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SmileNow



Joined: 16 Jul 2013
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Tue Jul 16, 2013 9:13 pm    Post subject: Question about Gear Reply with quote

Hello,

I'm new to windsurfing. I got a 15 foot mast and a 4.2M sail. My friend's dad helped me put my board together and it turned out that the boom was way to high up. He said that I need either a bigger sail or a smaller mast. How big of a sail is best for a 15 foot mast? Thank you.
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U2U2U2



Joined: 06 Jul 2001
Posts: 5467
Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado

PostPosted: Tue Jul 16, 2013 9:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

SN

the boom is adjustable to height ON THE MAST , given the extra re -reinforcement areas on the mast, so... something is wrong with your dissertation.

the mast is 457.2 cm,, most of dimensions are in CM so EURO rather than US Inches//Feet,, a typical sail that would fit a 460 cm mast is 6.5 meters, read typical.

you also have the MAST extension to consider,(its the bit that slides into the mast and then attaches to the board, which could be extended to make your mast longer, to accept even larger sails.

depending on if the 4.2m sail has an adjustable HEAD, it could possibly still fit the mast. Please quote the specs; on the sail : luff specifically and if it has an adjustable head.

Your friend DAD may be right and some terminology is wrong, the boom is adjustable within the opening of the mast sleeve of the sail, doesn;t really relate to sail size/mast size

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SmileNow



Joined: 16 Jul 2013
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 2:10 am    Post subject: Mast to Sail Ratio Reply with quote

I measured the luff and it came out to be 413cm. On the sail the range that is imprinted says 425cm-465cm. I don't think it has an adjustable head.
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boardsurfr



Joined: 23 Aug 2001
Posts: 1266

PostPosted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 7:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A sail with a 413 cm luff would be typically be rigged on a 400 cm mast. If you try to rig it on your 450 cm mast, there will be a big gap at the bottom (between the extension pulleys and the pulley or grommet on the sail). The boom will also be much too high, even if you put it at the bottom of the cut out.

SmileNow wrote:
On the sail the range that is imprinted says 425cm-465cm.

The big range would indicate that it has an adjustable head. With a fixed head, it would show just a single number or a much smaller range (like 425-427 cm). I'd suggest you take pictures of the specifications on the sail and the sail head, and post them here.
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skyking1231



Joined: 10 Jul 2000
Posts: 280

PostPosted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 8:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

is there a strap at the head of the sail (top of sail). On a mast that long you will need to adjust that so that the bottom (foot) of the sail is near the end of the mast.
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U2U2U2



Joined: 06 Jul 2001
Posts: 5467
Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado

PostPosted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 9:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

the MAST is too long for that sail.

It may be possible to rig it, where it would actually sail but, but not very well.

This IMO is even more critical for a beginner.

a. get sail to fit mast

b. get mast to fit sail

C. more ?? WHAT is the brand of mast ? What is the sail brand and which one ?

what board does this go on ?

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windoggi



Joined: 22 Feb 2002
Posts: 2743

PostPosted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 10:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would suggest that you try to find someone already experienced with sailing and have them help you face to face. There are too many details involved and trying to resolve them here may discourage you from moving forward. Correct rigging is very important and will be one of the keys to learning. The main thing is to learn correctly, because there's a world of fun and thrills awaiting you. Welcome to our addiction!
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U2U2U2



Joined: 06 Jul 2001
Posts: 5467
Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado

PostPosted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 10:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

the K9 breeze has a very good point


but if not...... perhaps we could ship one of our experts for ahouse //lake

call .

Where are you ?

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d0uglass



Joined: 28 May 2004
Posts: 1286
Location: Bonita Springs, Florida

PostPosted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 3:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome to windsurfing!

Boom height is supposed to be adjustable for any sized grownup. If your friend's dad put the boom as low as it could go and it was still too high it either means you're really short, or something is making the whole sail too high, such as excess mast sticking down beyond the bottom of the sail. There's not supposed to be any mast sticking out the bottom of the sail so if there is it means at least one of these things:

1. Your mast is too long for the sail- get a shorter mast or a bigger sail.
2. The mast base extension is set too long- adjust it to be shorter.
3. The downhaul line isn't pulled as tight as it should be so the sail isn't fully scootched down onto the mast.
4. The adjustable masthead cap (if there is one) needs to be extended to let more mast stick out past the top of the sail.

I would need to see a picture to know for sure, but it sounds like your 4.2 does not have an adjustable masthead cap. Adjustable head caps were common in the 80s and early 90s when people often used a 460 cm mast for every size sail. But then they started making sails more specialized to certain sized masts, so they took away the adjustable head caps and forced you to buy smaller masts for your small sails.

-James

btw- My sails are 3.5, 4.5. 5.5, 6.8, 8.0, and 9.5 and my masts are 400, 430, and 490.

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joe_windsurfxxx



Joined: 29 Jun 2008
Posts: 67

PostPosted: Thu Jul 18, 2013 4:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

i have a 458 cm epoxy/fiber mast that i use with a North Zeta 4.x sail
the head cap is ALL the way out and the mast extension is at zero
i can set the boom height for 13 yo kids

so, the suggestions made here all apply and you should be able to move the boom somewhere workable

GOOD LUCK
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