Hi Everyone,
Please help me out, I am a newbie just trying to learn a bit more about the viper as I am looking to move into one in the future, but am confused about a few things. I think I may have received some bad information along the way.
Is the Carbon mast one continuous piece or is it in multiple pieces to facilitate easier transport. This question came up because I thought it was a one piece tube, but have heard from several places that it is able to be disassembled into 2 or 3 pieces.
Please set me straight. Thanks in advance for the help.
Cheers,
Warren
The carbon mast is made of three pieces. Two sections of straight tube and a tapered top piece.
The top pice comes permanently glued on so in all reality the mast comes as two pieces.
The earlier carbon Viper masts were glued together on initial set up as this was thought necessarry. Now the two pieces are held together with a set screw for easier transportation if needed. No glue required.
Also, when putting the two halves of the mast together, it's important to make sure the halyards aren't twisted internally.
Basically the two halves fit together like a Laser mast.
Quote from: Warren Richter on February 16, 2011, 05:50:04 PM
Hi Everyone,
Please help me out, I am a newbie just trying to learn a bit more about the viper as I am looking to move into one in the future, but am confused about a few things. I think I may have received some bad information along the way.
Is the Carbon mast one continuous piece or is it in multiple pieces to facilitate easier transport. This question came up because I thought it was a one piece tube, but have heard from several places that it is able to be disassembled into 2 or 3 pieces.
Please set me straight. Thanks in advance for the help.
Cheers,
Warren
I strongly recommend permanently putting the two mast sections together so in reality most people have masts permanently in one piece.
Quote from: Lee Shuckerow on February 17, 2011, 12:18:15 PM
I strongly recommend permanently putting the two mast sections together so in reality most people have masts permanently in one piece.
Lee,
As someone who just got a mast and hasn't glued it yet, what's the reason for your recommendation?
Reason not to glue is of course ease of transport (inside of the boat under the cover). Reason to glue is to avoid halyard twists. I can handle the twists, and the transport issue is a real convenience when it comes to road wear and tear and to a lesser extent safety.
What else what might be of concern?
Cheers
My first mast (upgrading an older boat to carbon) came glued. My next mast (on a new Rondar boat) came unglued (a bit like me).
I find the glued combo better.
(1) Easier and quicker for travel. Drop mast, put it on mast racks on my tie down bar and trailer. Depart! - No fooling around separating the two halves, careful with the halyards and trying to lash down in the boat. Personal preference but I find it easier to travel with mast in one piece. I LOVE the mast cover that Rondar supplies. I'm not a big fan of their other covers but the mast cover is the biz.
(2) Some say that glued mast is a bit sturdier. No risk of movement when under inflection.....not sure about that.
Advantage of unglued mast is that it is easier to store in the off season. It takes a big part of my garage.
I use the mast in two pieces. I think it beats the crap out of the mast to have it bounce for thousands of miles and it sure costs me $$ on mileage.
I separate the mast into two halves, put it into the mast cover ( I agree with Justin...this is da BOMB) and tie it into the boat. Travels very easy.
There's no performance increase on a one-piece mast. Just ask the RC44 guys :-)).
I can see no reason to glue the two halves. The mast is designed with the scarf section in it so there should not be any issue with the bend characteristics. What other reason is there to glue it?
When we broke our mast last year we were told that it was partially because it was not glued. So when we got the new one we glued it like we were told to. I still feel that it was a spreader breakdown but what do I know....
Brad
Quote from: Brad Boston on February 18, 2011, 08:52:14 AM
When we broke our mast last year we were told that it was partially because it was not glued. So when we got the new one we glued it like we were told to. I still feel that it was a spreader breakdown but what do I know....
Brad
I also believe the spreader broke as well. And the way the mast top section split like a zipper on the front it is very clear to me being glued would have made that whole section quite a bit stronger.i have put in several requests for information about it but had no reply so we glued the mast when we got it. i didn't really want to get into it in this forum so we could move the discussion if we want. I had some other questions about the mast warranty as well.
I was less than clear on my previous post. While I don't believe there is a performance increase in gluing, there is certainly an increase in durability. Just makes it bomber.
