Forums > Windsurfing General

bent race mast

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Created by Al McLeod > 9 months ago, 14 Dec 2007
Al McLeod
VIC, 633 posts
14 Dec 2007 1:40PM
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dad has a north 520 race mast for a 9m warp. yesterday after derigging we found it was bent at the ferrule. what can be done about this?

mathew
QLD, 2019 posts
14 Dec 2007 2:22PM
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A bent race mast is normal - provided it isn't "too bent".

Al McLeod
VIC, 633 posts
14 Dec 2007 3:29PM
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well the plastic around the ferrule has cracked. i dont suppose that is normal?

Muzza12
NSW, 546 posts
14 Dec 2007 4:29PM
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If you've cracked your mast at the ferule it's stuffed.
If it's still under warranty take it back and get it replaced, if it's not under warranty it's time for a new mast.
It's definitely not normal for any mast to be bent.

Al McLeod
VIC, 633 posts
14 Dec 2007 4:46PM
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its not the ferrule itself. north masts have plastic around the ferrule which has cracked. i cant tell what else has happened under it.

mathew
QLD, 2019 posts
14 Dec 2007 6:17PM
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It's definitely not normal for any mast to be bent.


You had better connect a mast together and roll it along some flat ground - you might just be a little surprised. google is your friend - lookup 'windsurfing "bent mast"'

A slightly bent mast is quite normal - a radically bent mast isn't - The reality is that we are using the gear in summer, with the associated heat, black mast, high bend tension and epoxy, can result in a slight permanent bend.

...and there really shouldn't be any cracks (from normal use).

Muzza12
NSW, 546 posts
15 Dec 2007 3:37PM
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mathew said...


google is your friend - lookup 'windsurfing "bent mast"'



I've gained my knowledge in windsurfing from experience over the past 25 years. My own windsurfing, teaching the sport, retailing the products and manufacturing... not from 'googling'.
The problem with googling to find answers to your problems is that anyone can put information on the web, wether they have experience or not.
When we used to use 1 peice 100% polyester (fibreglass) masts, they would over time maintain a slight curve. Carbon masts, particularly race masts (with a high carbon content) do not have this problem.
You're not an "ambassador" for that brand of sails you're on are you Matthew?

Gestalt
QLD, 14120 posts
15 Dec 2007 3:29PM
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completely agree with muzza on this one.

a bent mast is a mast to get rid off quickly.

masts are not made prebent either. it is against racing rules to use pre bent mast shapes in almost all competitive windsurfing classes. (from what i understand). what this basically means is that manufacturers won't build masts that can't be used to race with so they aren't going to build bent masts.

your bend is from failure or fattige or something similar.

maybe keep it as a spare.

Mistral Nick
QLD, 365 posts
15 Dec 2007 4:17PM
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I have a North 460, carbon 60 mast which has had a slight bend for some time. I haven't really worried about it as I concluded as stated previously that it was due to warm weather conditions maintaining a bit of memory

mathew
QLD, 2019 posts
17 Dec 2007 10:24AM
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I've gained my knowledge in windsurfing from experience over the past 25 years. My own windsurfing, teaching the sport, retailing the products and manufacturing... not from 'googling'.
The problem with googling to find answers to your problems is that anyone can put information on the web, wether they have experience or not.
When we used to use 1 peice 100% polyester (fibreglass) masts, they would over time maintain a slight curve. Carbon masts, particularly race masts (with a high carbon content) do not have this problem.
You're not an "ambassador" for that brand of sails you're on are you Matthew?


Whether I am an ambassador or not is irrelevant - what matters for this discussion is whether masts can be bent. And for the record, my personal info would say so - if it were the case. Interestingly, you can learn from other people's experience too...

I have an NP X9 530 which I purchased in perfect condition, from one of racers after the Formula series in Melbourne 2005 - it has a bend. I also have a Gaastra 100% carbon for my 9.5 in very good condition - it also has a bend. I had a Hypersonic 70% 400 - it had a bend after some use.

