can a carbon fibre mast really be repaired? and if it can be repaired will it hold up well or should it be used for backup just get a new one

You know the answer to that question ! Pete

Pretty open question. What kind of damage are we taling here, chip in the paint, snapped in half, or somewhere in between?

Any composite can be repaired, but if you broke your mast in half, you better have the right tools and knowhow to put it back together.

sm

I am guessing that half the A-class fleet has sailed on a repaired mast before. It is not really that big of a deal to fix a broken one unless the damaged area gets pretty big.

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Greenville SC

Offering sails and other go fast parts for A-class catamarans
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With Bacho on that one, I have repaired mast and a quite a few more do as well.
Not a tough repair just gotta know the techniques.

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Cesar (Cez) S.
Hobie 16 (had a few)
Nacra 5.2 "Hull Yeah"
Vectorworks XJ - A class (not named yet)
West Michigan (Grand Rapids/Holland Area)
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Another vote for not that difficult, and no special tools needed typically. The one I did recently was from a Musto Skiff that had blown over on shore, the mast was completely broken but for some fibers remaining on the compression side of the break.

Depends on where the break was and who is doing the repair. Any mast can be repaired but will the bend characteristics stay the same? There are only 4 or 5 people I trust to do the repair and not change the characteristics drastically. If your not racing it is less critical.