Where to get a custom carbon mast?

Really funny to see my talking points being expressed by my greatest opponents.

I guess I was just too much ahead of my time when I was rediculed for expressing such views.

Wouter

Well I can't say that they are that durable. I broke one at Nationals in Tybee one year. I was surfing down a wave and slammed into the wave in front. My crew blew the chute but the stress of the stop was too much and the mast snapped. I wasn't too pleased about it since I had chartered the boat.

Anyway I picked up and stepped that F16 blade mast and was amazed at how light that aluminum mast was. I could almost pick it up and step it like a laser.

I don't want to go back to a 60lbs mast. That wouldn't be acceptable in my book. Stepping my P19, H20, and N6.0 masts were a beast.

Mike Hill

The i20 mast shape could be improved as well, a pear shape is fatter than a true wing shape, so it you make a mast in a wing shape its going to have less surface area and less material, (alum or carbon) so it will be lighter in that regard. Its also going to be stiffer by nature, more material in the fore/aft axis.
If the i20 class does go to Forte, they should demand a true wing mast shape, dont go with the T section he's using now.

I'm a fan of the Forte stuff, its durable and less expensive. A $1000 wing mast secion would be awesome, think about a second mast for you Acat to go out in a blow, or to use when its windy, make it stffer. Anyway a Forte wing mast would be a good thing.

Bill

Yeah, your's sucked but it was the only boat-standing breakage I've ever seen on an I20 stick though.

Well since the question became (and sorry about the hijack)

how to keep costs down so the class survives

then we need to examine how to keep the class alive as it relates to the mast.

I don't think that changing the mast drastically would promote class health. If huge performance gains are made by changing the stick, you've obsoleted every used boat out there until it goes to the new stick.

Wouter,
We are all aware of the pro/cons of carbon vs aluminum. You dont have to remind us.

I dont think an aluminum i20 mast would be lighter than the current carbon one, it will be less expensive, but probably heavier. The wall thickness on the i20 mast is pretty thin, so its not like they are over engineering them.

If they use a domestic supplier, go with a wing mast, they will use less material and the mast will be better and cheaper.

Bill

My point was that if you are going to change, make it a wing mast.

Here's a kick in the face.... M20 mast? 9k!!

I asked Jim Young back in October a/b putting that stick on the I20. His reply,

nah we're not going to do it b/c the carbon masts stand up to the crazy stuff you all do on the 20's better.

Next thing I know two months later the rumors a/b an Al mast start flying.

I have no problems so long as the performance hit is negligeble... I think most people would feel the same way. The newer alloys and shapes could provide us with a mast that might sacrifice a couple of pounds but save us a few more in the pocket book. A new one will however probably obsolete the older mains but that's already been done with the recent spreader change.

I've done some CRAZY stuff with an I20 and never had a rig fail but I've seen a couple go. We were right behind Mark Murry when they broke their mast in the '02 W1k. It broke in a gust when they let the main go. Also saw one in Tampa at Hobie Midwinters East WAY back when the boat first came out. Was blowing 30 and I think someone eased the main in a gust... POP!! I've been to hell and back under those sticks... take care of keeping proper structure and not whipping it too hard and it will hold up for quite a while.

G'day Bill I understand the alloy being stronger in a wingmast without much mast rotation but doesnt it bend excessively if you've got a fair bit of rotation and main on hard? I had heard that the main benefit of carbon was its quick snap back into position after a gust etc would the new alloys match that?
regards

mark is a good [censored]. spent a long time working with him.

<img src=

alt=

/>Nice to see him getting a good review! Most of our time together has been drinking, and talking about sailing, and boats.

well, there was a fair bit of that as well.

Jeff,
I dont have a clue if alloys

snap back faster after a gust

Bill