Hi!

I'm new to the forum, and I write from far away (Barcelona, Spain). I have an old Mistral Edge 98L that I bought when I was not good enough to use it, and now I'm planning about taking it for a ride. The mast track is stuck, I see it has some ropes inside that I suppose were used to slide the base front and back, and I would like to see a video or an instruction about the operation, so I can fix mine. The other idea is to get rid of the carrier that moves and just use a modern base with the lock (like the BIC board has). Will it snug, manually?

My other questions are: the fin is lost, it uses a Power Box cage. Can you recommend me a size and shape? I'm a beginner / intermediate surfer, I weight 67KG, I usually sail in 15/20 knots wind, I'm 53 years old and I like to go straight back and forth at speed. That's my idea of windsurfing fun :-)

And last! Will new type sails work with this board? If not, what type of sail should I seek? I currently have a 4,7 Goya, a 5,2 NP Expression and a 6,7 that came with the Bic 148L I also have.

Thanks a lot!

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JPBARNA said..
Hi!

I'm new to the forum, and I write from far away (Barcelona, Spain). I have an old Mistral Edge 98L that I bought when I was not good enough to use it, and now I'm planning about taking it for a ride. The mast track is stuck, I see it has some ropes inside that I suppose were used to slide the base front and back, and I would like to see a video or an instruction about the operation, so I can fix mine. The other idea is to get rid of the carrier that moves and just use a modern base with the lock (like the BIC board has). Will it snug, manually?

My other questions are: the fin is lost, it uses a Power Box cage. Can you recommend me a size and shape? I'm a beginner / intermediate surfer, I weight 67KG, I usually sail in 15/20 knots wind, I'm 53 years old and I like to go straight back and forth at speed. That's my idea of windsurfing fun :-)

And last! Will new type sails work with this board? If not, what type of sail should I seek? I currently have a 4,7 Goya, a 5,2 NP Expression and a 6,7 that came with the Bic 148L I also have.

Thanks a lot!

Mistral Edge was a 1995 board and actually was 92 litres. See here a video :

Mast track information, not sure if this is the same as the one you have so you need to review and take advice: www.windpowerwindsurfing.com/blog/2017/05/mistral-mast-track-1989-plus-repair-and-maintenance/
I take it the rope on the Edge is a safety leash ( I am speculating as you have not provided any photos): see the grooves on the track (in photo) which holds the base in place. Needs a thorough rinse and dry then a silicone lubricant spray and then it should move fine..just need to depress the steel button.....should also lock in place at each groove point and be no or nil movement. I have a 1991-92 Stinger CGI with this system too. The rope on my Stinger is a safety leash. I suspect, like the Stinger, the Edge (pictured) is not the same system as the Equipe and One design. I think if you have the rope system, like OD and Equipe, (not on Stinger or Edge pictured) then if necessary (not always the case) then if needs fixing, then, best to take it apart and reassemble it which makes it work again. Sometimes good to take it out of the board and clean out all the junk anyway and I would do it on any old Mistral. It is probably 25 years old so good idea, just be careful. I don't believe the Bic Techno base works on the Mistral tracks but it does work on Tiga Racing mast track-infact the Bic Techno Mast track is actually one thing that Bic acquired from Tiga and adapted from the famous 1989-1990 Tiga Racing Prestige raceboard and Tiga Aloha youth model, still used today on Bic/Tahe Techno !

Mast base; mistral pin that goes into the track: www.curtissportconnection.com/windsurfing/cobra-mistral-euro-pin-mast-foot-mast-base/ Your local shop or you should be able to retrofit most bases with pins. There are some knowledgeable Mistral people in Spain and Portugal. For more information see: www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/General/Base-mounting?page=1

Sails: I have no knowledge of this rare fast board other than as an admirer of its potential so suggest you try to use what you have. The first video shows, and claims a relatively modern sail being used Max speed: 37.16 kt (68.82 km/h) 100 m average: 35.32 kt (65.42 km/h) Wind: 6-7B Gaastra Vapor 6.4 Rewa, Poland, 2016.07.07

Fins-suggest 28-30 cm fin.

Thanks a lot for your reply! I will review it carefully and give it a try. Mi board looks exactly as the one you include, but mine is the CHS lighter one. It SHOULD be fast in expert hands and legs. I'm anxious to sail it.
I had not included photos of it because of restrictions in the forum for newbies like me. I really appreciate your help and I will be back with comments and news about it.

I've just checked the link for the mast track repair and it is exactly as mine! So I will be able to perfectly fix it.
Thanks!

JP

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JPBARNA said..
Thanks a lot for your reply! I will review it carefully and give it a try. Mi board looks exactly as the one you include, but mine is the CHS lighter one. It SHOULD be fast in expert hands and legs. I'm anxious to sail it.
I had not included photos of it because of restrictions in the forum for newbies like me. I really appreciate your help and I will be back with comments and news about it.

I've just checked the link for the mast track repair and it is exactly as mine! So I will be able to perfectly fix it.
Thanks!

JP

Yes...never seen a CHS until just found this advert so the CHS has a more Equipe or Energy CHS/XR track.
m.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/surfbrett-mistral-edge-chs/347032609-230-5599

Note stock 31 cm fin :

Hi Richard I've just dismantled it all following the video and it is all functioning. I will spray it with silicone and set it in place again. I only need to find the fin still.

