I've never broken a mast, so maybe someone with a few more years of windsurfing under their belt can answer this question: which half of a mast is more likely to break??
Comrade Wet Willy I have broken many masts... always I break the bottom piece. Now i have 100% carbon wave masts... very strong very flexi. I no break mast since going to full carbon
There is a school of thought that suggests different materials in masts have different flex/response rates thus attributing to greater stresses and breakage (any engineering types could word this a whole lot better). Thus that 100% masts are more durable. I dont really believe this I think lower content masts are more durable and less susceptable to critical damage by knocks etc.
As said in the other mast thread bottom mostly unless there is user error.
in 25 years only broken 2 - fell on one with a 11kgs lead weight jacket on (which incidentally stopped me from going straight to the bottom of the river), 2nd one- backed the van over my fav ampro in the car park....bugger!!
carbon has a higher tensile strength than fibre glass. fibre glass has a higher impact strength than carbon.
i agree with everyone else that high carbon masts are well worth the money. i have broken booms, fins, boards and sails but never broken a mast. the masts i have used are powerex and art all above 75% carbon. have had them for 5-6 years with no dramas. i also don't go in the surf much so i am not as hard on my gear but i have had some massive catapults. 75% carbon is a good price/performance ratio.
Yesterday I scored a Mistral 2000 50% carbon 495 mast AND a spare bottom half...total price, let me see...ZERO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry I can't reveal my source...more where that came from, boys...
I'e always been afraid of high carbon masts coz of the high cost and well-advertised vulnerability to impact. But I recently scored a used 100% 520 for my big sail (thus enabling me to uphaul relatively hernia-free) and I love it. I say this because I haven't broken it yet. Thanks for the advice, amigos. I see a broken mast or two lying around from time to time, and it kind of freaks me out...
