Used Masts

chophop · Joined: 16 Apr 1996 Posts: 230

wet sand it with 400 grit paper before using a carbon mast as dildo! Shocked

jam-1 · Joined: 23 Mar 1999 Posts: 81 Location: Redwood City

Lot of stress on a mast and boom, carbon apparently is weakened by sunlight as well?
As others have said, who used it first is just as important as who manufactured the mast (IMO). There are people that I would NOT buy used gear from, because I know how they treat their gear on and off the water.

Nothing worse than not having confidence in your gear. If you are questioning it, sounds like you are wary of used masts. Maybe worth a little more money to have peace of mind?

Hope you find the right solution!

GURGLETROUSERS · Joined: 30 Dec 2009 Posts: 2643

Not so sure about the sunlight thing?

Carbon fibre is extensively used in Airbus aircraft which fly pretty high up into the sunlight, above much of the atmosphere's protection. Neil Pryde high carbon content racing masts used to be prone to snapping if left rigged and stressed, in the sunlight. But that may have been more a reflection on Pryde construction, than the material itself.

I use a 12 year old carbon Gorilla kayak paddle which has had all kinds of abuse hurled at it. (Rock bashes, surf, stuck in car in hot sunlight etc.) But it doesn't seem to want to explode and give me an excuse to buy a shiny new one.

Also, carbon bikes seem to be unaffected by either heat (sunlight) or cold (Snow). It's interesting that the experts are sometimes at odds on the subject of durability. Many peoples experience with carbon is that it lasts a long time. But buy NEW, not pre-used!

coachg · Joined: 10 Sep 2000 Posts: 3550

You can be pretty sure of the sunlight thing. I have seen way too many masts explode sitting in the hot sun. It is not the carbon that fails, but the epoxy that softens up in the sun. Those Airbus wings use a totally different curing process than they do for our masts. Increasing the sunlight durability of masts to match the Airbus wings would push the costs of already expensive masts out of reach for most people I'm guessing.

Coachg

techno900 · Joined: 28 Mar 2001 Posts: 4161

Exploding masts were pretty common with big formula sails, but mostly in the early years of formula. Neil Pryde was the worst, but all brands broke if left in the sun on hot days. Not all of the masts broke, but way too many. Now, most manufactures have beefed them up, added a little weight, and now they are much more dependable.

Formula sailors/racers with multiple sails rigged usually keep them covered on the beach, or at least one could wet down the luff if you didn't have a cover.

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

That's why Fiberspar was commonly called Fibersnap (or my concoction, Feeblespar). One way around the problem is a uv-blocking layer applied to last at the factory, whether it's something exotic or simply a durable paint. My Powerexes would begin to splinter in the boom cutout, which is BAD in two ways: It's gonna snap soon and carbon splinters in your skin are NASTY.