An incident recently has motivated me to make a formal post for the Australian windsurfing community to be aware about the warranty issues regarding RDM Powerex masts in Australia.

During a recent trip to Gnaraloo I broke my 400 RDM Powerex mast at the connection while been taken by a broken wave. Whenever I rig my sails I have a technique of jamming the mast in the ground and pulling the sail down. I’ve found this reduces this risk of the male and female sections of the mast separating and it gets the sail on the mast quicker. Therefore, more time on the water.

I’ve just gone through the process of trying to warranty the broken section and was informed by the Australian distributor that all Powerex masts broken at the connection, engaged correctly or not, will not honour the warranty under the premises that they are “not designed to break there”.

The sleeve you receive when purchasing an RDM Powerex mast specifies the following warranty conditions;

Only Surf, Z-Taper, Z-Wave and RDM-designated masts will be replaced if broken in surf conditions

Breakage due to misuse like over tightening the boom or failure to completely engage the 2-piece ferrule connection or the mast base extension connection will not be covered.

Breakage due to obvious abuse occurring outside of the water will not be covered.


It also states that if a Powerex mast breaks under normal use due to defective materials, manufacturing or workmanship, MQC will replace or repair the product upon it’s return.

It seems the stance adopted by the Australian distributor is in breach of the warranty conditions as specified by Powerex.

For instance, what is the difference between breaking the mast at the connection or anywhere else if it’s due to defective materials, manufacturing or workmanship.

Consumers in Australia should be aware that if your RDM Powerex mast breaks at the connection, no matter if the 2-piece ferrule is engaged correctly, it’s warranty will not be honoured.

I don’t want to see other people buying these masts without being fully informed about the assumption of “unconditional warranty”.

BUYER BEWARE.

This is an obvious breach of warranty by Powerex.

To the person who chose not to warranty this break I ask you this.

Is the small amount of money you saved on not replacing this mast going to be of any significance compared to the money you have lost in future sales?

Is the windsurf market big enough to tolerate such arrogance?

Steve,

We have been distributing Powerex in Australia for about 8 years and have processed many warranties in this time. Sometimes it is clearly a warranty, sometimes it is clearly not a warranty and other times we are not sure. We have found the RDM to be one of the most durable masts on the market with amazingly low warranties.

In this case the mast is split on the outside approximately 70mm and on the inside 50mm. There is clear marking on the inside of the mast approximately 55mm from the end, which I believe is from the end of the ferrule when the mast split. This clearly indicates that the ferrule was only in approximately 50 - 60 mm.

Generally if a mast splits the split will be a similar length or longer than the ferrule is inserted.

If you would like to discuss it further give me a ring and we can arrange a time for you to pop in and I can explain the above.

Certainly I think we have been more than reasonable offering you a replacement mast half at less than our cost.

Thanking you,

Ian Grose
Auswind
08 9244 4446

I am fairly new to the skinny mast seen. But am wrapped with the decision to go there. They are great to use. I have noticed my Powerex mast easily slips apart when rigging and have found myself on numerous occasions at the waters edge re-rigging my kit after realising it has dis-engaged. I don't see this as a manufacturers default but YOU NEED to definately double check your mast engagement after rigging as only 1-2mm out can cause the hairline stress fracture that willl later grow into a snapped mast or large crack. I have seen friends notice cracks on their masts which can only have come from dis-engaged sailing. I also believe that the Australian importer would have done the right thing if they thought for a second that it was a manufacturers fault.

anyway, thats my five cents worth. but all round the powerexs are great masts.

Get some good quality tape and tape the pieces together before you rig, wont have mast failure at the ferule and it is easier to derig with.

You just made up my mind I've got a new sail on order and I'll be buying a skinny Ezzy mast for it

Lookkc, I'm sure I've seen just about every mast brand break at that point due to inncorect fitting ( I've done it twice) including Ezzy!
The best preventative measure is to do what Mk sugests, to tape it together.
Good Sailing.
Jez

my powerex400 is really slack on the joints too, but my arrows430 skinny is a perfect snug fit - never comes apart.

is there a reason why the joints are so slack???? It's a real pain in the arse when you have to derig because it has slipped and one day if i forget to check - i'll be $600 lighter - maybe this feedback should be passed back to powerex.

