then thrown into a garage and then the process repeated backwards every week would be worse than leaving it rigged... just my opinionated opinion though

i leave my 4.2, 4.7 and 5.3 sails rigged all year round on 100% skinnys, full downhaul.. nice and easy when its windy... no point de rigging them cause ill just have to rig em again tomorrow.. all my masts have a bend half way, cant feel any difference

similar question same sort of topic? what about back ware rolling a sail? one of my favourite sails the batten end rubs the film and scratch's it, I'm woundering if rolling it the other way causes any issues to the sail, I cant see any...... any ideas?

I would love to pick up a pre rigged sail and sail away, how good would that be??instead of drive home, un load the ute, pack the ute, drive to the beach, rig up blah blah - reverse order at 9pm.... dreams are free.

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barn said...

i leave my 4.2, 4.7 and 5.3 sails rigged all year round on 100% skinnys, full downhaul.. nice and easy when its windy... no point de rigging them cause ill just have to rig em again tomorrow.. all my masts have a bend half way, cant feel any difference

That's good to know!

I think you might find there are some small effects - as your mast develops a slight (semi-) permanent bend, it will be slightly less responsive in the gusts, as it not trying to spring back so hard...also, eventually you may notice that the sail has stretched and you don't have the loose leech you used to have, requiring an extra cm of downhaul to compensate. No big deal, though!

how ya been Wet Willy dude i have missed ya when we going for a beer and a sail next ? My sis is still single and keen to learn to windsurf she keeps stealing me windsurfer dude. I think shes ya type dude.

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sausage said...

Apart from putting a slight (temporary) bend in the mast

Don't assume the bend will be temporary, my masts had permanent bends after living at Lammermoor Beach

Anyway, this is a strong argument in favour of releasing a few cm of downhaul and outhaul. It only tales a second to put it back on.

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nebbian said...

I've heard that sailboard hire places rotate their masts 1/4 turn every month or so, this stops them 'creeping'.

Apart from that let off the out and downhaul a bit before you hang it up.

I reckon rolling the sail and then stacking it in a car to be bounced around and have stuff piled on top of it, to be then thrown into a garage and then the process repeated backwards every week would be worse than leaving it rigged... just my opinionated opinion though

very good opinion

a living experiment!

i have a 5m neil pryde solo that was rigged under full tension for 2 years on a new mast and boom and is suspended as we speak above my work place.

anyone want to see piccis of the take down and mast bend?

p.s. it's still up there.

Great idea, GL! You could take note of how bent the mast is immediately after derigging, and see how long it takes to straighten, if it ever does. Just like a high school science experiment!

Then take it out in 25 knots and see if it snaps!

as if i'm going to stoop to using a bent 30% carbon mast in one of the 7 days per year we get 25 knots willy!?!?

somedays you are so delusional.

besides the mast would be no weaker just bent.

But...but...it's for science!!