I need help. Have made a rookie mistake and put the top half of the mast inside the bottom half and thanks to some sand it is now so stuck I can't get it out... only about 10mm to grip onto.
getting desperate, very new to the sport and don't know what to do.
Help Me and I promise I won't ever do it again!

Pull the cap off the top of the bottom section and give a gentle tap with a suitable piece of wood.

Yes try the lump of wood first.

should be able to shoot water into the mixture

A great idea but I just checked and unfortunately the top of the bottom half doesn't have a cap, it's like it is filled with foam? I would have to cut that out and I dont think that would end well...

Apologies to the person who suggested the oil filter wrench idea.
Great idea and as I tried to vote it up I accidentally flagged it... Damn those buttons are too close together
again, my apologies

OK now you can try this, just tested with a bit of chord, formuline is too slippery, tape the first turn down, the tape also helps the string to bite, the bare mast is slippery, once you get friction biting you can get a fait bit of torque going

Maybe wrap it in duct tape then clamp an exhaust clamp onto it?

i1.adis.ws/i/washford/922781?$pd_main_v2$

Then clamp the U bolt ends in a vice and twist the bottom end of the mast.

should be able to shoot water into the mixture

drop it flat on the grass from approx 80 cm high a few times, should get the top part moving.

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joe windsurf said..
should be able to shoot water into the mixture

Tried that. Unfortunately the gap is too small and they are jammed too tight For water to move the sand

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seanhogan said..
drop it flat on the grass from approx 80 cm high a few times, should get the top part moving.

Tried this too with vary levels of force (getting frustrated) and a lot of times... No luck unfortunately

A piece of cloth and a

if you have an electric drill with a handle attachment they are perfect for the job as they screw up tight and apply pressure evenly around the mast and if you have two then you can grab both parts, also maybe try some hot water. on the outside onr and fill the inside up with icy water.Cheers Bob

So far no good.
tried wrenches, hot water, cold water, submerging at the beach, wd-40, strap wrench (snapped that one), drill handle, multi grips, bouncing, banging, spraying and a hell of a lot of swearing

and nothing is working- tighter than a ducks butt- possibly tighter than when I started.

not sure what to do next, will take it into a shop and see if they have any ideas but not hopeful
. Really really frustrated. Just started this sport, outlaid on all the gear and had 1 proper sail and now I might be up for a new mast....

open to any ideas. Pretty please!

the top of the mast appears to be glued on so not sure about trying to get that off to knock it out from the inside

I'd try the water. I'd go so far as to cobble a connector to allow full mains pressure into it.
Then try manipulating it so the water gets a chance to move any loose bits of sand.

If the water can't get past the foam you could just drill a hole through it.
Is the ferule capped? If so drill a hole through that too.

"rubber pipe grips"

Where are you located ?

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barbarian said..




"rubber pipe grips"

Tried that. Snapped them unfortunately

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Ispy said..
Where are you located ?

Aspendale in Vic

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NotWal said..
I'd try the water. I'd go so far as to cobble a connector to allow full mains pressure into it.
Then try manipulating it so the water gets a chance to move any loose bits of sand.

If the water can't get past the foam you could just drill a hole through it.
Is the ferule capped? If so drill a hole through that too.

Just worried that drilling will impact its strength?

have you got some sort of pipe or a vice you can adjust to the out side diameter so that down strokes will catch the outer tube if you tap it the inside will come free

pm me if you need a better explanatoin

grich has got it, that is the way to get this apart without damaging. Any twisting or tight gripping could damage it. find a collar shaped thing that fits around mast top but shares diameter of bottom, and is long enough to allow collar to tap on ground rather than mast top. tape in place then bounce the combination with mast vertical on something hard. inertia of mast top will separate it out of mast bottom

^^^^ I can't see you will get a collar to fit the top (inside) section that will slide down and provide an interference fit - when he has 10mm poking out, and thus fk all taper to work with. Then you are left with about clamping carbon in a vice (bad unless really evenly distributed) and also hammering (worse)

If all else has failed - especially breaking the rubber pipe straps, then nothing will give you the purchase you need on that top section.

You can't belt it, yes wobbling is fine but hammering and stuff is bad bad.

Have u really washed it out? like 100x with water and then tipping up to get sand out? I am with Joe, the water needs to come from the top and lots of movement to wash that sand out.
If you drill a hole thru the top plug who cares...? Foam filler is non structural and easily plugged up later

If it really seems ALL else has failed so maybe if you are desperate...: clean the bit poking out really well and glue it - upright - onto a bit of very well cleaned and roughed up steel or something, with a good epoxy. You are only going to lose 2mm when u cut it off later.
stand on the steel plate and twist / lift the outer.
Or, drill a 5mm ish hole thru the inside mast section, stick a screwdriver thru it and use that to twist / pull. The hole can be filled later, and given the large amount of area that engages at the ferrule I can't see the hole will be a big drama.

the collar from around mast base might work if it will slide over the inside tube tape it to the out side tube do not drill the end this will weaken the tube

thanks everyone - going to keep trying all these things after work.

at the moment I am thinking to hang it vertically filled with water (bag over end to hold water in) to let gravity do its thing. though am worried that any other sand inside will then also settle in the gap...

also, try to fashion a collar out of timber to put over the inner sleeve and use that to tap the outer sleeve to get that moving.

Also, I just wanted to thank you all - I have recently come into windsurfing from other sports and I have been absolutely blown away (pun intended) by the windsurfing community's friendliness, helpfulness and inclusive nature.

I've come from a surfing, snowboarding and cycling background and never before have I experienced a sport where the people give so much time, there are no egos and you don't get treated like a kook / pain in the ass when you are starting out.

from the guys at Inverloch windsurfing, to the seabreeze community, to the shops I have spoken to, to the mates who have given me advice - its really appreciated, your stoke for the sport is infectious.

Keep it up windsurfing!

grich is onto it - holesaw through timber that is bigger than the dia of the top (inner) section with a small amount of clearance and so that the outer section seats on it (only needs to be 20-30mm thick to allow the initial movement). Fix this to outer section with tape - ensuring that the inner section has clearance and tap on other piece of wood starting gently and slowly building up (not concrete or paving as when the inner section finally comes loose it will damage the end). Don't go nuts on the tapping either as the shock could damage the carbon if hit too hard

Before you do this though, it may be loosened by hanging vertically (large tapered end down) and lightly tapping with rubber mallet up & down whilst rotating. I can understand how the water thingy would work also - but only if it forces the grit out or is forced into the gap to let it slide out, otherwise if there is little/no gap, the water will actually make it worse by creating a vacuum/suction (unless a small amount of soap is added for lube).

If none of these work - I'd be starting to look at your mates and see if there are any empty superglue tubes in their posession...mates can be like that!

I think I would be drilling a hole through the ferule cap or foam on the outer half and sticking something through to try to push down on the top half mast cap. Knock it out that way. I just don't think you will get enough grip on the 10mm sticking out.

Exactly, to hell with the foam!!!! Go thru it with a drill, and then tap out the inner section with a wood dowel and a mallet.
The foam can be replaced easily in a number of different easy ways. You can just spray some in and call it good.
Not rocket science, or critical.

Here's an idea. Hang it up in a tree over night with the open ends facing down. It needs to be in a position where the hot sun will shine on it. As the sun heats the outer piece first it might just fall apart. Lawn or dirt underneath will be fine. Good luck.