I'll give the tape a try though, is electrical tuff tape the go?

Any waterproof tape should do, plenty of people use silver gaffa tape... also handy to have for cuts, sprains or just to look cool like Robby Naish .

I also use Arrows masts and have never had a problem with them seperating. How tight the join is maybe something to look for when buying a new mast, i've never really considered it always just trusted the manufacturers.

Fashionvictim, please leave out the bullxxxx

can you tell me how you came to the conclusion that

"only 1-2mm out can cause the hairline stress fracture that willl later grow into a snapped mast or large crack. I have seen friends notice cracks on their masts which can only have come from dis-engaged sailing"

thats the kind of pathetically uninformed statement that really pisses me off. Hmmm absolute authority from someone who has no idea. Have you ever worked with carbon fibre, ever made a mast, ever been involved in mass production even? If powerex can make masts, or anything for that matter, that are 100% perfect every time they would be the first company ever to have done so.

Face it, no-one has a bloody clue about whether it broke coz of rigging or manufacture fault. All it does suggest is that masts disengage during rigging and it is a powerex problem that should either be addressed at the design and manufacture level or by the sailor taking extra precautions.

L

sorry to give you the bull**** lauriew.

The comment about the cracks came from when friends took them to the shops after realising they had them (very small cracks that is) and where informed that it was their own faults, was not warrantied cause of that. which i kind of understand.

as far as my knowledge of carbon goes, i was just trying to make a humble statement based on what I have been told. maybe I should become a nerd about carbon ;-)

Any body still making 1 piece masts?????
Saves all these problems, they're also lighter, and have a more uniform flex. (you can't make a sleeve joint that's both as strong/light and even flexing as a single section).
The only draw back is transport, and in most cases that's not a very big issue.

The one piece masts make great jousting sticks when you & your mates've had a few and the young tackers have left their little bmx's on the back lawn. Much safer with a boxing glove taped on the end though.

"Dad what are jousting sticks?"
"Dunno! How much is he asking?"

Classic aussie movie (The Castle, in case you don't know)

I just sold my Powerex masts I should have kept 'em for the light wind day jousting

LOL! "Tell them they're dreaming!". Nice work Lee!!!!!
La vita semplice!!! (the simple life...)

sheeny i think u got screwed. I got the same mast and i reckon it's next to impossible to go sailing without the ferrule properly engaged. The connections on Powerex masts are pretty loose and with the amount of luff tension you pull on a sail, its always gonna engage as you pull the downhaul.

Whats all the fuss.
I have had the same skinny mast for the last 4-5 years. This is a powerex 400cm. It finally broke 3 weeks ago in a shorebreak. Half way up the top section.
I never worry about the join, if they are together when the sail is rigged, they will stay together. There is a large number of my mates who use skinnies, I have only seen one break at the join. This was due to a 1cm gap left when rigging.
In four years there has only been 3 skinny masts broken in Tassie.
Thats good value!!

just busted another top to a powerex z30 460 the first top busted the first time it was rigged just cracked up the side of the bottom of the top piece which was not warranted the new top has probably been sailed 15 times max but is just out of warranty not that it would be covered any way since the first top cracked i have been taping the 2 pieces together so obviously this cannot be an insertion problem it is a manufacturing problem the other 8 carbon masts from other brands i have show no signs of cracking
so lets just boycott powerex masts till they come to the party and fix this problem because in my opinion powerex masts are an inferior product and i will never buy nor recomend one ever again
cheers ian

Here at Auswind we are the distributors of powerex masts.

We take every warranty claim seriously. We have never had an application for a warranty claim for this issue so until i read this post we were unaware that a potential failure had ocurred in one of these masts ( we have sold tons of these masts around Australia) .

Can you please PM details of your purchase (shop, date of purchase etc) So we can have a look at your warranty claim

The Powerex RDM is now the reference point for tough wave masts around the world - especially in Hawaii and Margs / Gnaraloo -Most of the top guys use them and experience freakishly low levels of breakage.

We can't back up our product if we haven't been informed that there has been a potential problem!

hi matt
just a bit ambiguos are you refering to my post? If you are then a claim for warranty came thru carr sails in tassie which resulted in my having to purchase the new top any more info you need can be obtained by mobile 0418142794
cheers ian