Hi folks, I'm an old 80's wave sailer who sailed at Hayling Island on the south coast of England which is way tougher conditions than I get on the Sunshine Coast and didn't suffer many failures in gear. The last six months I've snapped one mast also ripped the sail in half, replaced with new 5-6m hd NP combat which now had a hole in it and today I ripped the window in my 5m combat. All this in only small waves and minor wipeouts. Not impressed at all. As you all now if I'm to change sail brands this also means new masts. Never had such a problem with gear, not good for my bank account or telling my wife I have to spend more money. Thoughts people? Bomb proof maybe Ezzys sails?

I'm hearin ya , 2 masts in a week a while ago (one was only 1 ride old).
Same situation smallish surf , I put it down to bad luck in rippy shore breaks . still sticking with the brand though and I'm always duck diving the mast from now on

It sucks big time on the other hand that's the cost of getting good rides!!! Nothing breaks at home :)

You probably already know all the tricks. Duck diving and such, takes longer to waterstart but better to waterstart away from the breaking zone unless you know or can see you are in a wave lull. I think breakage happens when the gear isn't set up correctly in relation to the wave. Drive the mast tip into the wave. Hold the back strap and the boom, etc. There are various options depending on the wave size / power.

Be more alert when in a wave breaking zone, more active, try not to stall, maybe time the sets, etc.
Doesn't have too be powerful to be gear-munching material, just needs to be shallow!

I duck dive less unless if it's about to close or if it's a powerful day but it's just taking chances basically.
If you are on Neilpryde RDM's then you can switch to Ezzy sails and keep your masts, I think they'd work. I have found that using an Ezzy mast in a Neilpryde sail made the sail lighter and less heavy. But the opposite may not be true. Need to test.

Also, you could sell your gear obviously. The cost difference may not be that much.

Here is my vid on crossing white water, duck diving, grabbing the mast for fast water starts, keep your sail high if waterstarting, etc.



Hope some of this help you. I realize that some brands are better at resisting breakage, but if you enjoy a certain brand of type of sailing then being active and setting up gear correctly when falling or just leaving the shore can increase lifespan of one's gear too.

Select to expand quote

ShaunMurphy said..
Hi folks, I'm an old 80's wave sailer who sailed at Hayling Island on the south coast of England which is way tougher conditions than I get on the Sunshine Coast and didn't suffer many failures in gear. The last six months I've snapped one mast also ripped the sail in half, replaced with new 5-6m hd NP combat which now had a hole in it and today I ripped the window in my 5m combat. All this in only small waves and minor wipeouts. Not impressed at all. As you all now if I'm to change sail brands this also means new masts. Never had such a problem with gear, not good for my bank account or telling my wife I have to spend more money. Thoughts people? Bomb proof maybe Ezzys sails?

Hi Shaun, mate that's a bad run I've sailed the Sunny coast the last 10-15yrs and agree with HotBod, sailing in onshore conditions and beach breaks comes with a downside....have a good collection of top & bottom rdms to prove it and kept the local sail repairer in business. I know you broke you first lot of gear out on the reef at Neil St in light conditions, that's a heavy and shallow break which has claimed a lot or gear not to mention where you end up down the beach. I've only ever used NP and Severne gear, had a good run with the Severne Gorilla and even high spec rdms wave masts and probably half a dozen sail repairs over last 2-3years but back on Pryde this season the the HD combats and Combats. Took a few poundings on Wed arvo at Kawana Pocket and came through alright but send me some photos on my pmail as keen to see where the sails tore and can discuss with local rep for you and sail repairer.
I've never used Ezzy but know plenty who are happy, like you say it can be a stretch to switch these days with cost of gear on the rise but generally most sails work better on their own masts.
Hope to see you on the water soon, maybe Castaways or Noosa Rivermouth unless you are down our way.
Cheers, Tim

Maybe you are just going harder now than you used to, or you've started doing something kooky that breaks gear.

i know I've had periods where I've broken heaps of stuff and then periods where i feel I've been going harder and haven't broken anything. I also seem to break more stuff in small waves, probably because they break in shallow water.

also if it's wave gear I wouldn't worry about getting new masts if you change sail brands. It's just a wave sail, you could pretty much put a broom stick up it and it would feel the same.