This board feels really light!

thanks!

Well... someone offered me a 105L Tabou Rocket for the price of 2 fins, that comes with TWO fins... so I have a justifiable solution towards my wife's records. I will buy a fin that comes with a replacement board... and a fin.

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Mast base; mistral pin that goes into the track: www.curtissportconnection.com/windsurfing/cobra-mistral-euro-pin-mast-foot-mast-base/ Your local shop or you should be able to retrofit most bases with pins. There are some knowledgeable Mistral people in Spain and Portugal. For more information see: www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/General/Base-mounting?page=1

Hi Ric, I saw your post about the base. I just screwed the base pin of my BIC joint into the back hole and it fits perfectly and goes all way down. I think it will work OK. I took some pictures but the forum does not let me post them yet.

Fast board in top speed, a little slow to get to full speed due to narrowness.
I see 2 of them still currently sailed at Bodega Bay. Sail range in flat water from 3.2 to 6.5, best range with 5.0.

Thanks Lee. I will try it tomorrow with my 5.2 then.

Be aware, they named it "Edge".
Meaning, if you try full speed racing jibes, you WILL catch the widepoint during your carve, the board slows drastically, and you can get pitched forward during to the slowing of the board.
There are NO boards with "ears" that catch after the Edge.

So you mean that my Go Pro will work more as a dash/crash cam than a fun one? Don't worry too early for that situation, first I have to learn to jive :-)

I think I will use the Edge to go straight and come back... turns... I will decide on the spot what to do (I will not forget my uphaul...)

By the way Lee, I have the privileged age of having started in a Ken Winner, sailed Division 2 boards, saw Maradona play soccer at it's fullest, and enjoys Messi still. So don't ask me to go too fast in a Jive, I think I did ONE watestart decently in my life. So I'm trying to get lost time back and improving my skill windsurfing now that the kids can learn from me... The Edge was too an edge for my level, now I will try to get to do it better.

Never raced against Ken, but plenty against Robbie, Bjorn, Anders.....

You are a true legend, I only raced to buy the equipment sold with their names on it.

I never wanted to race, clearly shown by my lack of results.
But as a shop employee, to keep a rider discount, I had to enter a handful of bigger events each summer around SF Bay.
I stopped racing the day I no longer worked at a windsurf shop.

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JPBARNA said..

Mast base; mistral pin that goes into the track: www.curtissportconnection.com/windsurfing/cobra-mistral-euro-pin-mast-foot-mast-base/ Your local shop or you should be able to retrofit most bases with pins. There are some knowledgeable Mistral people in Spain and Portugal. For more information see: www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/General/Base-mounting?page=1

Hi Ric, I saw your post about the base. I just screwed the base pin of my BIC joint into the back hole and it fits perfectly and goes all way down. I think it will work OK. I took some pictures but the forum does not let me post them yet.

That must be different to the Bic Techno/Tiga Racing base.
www.surfsailaustralia.com.au/product/bic-techno-t293-one-design-mast-base
Can you please post a photo of that base ?

It is indeed different than the one you show. It has a screw with a nut (that I remove to use it in the Mistral)

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LeeD said..
I never wanted to race, clearly shown by my lack of results.
But as a shop employee, to keep a rider discount, I had to enter a handful of bigger events each summer around SF Bay.
I stopped racing the day I no longer worked at a windsurf shop.

I saw some posts from you about motocross. I followed a similar path but 20 years younger than you maybe. You know who I wrote to, and got some messages back from, just to say a big thanks for the inspiration? Jean Michael Bayle... awesome rider.

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JPBARNA said..
It is indeed different than the one you show. It has a screw with a nut (that I remove to use it in the Mistral)

Ok Thanks I have never used the method you are using as the Chinook and Streamlined bases I have do not appear to work in that hole but perhaps the Windsurfer LT twist on base will work.
Mast Base for Windsurfer LT
Euro Pin Mast base
1 Bolt Twist On Base
Standard 6mm Tendon JointSwim Saver
Tee Nut Track Slider included
www.surfsailaustralia.com.au/product/windsurfer-lt-mast-base#surf-sail-clothing-hardware

Cheers Richard

I think the key is this "Tee Nut Track Slider included"

Is that the brass nut with a slot? My bases for the BIC all have a brass nut with some kind of "slider" when entered into the track, allows to block the screw and slide the mast on it when untight.

My flavour of BIC is the "Core", same shape as the techno but cheaper and heavier... Maybe it has a different track.

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JPBARNA said..
I think the key is this "Tee Nut Track Slider included"

Is that the brass nut with a slot? My bases for the BIC all have a brass nut with some kind of "slider" when entered into the track, allows to block the screw and slide the mast on it when untight.

My flavour of BIC is the "Core", same shape as the techno but cheaper and heavier... Maybe it has a different track.

Yes ok will test the bases out. Shown below in photo on the left is the retrofitted Chinook US Cup on top with Mistral base and pin at bottom and on the right is the F2 bottom pin and base and top Europin (North pin). I think both work on the Mistral base in the main hole but not necessarily both on the F2.