Hi,
I'm forty and have had my first serious sail in probably 15 years recently while travelling in Vietnam with my wife and kids. I was so stoked that I could still waterstart and sailed for all of an hour two days running in around 20 knot winds.
As a younger man I was really keen and still own a slalom board (Long reef Express) from about 1990. It's a great board, really fast with carbon fibre in the glassing. 20 years old and still in great condition. It needs a new fin though.

I'm keen to buy one or more new sails and I reckon I'll get a 5.6 to 5.9 and a 5m2. I have this old Kilwell Matrix - 2 (2-piece) mast. I was looking at either a KA Koyote or something along those lines. Can anyone tell me whether this mast is likely to be suitable?
Thanks,
R. Naish

Robbie,

You are a windsurfing legend.....

any mast will work for you and you will sail better than any of us.

You sail a plank.

You sail a door.

You use a hankerchief.

Your mast is a cheese stick.

It doesn't matter.

You are the greatest.

Welcome back toby (alias RN). The Koyotes like a constant curve to slightly flex-top bend curve so have a look at the mast and see if there's any indication of curve. There's a table of masts I've seen on here before, someone else may have the link for you or do a search through seabreeze.

That link to a load of mast measurements:
www.peterman.dk/masts-all-imcs01.htm

The kilwell isn't on the list unfortunately.

I'd pick up a secondhand mast and sail combo (same brand) which shouldn't cost the earth.

Dont much around kobbleing together bits and pieces to get an old setup going. Modern gear is just so much nicer. I dont mind driving old cars, wearing old clothes and puting up with crappy furniture just as long as I got the best watersport equipment

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Gwendy said...

Dont much around kobbleing together bits and pieces to get an old setup going. Modern gear is just so much nicer. I dont mind driving old cars, wearing old clothes and puting up with crappy furniture just as long as I got the best watersport equipment

I agree with this. While you have a large sentimental attachment to your old board, you'll love yourself for updating it. I still have a couple of boards from 1996-7 that I use, so I get where you are coming from. New stuff is very good.

Welcome back Sir Robbie.

I'd keep the old board for a bit - it'll still sail ok. New sails work better with new boards, but that board should still get you out there and getting wet.

That's not to say that a new board won't be easier to sail though.

However, if you're going to be getting newish / second-hand sails I would definitely be looking to get a new mast and a new boom.

You can pick up new Gun 430 masts 30% carbon for $240 I think, and as for the boom I don't think you could go past a Prolimit for approx $250 - they're cheap and as far as I'm concerned they're brilliant.

A decent boom and mast on your decent sails will make a world of difference.

Wow Neb - never seen a more complicated chart than that one...thankyou for that. Here's a link that gauges mast brands to their curve characteristics in a nice colour chart (for plebs like me). www.unifiber.net/masts-selector
I agree with the others and not attempt to match an old mast with a new sail. I'd be investing in a new mast (over a new sail) that matches the sail/sails u decide on.

AB....

Nice find there Big Al

Note that the info on there for Gaastra is wrong for post-2007 masts though, they changed to constant curve masts.

i love you robby naish your so cute you have man booobs

thats Gay

Thanks everyone,
good advice. Not sure about the man boobs thing, but I spose it's true.

Mr Naish

Welcome Dude

I wish you would change your avatar name though.

Please don't use Robbie's name in vain, especially on a WS forum.

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da vecta said...

Welcome Dude

I wish you would change your avatar name though.

Please don't use Robbie's name in vain, especially on a WS forum.

Agreed. It just causes confusion as per my post above after consuming a few glasses of red wine.

Imagine if the real Robbie came here and found his name was taken. Perhaps he already is here under a pseudonym

Yep, Nobby Raish