Select to expand quote

ShaunMurphy said..
Hi folks, I'm an old 80's wave sailer who sailed at Hayling Island on the south coast of England which is way tougher conditions than I get on the Sunshine Coast and didn't suffer many failures in gear. The last six months I've snapped one mast also ripped the sail in half, replaced with new 5-6m hd NP combat which now had a hole in it and today I ripped the window in my 5m combat. All this in only small waves and minor wipeouts. Not impressed at all. As you all now if I'm to change sail brands this also means new masts. Never had such a problem with gear, not good for my bank account or telling my wife I have to spend more money. Thoughts people? Bomb proof maybe Ezzys sails?

Ezzy Hookipa masts are brilliant. Ezzy sails excellent. You won't regret moving over. Ezzy masts are constant curve and work with many brands e.g. North, Goya, Simmer etc.

Hey ShaunMurphy. I too am an old Hayling Is windsurfer from the 80's who now sails at Kawana, Dickeys reef and Redcliffe. I used to work in South London and charge down the A3 after work when the wind was on and the days were long.
Redcliffe is very similar to Hayling Is and you don't break gear at Redcliffe. Kawana on the other hand has a very tricky shore break that creates carnage if you don't get through it quick smart. Avoid Kawana in a southerly is my advice and just head to Dickeys reef off Neill st, you'll love it. Kawana is the spot in a Northerly but just practice running on to your board and don't delay that charge through the waves, even when it is small wind swell. I will be at Kawana all next week, see ya out there!

Just on the ezzy love in, I had 2015 ezzys and found the top edge of the boom cut out had piping around it which wore a groove into my ezzy mast, which duly snapped on that point not long after I thought that's gonna break. It's not all gold....

Select to expand quote

Alex_sc said..
Just on the ezzy love in, I had 2015 ezzys and found the top edge of the boom cut out had piping around it which wore a groove into my ezzy mast, which duly snapped on that point not long after I thought that's gonna break. It's not all gold....

Did you make a warranty claim ?

Select to expand quote

RichardG said..

Alex_sc said..
Just on the ezzy love in, I had 2015 ezzys and found the top edge of the boom cut out had piping around it which wore a groove into my ezzy mast, which duly snapped on that point not long after I thought that's gonna break. It's not all gold....

Did you make a warranty claim ?

Yes and they honoured it, which is good of them and I have no issue there. It's more the inconvenience of dealing with a break, and damage to the sail

I went through a stage when every second time I went out I broke a mast or sail.. I think I went through 6 masts and 3-4 sails in 6 months. mast were covered under warranty but the sails that got ripped weren't. I was a running joke and a poor one at that!!

Wont name brands but touch wood since I changed gear to Severene several years ago, nothing and full confident in the gear every time I hit the water.

Just get kit that is made for the right conditions and don't worry about weight or design!!

hey Shaun,
was good meeting and sailing with you a few weeks back at Castaway.....as you have seen my rig is Severne..Gorilla masts...carbon booms...and Blade sails.......
today was 5.3 should have downsized to 4.7m.....but just had a late hour of power so toughed it out overpowered........solid south swell with pitching shorebreak.........that slammed me down on a head on ...should have broken everything but only got sore elbow ...rig was fine no damage......so yeah best kit that i have ever had and have tried a few brands......although still have 2 rdm Ezzy masts that are holding up...
'anyway heres a couple of pix of our session at Castaway

Select to expand quote

Ezzy Hookipa masts are brilliant. Ezzy sails excellent. You won't regret moving over. Ezzy masts are constant curve and work with many brands e.g. North, Goya, Simmer etc.

And u can buy them in seperate tops and bottoms - so in the very rare circumstances that u have a breakage it's cheaper to replace the half u broke - but this rarely happens, they are tough as nails!!!! And so are their sails - without weighing a tonne.

