Are the ferrules on masts a generic size?
I have only had fibrespar masts and was wondering if you can mix and match different brand masts. I recall a thread a few months back regarding a UK magazine that was mix and matching masts in a test with interesting results. I have tried searching it however could not find anything.
Does any one know of any shops/brands besides Surf sail australia & ezzy masts that sell mast halves seperately?
thanks.
Sorry mabbott, cannot give any advice, but can further deepen the question
I do know some SDM's are diff diameter sizes and some random RDM's are diff diameters too.
Do Loft skinny masts of diff sizes connect together okay (safe, no damage etc), thinking of gettin a 400 to go with a 460, which should make approx. 430 too, right?
p.s. Mabbott, should go for a sail when we finally get some wind mate
Dism , probably not a good idea to mix a 400 with a 460. reasons...
1 - The ferrule may not be exactly in the middle therefore it may not be the length you expect
2 - Its gonna mess up ur IMCS number just because a 400 is about 19 and a 460 is 25 doesnt mean ur makeshift 430 is gonna be the required 21. could be too soft at the bottom or too hard and ur sail probably wont set right.
Mabbot , The ferrules on masts are NOT a generic size.
sometimes they're even different between alternative models of the same brand.
EZZY masts that you can buy each half individually are the only one that i know of that u can mix and match and i think its only for the skinnies.
Its so that if you bust one half, usually the bottom you dont have to go out and buy a whole new mast , just the half you broke - good idea really.
Correct me if im wrong and i hope that this helps - sorry for the bad news but it looks like ur gonna have to buy a new mast 
I have used a 400 NP X3 bottom with a 430 top (bottom section broken)
Sail set differently (for reasons Maverick explained) but worked ok with a different downhaul setting. Mast ferrule was not as snug a fit but ok.
Powerex is another brand where tops and bottoms can be bought separately and masts of the same model have a common ferrule size. As a matter of fact I am currently using a PowerexWave SDM 430 bottom with a 400 top in one particular 5.8, specifically to get a more flextop curve.
Suck it and see...
My Loft Blade 6.8 needs a luff length of 464cm (I think, it's around that).
So if you use a 460 you can't get the extension small enough, but if you use a 430 you need 34 cm of extension which I don't have.
So I tried a 430 powerex bottom and an Ezzy 460 top, it works fine.
I also tried a 460 Ezzy bottom with a 430 Powerex top.
I couldn't tell the difference...
Thanks for the info, my mast is still fine. Just toying with the idea when I upgrade, ie buy 3 sections and have the benefit of two masts.
are there any shops on the eastcoast that sell powerex halves. Checked on the net however only show full masts.
Not too sure on the shops mate,
But im pretty sure its only the powerex RDMs that you can mix and match,
If you dont use or plan to use any sails with cams , why not trade your good loft mast in on a set of Powerex RDMS say a 460 and a 400?
Basically you can only mix and match mast halves of the same brand same model and same Carbon content.
Good luck
Yer the Powerex RDM's are mix and match, i know a few guys running the 430 bottom with a 400 top, they also mixed it up with previous years as well as the new model which has just come out in the last few months.
The 85% is pretty much the only model available without special ordering so carbon content mixing won't be a problem.
Availability? Most shops on the east coast can get hold of them or halves..
