Mast-ology
Probably things most of you all ready know but, just in case:
First a very good mast primer with a few amazing photographs of what a mast must endure:
boards.co.uk/features/masts-what-does-it...#PuSz62vlq2CGXoCq.97
A good attempt to compare different masts was made by Unifiber and has been updated for the past few years. For example, the production MauiSails (MS) mast into 2013 was considered a Constant Curve (CC) mast but with the stiffest CC head in the industry (see 2012 chart:
www.unifiber.net/2012/mast-selector). However, going into 2013 -2014, they softened it up a bit (see 2014 chart):
www.unifiber.net/2014/mast-selector
The newer MS masts are more in line with standard CC masts albeit still leaning to a stiffer top. The description of the changes on the MS website summarizes the changes very well:
www.mauisails.com/masts.php. And, reading the sail performance reviews for MS sails the past few years It appears to be a positive evolution of their already great sails.
There are a lot of benefits to a slightly stiffer or, softer mast. All depends on the application and the shape/dynamics of the sail ............. I may be off with this but consider someone that enjoys lifting a rig off the water. Well, a stiffer mast in the head will help keep the foil shape up high under load and, up you go.
Now if you like to race and stay close to the water with a low center of effort propelling you forward on a loaded up fin (rather than going up......) here, a softer mast in the head will twist the head of the sail in a gust which, will pull on the leech of the sail effectively lowering the pocket of the sail and, deepening the draft lower in the sail (ever notice some slalom/race sails sometimes have two battens below the boom?). This makes you go faster in the gusts and, helps transfer the pull on the top of the sail to a lower and more forward center of force. Too stiff a mast for this may otherwise result in an occasional catapult or, 'twisting' you off your rig out of control (e.g., when you have to push the mast away with your forward arm..... with all ya got, or else.... ). This is especially true when rigging a race sail two sizes too large and putting fifty pounds of lead in your vest
(?????) to help hold the rig down...... least I digress........
Hmmmmm??? Can a fiber mast be repaired? The broken masts make very nice Wind chimes. Just cut the broken pieces into various lengths. NOTE: Be extremely careful with the 'carbon fiber' shards and dust. Carbon fiber is brittle and can hardly be pulled with tweezers without shattering in your skin. And, the dust if breathed in cannot be absorbed by the body could lead to lung issues and emphysema.... bad juju....
