Okay, I was very luck to borrow a 4.6m mast, nose protector and uphaul (thanx jz) yesterday, but am wondering what the deal is about mast material size...etc..

I have a 5.2m wave sail, which does the job, and it fitted onto a 4.6m fibreglass(?) mast okay and on my extender... no idea what size it is... so to break the questions down:

What material to look for in a mast? Everyone mentions RDM's...?
What size? thinking 400?

Teh material you want in a mast is Carbon. The higher the percentage the stiffer, more brittle and expensive the mast will be.
Broadly there are 2 types, Standard Diameter Masts and Reduced Diameter masts.
RDM's are more robust and prevalent in smaller size rigs. Your sail will be designed for one or the other. There are few sails that rig properly on both.
If your sail is designed to rig on a 460 mast you should get a 460 mast. Every mast has a reinforced area where the boom connects. If you use a 400 mast with 60cm of expender you run the risk of having your boom connected at a part of the mast that is not reinforced. The end result is that you will be more likely to break your mast.
The manufacturer will recommend a mast (length, stiffness etc), try to get as cose to that as possible.

JB

G`day K,
If you go a 50% carbon mast you cant go wrong, there strong, light, and it wont give you splinters like those old `glass masts.

As far as size goes it should give you a measurement for the luff on your sail. For a 5.2 it probbly be 400-430. If it says 415 get a 400 mast with 15cm of extention.
Look after your mast and it`ll be good for 10 years (unless you bust it).

Get good gear and get amongst it, windsurfings` a sick sport!

Thanks JB and Paul.

I learnt about the splinters the hard way washing the mast down....

Select to expand quote

K Dog said...

Thanks JB and Paul.

I learnt about the splinters the hard way washing the mast down....

Sorry bout that.:(

haha - no worries - was just washing all the gear down - making sure it was all looked after I'm happy to have some thing to use!

Splinters from the mast --- ouch --- nasty.Thanks a lot for the warning!

Yeah the above advice is good BUT what is this 5.2? If it is any earlier than about 2000 a carbon mast may not be necessary. If it is any earlier than about 1990 then definitely not.

Reason I say that is 460 sounds very long, most 5.2 wavesails in the last 10yrs would rig on a 400 (now) or 430 (10yrs ago)