Equipment tips & Settings forum page

^^^I second that motion

Sounds like a great idea to me!

Here's a starter (just to be sure Laurie gets the idea):

Masts by Peterman
www.peterman.dk/windsurf-mast-article-gb01.htm

Why worry about masts?
The season has just started, and some of us are considering a new sail or a new mast. However, most of us can't afford to buy everything at the same time, and consequently we are facing problems with mixing new and old (or old and old!) equipment in a new way. "Can I buy a used Severne 520 race mast, shorten it and use it with my new Neil Pryde RS6 7.8?" - "Can I buy a new Maui Sails TR2 and use it together with my Neil Pryde X6 mast?" - "I've got an old Fiberspar Reflex 6000; can I use it with my new Gun sail?" ...etc.

Another reason for having a closer look at the questions on masts, is that as usual at this time of the year the companies are pretty busy using their internet sites and foras for spreading fogs (or perhaps mis-information?) about their products. All in a not especially helpful attemt to tell us that not only are their masts best for their own sails - but also the sails from the competiters can benifit from their masts. And furthermore also once in a while to convince us, that it is not a good idea to shorten or to lengthen our old masts in an attemt to get a result, that you (according to the masts producers) can only achieve in buying an all new mast in the right length.

Below you'll find some guidelines for choosing masts and for modifications on masts. Trying not to make things too complicated, lots of interesting discussions are not persued. Nothing else mentioned we are talking about the most expensive (race) masts.

N.B.: There has been a lot of arguing about "demonisation" in this country for the last months - and the following shall not be misinterpreted as an attempt to "demonise" the mast companies. However, it is evident that there are at least different (perceived?) interests between the consumers and the mast producers. That these differences are not real, we can only hope for the industri to realize soon.

..... to be continued

The most used method of mast measuring (IMCS).

Currently one method of mast measuring is commonly accepted - and that's the so called IMCS (Index Mast Check System). If you IMCS-test a mast, you simply support the mast at the ends, and the you hang a 30 kg weight from the midpoint of the mast. Then you measure 2 things:

Stiffness.
Measuring how much the mast deflects related to the length, you have a figure for the stiffness of the mast. When a mast is imprinted with say IMCS 32, it is the stiffness that are referred to. The bigger the number, the more the stiffness.

Bend Curve.
If you measure how much the mast deflects at the 1/4 point of the mast, at the midpoint, and at the 3/4 point you get some figures telling of the way the mast are bending under load (called bend curve or bend characteristics). If we for instance say that a mast deflects 13 cm at the 1/4 point, 20 cm at the midpoint, and 15 cm at the 3/4 point, you find your calculator and do as follows:
First you calculate how much the mast deflects at the 1/4 point in % from the deflection at the midpoint. In our example it's (13 x 100 / 20) = 65 %.
Next you do the same calculation for the 3/4 point - that is the deflection of the mast at the 3/4 point in % from the deflection at the midpoint. The calculation is (15 x 100 / 20) = 75 %.
Now all you have to do, is to subtract the two figures - that's 75 % minus 65 % = 10. To be correct, the denomination is not 10 % but 10 %-points. Anyway, you say that the mast has the bend curve of 10 *).
To make it easier to understand the bend curve figure you can translate the figures to these IMCS terms:

0 - 6: Hard top.
7 - 9: Hard top - constant curve.
10 - 12: Constant curve.
13 - 15: Constant curve - flex top.
16 - 18: Flex top.
19 - 21: Flex top - super flex top
22 - : Super flex top.

..... to be continued

I think its a great idea, get on it!

+1

Wineman, you should know that what we all really want is a tutorial on how to get a 2 piece mast separated

If you don't think it's a good idea just say so have a quick squiz around the windsurfing forums and you'll see questions on equipment popping up all over the place.
The idea is so people with similar equipment can ask what kind of setup other guys are using, tuning tips, fins, mast track position footstrap placement,board repairs etc

C'mon Choco, that's what I'm sayin'.
I keep bumping adding to mast article because I had to trawl thru all forums to find the right stuff when I had a mast issue come up. Frustrating when search doesn't give the result you want.

Maybe Laurie will may eventually give an answer.

7 in favour (or there abouts) so far .. nobody against yet another category?

im in favour.

rarely look at gear review personallu but am always looking for tuning tips.

There's a surprise......Barnsey disagrees!

Onya Laurie

If is does happen Barn, make sure you don't post in it, sounds like the choice will be too confusing for you

As I said above, if people persist in posting stuff in the wrong forum, ie asking about what boom to buy in the Gear Review forum, creating a new forum is going to increase the diffusion of information.

If we want a central repositry of information that can be moderated such as I think Roo's excellent guide to board set up, then a wiki is the go. Forums are better suited to discussion rather than recording information for posperity. Even if you make a thread sticky at the top it tends to fill with irrelevant posts.

So when the Equipment tips and Settings forums starts to fill with "What boom to buy" threads, what will the difference be?

Anyway this is an excellent discussion.

That's why I suggested sticky topics a few times.

At least for how to get a stuck mast apart, what should I buy as a beginner , a sail rigging tutorial, etc.
The response was that is in the articles section but still requires a search and people new to the site don't know about the articles