After a recent experience in shore break during which my carbon extension snapped (instead of my mast, when the tip stuck in the sand underwater) it occurred to me that a breakaway extension is desirable...better that snap than the much more expensive mast (which may go on to tear up the sail). I'm contemplating replacing my aluminum extensions with all carbon as I'm spending more time in the waves.
Has anyone found their carbon extensions to break too easily?
blogging about carbon extensions in waves:
www.peconicpuffin.com/the_peconic_puffin/2009/02/carbon-extensions-as-breakaway-mast-savers.html
But then, if you break your extension far from the shore; you loose your mast, your sail, your boom, and more importantly; your harness lines.
A good old powerex mast seems to be the solution!!
Have snapped a couple of carbon extensions recently and wouldn't recommend it. Getting kit out of the break after is a pain in the ass and I was lucky not to break something else as a result. I'm back on the aluminium.
can't beat my trusty piece of scaffolding tube never breaks.
Unless used for scaffolding in vico
i once built an extension out of stainless steel. seemd like i was onto a winner until i realised it weighed more than the rest of the rig put together. 
stainless is a verry unforgiving metal unfortunatly resulting in the high nikel content and no existand iorn.ore content
if u use stainless u have will have t change your cutting tool angles else your wasing ur time and ll end up chattering insted of cutting - tool diflection
the tolleence on your ,ask havr brrn dictated by engineers and if your mast is stuck ul find that that particles have enterd your join thus reducing the clearence of yout size/size fit