The reality is that everything will distort its shape over time and use - the idea in manufacturing is to minimise this effect. For example, the depth of rocker in a board, will change over its life.

SeanAUS120
QLD, 720 posts
17 Dec 2007 1:48PM
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In my years of windsurfing I've seen quite a lot of bent masts. Only in 100% carbon race masts however.

I'd mainly blame it on the high downhaul loads and warm weather down this way. Usually, if you pull a mast out at the end of the day its a little bent (its always at the ferrule, if it were anywhere else on the mast I would never use it again!) then take it home, put it in the cool garage and when you go sailing next time and the mast has cooled down you'll notice the bend won't be as pronounced.

For the guys who sail a lot, we used to rotate the masts everyday we sailed them so that you wouldn't be bending them in the same direction everytime you rigged the sail.

The best thing to combat this is keep your rigged sail in the shade even if you're just on the beach for 2 mins changing a fin. The hot sun really plays a roll in your mast pre-bending ;)

One day they'll make masts out of double-bias carbon. They'll cost $3000 but you'll be able to keep your mast for 23 years.

mr love
VIC, 2294 posts
17 Dec 2007 3:14PM
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Totally disagree Muzza about carbon masts not bending. I , like Sean ,have seen heaps of bent 100% carbon masts .Leave it in the sun under downhaul load and see what happens !! Rig it against the bend the next day and it generally comes out to an extent . But they do bend !!!!
If its got noticable cracks it,s a time bomb , get a new one .
Regards Martin

Haircut
QLD, 6480 posts
17 Dec 2007 11:09PM
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agree with mrlove - some masts get an even bend in them along their entire length after being rigged for a whole day and left in hot sun. in most cases it's nothing to worry about.

some fiberspar quicktip masts developed cracks near the ferrule running around the mast on the bottom half of the mast, even after only a week of use. This too seems common and the mast will still last the average sailor at least another season. I've had two that did this within a week of purchase and they lasted nearly 3 years

but if your concerned about it and the mast is under warranty, like the others said, take it back

monster
TAS, 495 posts
18 Dec 2007 12:29AM
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has any one played with mast back bone ,its not a brand of mast im talking its were any tapering tube made on a mandrel no matter what its made out of has one spot that it likes to bend and opposit spot were it donst like to bend , i used to build custom fishing rods from fly fishing to game rods ill play with my mast tomorrow to see

silvec01
WA, 638 posts
17 Dec 2007 11:32PM
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Lets cut the rubbish as i understand it.

Masts are made out of carbon fibres held together by resin.
if u leave a mast under tension in the sun the resin softens and the carbon fibres creap. leaving your mast bent. This is common and normal. Many masts straighten themselves out over time. hence the reason for the bags
It happens with the 100% carbon masts more mainly because of the increase in tension applied to them and the lower amount of resin in them.


What I believe Al is talking about is a crack in the aluminuim ferule. This is usually a vertical crack. (am i correct.)
This is not normal. This happens due to corrosion and the way that the ferule tapers out wards. As tension is applied, the aluminium ferule is stretched leading to this crack. It will only worsen over time.


Help this helps

Chad

Al McLeod
VIC, 633 posts
18 Dec 2007 11:12PM
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no the mast doesnt have an alu ferrule. it is a north race mast and for some reason they have a bit of plastic at the base of the ferrule which is what has cracked.

monster
TAS, 495 posts
18 Dec 2007 11:34PM
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i lubed ferals on all my masts today marked with a line down the join then downhauled, both top and bottom sections moved so mast do have a back bone , concusion keep ferals clean

Al McLeod
VIC, 633 posts
19 Dec 2007 3:16PM
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tried rigging the sail today and the ferrule broke. thanks for the help.

Muzza12
NSW, 546 posts
19 Dec 2007 3:27PM
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I rest my case!

mr love
VIC, 2294 posts
19 Dec 2007 3:56PM
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So the time bomb went off !!!!!



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"bent race mast" started by Al McLeod