Select to expand quote

Alex_sc said..

RichardG said..

Alex_sc said..
Just on the ezzy love in, I had 2015 ezzys and found the top edge of the boom cut out had piping around it which wore a groove into my ezzy mast, which duly snapped on that point not long after I thought that's gonna break. It's not all gold....

Did you make a warranty claim ?

Yes and they honoured it, which is good of them and I have no issue there. It's more the inconvenience of dealing with a break, and damage to the sail

Did you draw David Ezzy's attention to the alleged design defect or material defect in the sail you mentioned ? Did he make any design or materials changes to the sail, in view of your complaint ?

Select to expand quote

h20 said..
I went through a stage when every second time I went out I broke a mast or sail.. I think I went through 6 masts and 3-4 sails in 6 months. mast were covered under warranty but the sails that got ripped weren't. I was a running joke and a poor one at that!!

Wont name brands but touch wood since I changed gear to Severene several years ago, nothing and full confident in the gear every time I hit the water.

Just get kit that is made for the right conditions and don't worry about weight or design!!

Plenty of S-1 sails with huge tears all along the clew. Some have never been in the surf. I've seen broken gorilla masts, enigma booms. No brand is bomb proof. Disclaimer: I have everything Severne, except the extension.

Select to expand quote

MrCranky said.., except the extension.

yeah ok..............i have had 2 s1's no issues......but then maybe we dont have conditions as harsh as Vic......
and i am still using Chinook carbon extensions got 3 , one broke and was replaced via warranty though.......
nothing is bullet proof but hey its a lot better than the old days......a helluva a lot better...

Hey SM ... I would look at sail companies compatible with NP flex-top masts - such as Hotsails - get some ks3 or quad that rig great on yr NP masts .... they will be lighter / stronger maybe than NP ... Ive beaten these sails in harsh conditions - they last pretty good ! ... good materials ...

Select to expand quote

RichardG said..

Alex_sc said..

RichardG said..

Alex_sc said..
Just on the ezzy love in, I had 2015 ezzys and found the top edge of the boom cut out had piping around it which wore a groove into my ezzy mast, which duly snapped on that point not long after I thought that's gonna break. It's not all gold....

Did you make a warranty claim ?

Yes and they honoured it, which is good of them and I have no issue there. It's more the inconvenience of dealing with a break, and damage to the sail

Did you draw David Ezzy's attention to the alleged design defect or material defect in the sail you mentioned ? Did he make any design or materials changes to the sail, in view of your complaint ?

Hey Alex I had the 2014 Ezzy Elites and never had the problem. Did you see my earlier message above ?:

"Did you draw David Ezzy's attention to the alleged design defect or material defect in the sail you mentioned ? Did he make any design or materials changes to the sail, in view of your complaint ? "

Select to expand quote

RichardG said..

RichardG said..

Alex_sc said..

RichardG said..

Alex_sc said..
Just on the ezzy love in, I had 2015 ezzys and found the top edge of the boom cut out had piping around it which wore a groove into my ezzy mast, which duly snapped on that point not long after I thought that's gonna break. It's not all gold....

Did you make a warranty claim ?

Yes and they honoured it, which is good of them and I have no issue there. It's more the inconvenience of dealing with a break, and damage to the sail

Did you draw David Ezzy's attention to the alleged design defect or material defect in the sail you mentioned ? Did he make any design or materials changes to the sail, in view of your complaint ?

Hey Alex I had the 2014 Ezzy Elites and never had the problem. Did you see my earlier message above ?:

"Did you draw David Ezzy's attention to the alleged design defect or material defect in the sail you mentioned ? Did he make any design or materials changes to the sail, in view of your complaint ? "

hi Richard, no I didn't bring it to his attention. I had the 2014 and 2015 elites and it happened only to the 2015 sail. I don't know if the design changed subsequently - i switched sail brands so did not check. Chances are it was a one-off issue given no one else seems to raise it.