Hi All,
Hoping for some advice please. I have a Neilpryde C30-460 two piece mast, which I am using with a NP 6.7 Ultrasonic sail. After sailing the other day I realised that the small insert at the tip of the mast is stuck in the tip of the sail. If I re rig the sail the mast connects with the tip ok but the tip still won't come out when I remove the mast.

Any thoughts on how to extract it? Alternatively any thoughts on where I can source a new tip in case I want to use the mast with a different sail?

You can fold the webbing in half (using pointy nose pliers and screw driver small) and remove the top plastic plug and the damaged bit down the sail sleeve. hope that works

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40knots said..
You can fold the webbing in half (using pointy nose pliers and screw driver small) and remove the top plastic plug and the damaged bit down the sail sleeve. hope that works

Thanks 40knots. Worked like a dream. Once that top bit of webbing was out of the way I managed to get the top batten out and extract the missing piece from the top of the sail.Now I'm interested in any suggestions as to how to stop it happening again. Clearly the piece of waterproof tape I was using didn't do the trick.

Looking at this issue from a balance of forces perspective (yeah, Engineer), simply, what you need is for the resistance holding the ribbed plug into the top of the mast to be greater than the friction of the outside of the plug stuck in the webbing.

So, you could try to either silicone the plug (or epoxy it but then it'd be damned hard to get out again ever, to empty the mast / replace)

OR

Find a plug that fits well (a nice long one with lots of resistance) AND has a smooth, small external diameter, or is thin enough at the top, that it's friction in the webbing is low. Some newer NP plugs were like that. Being thin helps as the friction is low and it is actually the mast tip that goes into the webbing; a mast tip that will always come out.

OR Both.

Worth a try?

k.

Try to find a new plug or put one or two o-rings to the plug and that should keep it in place. You might want to sand a little bit the male insert so it doesn't get stuck to begin with

Clean it all up and silicone it into the top of the mast, shouldn't fall out again.

Is it that rounded knob that clips onto the sail and inserts into the plug in the top of the mast? I had to sand my knob (ouch) to get it it to sit nicely in a different sail.

I would rough sand the inside of the mast . Silicone in the plug . With a grinder or file make sure the top of the plug is the same or slightly smaller diameter than the mast . Some plugs have a distinctive knob on the end .

Get Weldwood contact cement, clean inside of mast tip with 70% isopropanol and let dry or use hairdryer, then coat inside of mast tip with cement and also plug threads, let dry completely maybe 30 min., then coat inside of mast tip again and immediately push plug in while cement is wet, let dry overnight. Did that with a mast several years ago and plug never came out again. Weldwood contact cement is waterproof, including saltwater.

Neil Pryde made two types of plastic connections that go onto webbing at the top of the mast sleeve. One is a pin that goes in and out easy, is very loose in the mast plug on the top of mast (that is ok). The other is what i assume you have it is cone shape and i always think they are too tight when the mast is inserted into the sleeve and homed to each other. find the pin type and no problem.

maybe cut yours down with an angle grinder.

where are you does anyone have a spare in that area. when a sail was purchased new it came with both one in a plasit bag in the top of the sail bag.

good luck

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40knots said..
Neil Pryde made two types of plastic connections that go onto webbing at the top of the mast sleeve. One is a pin that goes in and out easy, is very loose in the mast plug on the top of mast (that is ok). The other is what i assume you have it is cone shape and i always think they are too tight when the mast is inserted into the sleeve and homed to each other. find the pin type and no problem.

maybe cut yours down with an angle grinder.

where are you does anyone have a spare in that area. when a sail was purchased new it came with both one in a plasit bag in the top of the sail bag.

good luck

Were talking old skool here, It's a strange top batten like in the oldish NP Diablo. As far as I can remember, it's a pocket not a plug .
Nobody likes a knobbed plug that can be extracted .
Reminds me of the day I was stuck for two hours ??

Thanks everyone for the advice. I re applied the waterproof tape, this time with a bit more covering the top surface. Took it out yesterday and it extracted relatively easily. Will have to remember to check the condition of the tape before I go out. If that doesn't work I willI resort to more permanent measures to keep it in.

Inspect your top strap while you're there. Friction can wear it down then the mast will pop through.