I'll still keep mine in two pieces though as I travel so much that it just makes sense to me. Everything's a compromise.
Who told you guys that it was partly to do with not being glued? I really question whether gluing make it more durable or creates a hard spot in the bend of the rig. Was the rig designed to be sailed glued or unglued. That is the question.
Only one answer to that and it needs to be a Super Spar answer not what Rondar thinks.
Glued mast + Crew Unglued = We are the Mambo Kings!
Dont think it matters with the mast and cant seem to do much about the crew.
As long as your track stays on.... We had to fix another this weekend.
Figured this is a good a thread as any.
I just acquired #92. It has a carbon mast and appears for have been glued together.
however I don't have a mast bag for it. Any recommendations?
http://www.apsltd.com/c-6094-viper-640-boat-covers-mast-bags.aspx
There is two flavors here - Sounds like the carbon one is for use with an unglued mast.
Can I use the Aluminum version for a glued Carbon mast?
Brian
Yes.... if you have access to a sewing machine you could make your own for mabye $50 in cloth.
Quote from: Brian Barmmer on March 01, 2011, 02:45:30 PM
Figured this is a good a thread as any.
I just acquired #92. It has a carbon mast and appears for have been glued together.
however I don't have a mast bag for it. Any recommendations?
http://www.apsltd.com/c-6094-viper-640-boat-covers-mast-bags.aspx
There is two flavors here - Sounds like the carbon one is for use with an unglued mast.
Can I use the Aluminum version for a glued Carbon mast?
Brian
There's also good old Service Canvas. I'd buy their heavier older style one. Google or check the links page on the class site.
Quote from: Brian Barmmer on March 01, 2011, 02:45:30 PM
I just acquired #92. It has a carbon mast and appears for have been glued together.
however I don't have a mast bag for it. Any recommendations?
one word: PAINT.
I got mine painted last year and I couldn't be more happy. It protects the mast 24x7, even while out racing or sitting at the club with the mast up, and it looks great. I expect once carbon gets past being exotic and "cool looking" that all carbon masts will come painted from the factory - and it won't be a day too soon.
Kelly Bechard made me a really nice cover. Very good price as well.
You can PM her on here.
I would also like Rondar's ( or SuperSpars) stand on the glueing thing. If I ever get mine delivered I would like to know what is best. I bought mine in July and doubt that I will ever see it.
You need to get Super Spars stand on this question. It is their product and therefore the answer should be from them.
Just out of interest, when was the original delivery date and what is your current expected date?
Quote from: Michael Gravitt on March 07, 2011, 04:29:40 AM
I would also like Rondar's ( or SuperSpars) stand on the glueing thing. If I ever get mine delivered I would like to know what is best. I bought mine in July and doubt that I will ever see it.
OHHHH NOOOO! That doesn't make me feel very good. I have one ordered but much more recently.
What is the reason for the hold up on masts?
Dan Tucker and Dave Nickerson are working on the mast supply issue for the class. If you're having problems getting a mast, you need to let them know so they can tell the real scope of the problem.
Quote from: Darren Gilbert on March 07, 2011, 09:00:25 AM
Quote from: Michael Gravitt on March 07, 2011, 04:29:40 AM
I would also like Rondar's ( or SuperSpars) stand on the glueing thing. If I ever get mine delivered I would like to know what is best. I bought mine in July and doubt that I will ever see it.
OHHHH NOOOO! That doesn't make me feel very good. I have one ordered but much more recently.
What is the reason for the hold up on masts?
Thank you Jay. I have been in contact with both Claire from Rondar and Paul Zimmerman, but I will let Dan and Dave know that I am in the process of trying to get a rig.
Darren
Quote from: Jay Harrell on March 07, 2011, 11:01:00 AM
Dan Tucker and Dave Nickerson are working on the mast supply issue for the class. If you're having problems getting a mast, you need to let them know so they can tell the real scope of the problem.
Quote from: Darren Gilbert on March 07, 2011, 09:00:25 AM
Quote from: Michael Gravitt on March 07, 2011, 04:29:40 AM
I would also like Rondar's ( or SuperSpars) stand on the glueing thing. If I ever get mine delivered I would like to know what is best. I bought mine in July and doubt that I will ever see it.
