It is with a heavy heart that I write this.
not because tomorrow I leave Maui after 23 days but because I leave behind my Neil Pryde x9 combat 400 skinny wave mast.
After 7 years and countless sails both locally and to such destinations as Mauritius, Maui, Geraldton, Green Head, Gnaraloo, Lancelin, Wedge Island, Seal island, Cervantes, Gerroa, Nobbies, Birubi, Samurai and a fair few other places in between, my 400 carbon wave mast finally gave up the ghost.
ive kooked My dfair share of waves... way more than I have made, been rag dolled and sent through the full wash cycle too many times to remember and the x9 was always there afterwards, prone and ready to go again.
Maybe it was one too many bumps in the garage, one too many drops into the back of the ute or one too many bounces by the bag snatchers at airports while traveling, or maybe the hot Maui sun... But after leaving my sail rigged one night it awoke to find the mast broken in 2 spots around 400mm either side of the join.
i realise nothing lasts forever but after 7 years I kind of got used to it always being there.
dont get me wrong, I'm not complaining that it broke, more to the point I'm remarking on how long it has survived given the harsh treatment it has been exposed to
A fitting end would have been to bury it on the ridge above Hookipa instead of being discarded like household waste into the dumpster next to where we have been staying.
ill need to do some calculations to determine cost vs use but if you were to ask me if I thought I got value for money the answer would be an undisputed 'definitely'
Will I be getting another skinny... For sure
will I be getting another carbon mast... Without doubt
do I think I got value for money... Unquestionably
Goodbye old friend, Rest In Pieces
One of those coconuts probably fell on it apparently they kill more people then sharks. Consider yourself lucky.. At least you didn't end up on the rocks.
