I have a Sailworks 500cc 5 metre mast. It has a stiffness of 27.5 and the IMCS is 32.5.

When looking at compatibility with sails what number do I go off, 27.5 or 32.5 ?

Would this mast work properly with a Severne Reflex 4, 9.2m if the recomended mast for this sail is a 490/29

Thanks
Nigel

The reflex sails are high performance sails that really need a Severne mast with high carbon content to work at their best - cam rotation especially. They are very brand specific, unlike a lot of sails which will work well with masts from other brands with a similar bend curve.

That aside, sailworks masts are constant curve, whereas Severne are hard top. Those brands are not compatible. The shape of the curve is not reflected in any of the numbers printed on the mast.

If you have a Sailworks mast look for a KA, Loft, Aerotech, Ezzy, Hot sails or Sailworks sail. They should set well on it.

...these might be a help?

The Sailworks mast is constant curve and also too stiff.
The IMCS is the relevant number BTW and 32 vs 29 is a big deal.

If it was a cam-less sail, maybe it would be OK and just rig funny, but like Windxtasy says - nup.

Dexter says nup too...




But I, for one, never believed in his artificial judgements anyway!! What works is often in the eye of the beholder. Or, more truthfully, in the budget of the beholder.

Here is the 2014 Unifiber. Note the difference from the 2011 chart. Only yesterday I rigged a 6.2 2014 Reflex 5 on a Gun Sails mast and looked really good, and the shape no different to the 7.8m I rigged on a Enigma mast. Checked cam rotation and both sails flipped really easy in true Severne style.

guys - where did you get these mast charts. A few years ago a mate tried switched sails from ezzy to severne, but kept the ezzy masts, and it never really worked - charts show why. looks like nowadays you could get away with it though. great info!

Are these mast charts only good for the time that they were made? Reason for asking I picked up a Gaastra Nitro5 (ealry 2000era) and got a old neilpryde freeride pro mast and they seem to rig up fine together but the above charts show them as not compatable.

www.unifiber.net/masts-selector

If you google unifier mast selector you will all the different years in the search results. Seems a long stretch between a pyrde and gaastra though that have always been at opposite ends of the spectrum.

So can someone fill in the "sail performance section".......

Using hard top instead of rec soft will make.....
Using soft top instead of hard will make sail...........
Using c/c instead of hard will make sail....
Using c/c instead of soft will make sail......


For those with the knowledge maybe add the way the sail looks rigged on wrong mast in comparison to what it should look like and handle on the water.

Using hard top instead of rec soft will make..... Flat around boom height, mid leech will open too much, upper leech will close off, sail will feel heavy and physical as the upper leech will not open properly in the gusts.
Using soft top instead of hard will make sail........... Very powerful and draft forward down low, cams may over rotate. Lower leech will be very tight, upper leach will open too much and be floppy.
Using c/c instead of hard will make sail.... Same as soft top instead of hard but not as dramatic
Using c/c instead of soft will make sail...... Same as hard top instead of soft but not as dramatic

and a good article on mast curves here

www.peterman.dk/windsurf-mast-article-gb01.htm

believe the peterman articles are valid, but old ....

everyone told me a hard top mast on my Sailworks Retro would work - constant curve sail ...
it did NOT
even with a lot less downhaul the leech was too floppy



and so , for the sake of validity, i tried a soft/flex top mast that was not supposed to work
it is actually acceptable - loose leech, but only way up high



have used this on the snow and it went well