OHHHH NOOOO! That doesn't make me feel very good. I have one ordered but much more recently.
What is the reason for the hold up on masts?
We fully anticipate being caught up on masts by late April.
I'll pass the gluing question onto Paul, though it is a SuperSpar issue.
First I was told in the Fall then I was told on the next shipment. That became March 1st. Now I can't seem to get anyone to respond to me at all. My season starts in April. I have a new main for the carbon rig due any day. When will I get it?
Finally got a response. My mast will be here in April. Amy says ... yea right. Around here my mast has become a big joke to all that don't own a Viper. Literally a PIPE dream.
Michael, thanks for keeping us posted on the process.
I haven't been waiting near as long as you have, but I was advised by Claire that my rig has been 'pencilled' in for the March container leaving next week. But then she went on to say that it's more likely to be on the April container as there probably won't be enough extra rigs for me.
My season starts the end of May, so I hope it works out for me. If I knew it was going to be such a long lead time to get a mast, I would had ordered mine back in October when I bought the boat.
Drew, by late April, do you mean landed in North America by late April, or in the UK to be shipped by late April?
Quote from: Darren Gilbert on March 08, 2011, 09:23:56 AM
Michael, thanks for keeping us posted on the process.
I haven't been waiting near as long as you have, but I was advised by Claire that my rig has been 'pencilled' in for the March container leaving next week. But then she went on to say that it's more likely to be on the April container as there probably won't be enough extra rigs for me.
My season starts the end of May, so I hope it works out for me. If I knew it was going to be such a long lead time to get a mast, I would had ordered mine back in October when I bought the boat.
Drew, by late April, do you mean landed in North America by late April, or in the UK to be shipped by late April?
SuperSpar has stated that we should be fairly caught up in April...I assume later April. This is in England. There are quite a few containers headed to the USA right now. Actually one every 4 weeks through the sailing season. The reps have booked out Rondars Viper production through late June as of today.
i recently ordered a stick that is penciled in for may delivery. hopefully what drew says about delivery comes true. i would also like to know more about the glue/not glue situation. Jay-what kind of paint did you use on the carbon to cover it and what color did you go with?
Quote from: Steve Conger on March 08, 2011, 10:55:34 AM
Jay-what kind of paint did you use on the carbon to cover it and what color did you go with?
I have to admit, I don't know specifically what paint. Anything for painting fiberglass should work, because that's really all it is. We went with black at the urging of the painter. My previous mast was painted white, and I really liked that because it didn't get hot to the touch in the summer, but the black doesn't stand out from all the unpainted masts either.
Awlgrip 'Fleet White' is a good one. They've had it in production for quite awhile should it ever need touch up.
There's an easier 'user applied' paint called Perfection that works will too, though I find it not nearly as effective as Awlgrip.
I hope I'm right on delivery too. SuperSpar keeps overpromising and underdelivering. Claire is just taken to saying 'you're penciled in' as SuperSpar has messed this up repeatedly. Paul Young calls them daily as a little friendly 'reminder' to get stuff delivered to Wiltshire so we can move it along to the USA.
Drew,
Any idea if it would cost any more/less/same to have the rigs shipped directly to North America? For replacements/upgrade rigs, they could be shipped directly to the Rondar reps and then sent out from there.
Thoughts?
Darren
Sorry to turn the original question into something else but I was just told that new boats are taking priority on masts. i paid in full for mine in August. I first was told in the fall, then March, now sometime in April. As long as people are buying boats, we will never get an upgrade mast. I am just about to bag the whole thing. I have installed all hardware, moved the mast step as advised by the rep, and I may never get a mast. The class boasts about helping to develope new boat owners.. I see it is only NEW boat owners.
Very surprised to hear that Michael. Don't give up, it will be worth it when you get the new rig.
What I don't understand is how Super Spars can not catch up. What the hell! These are pretty simple rigs to build, and they can only make 5 or 6 a month? Something isn't right.
Quote from: Michael Gravitt on March 08, 2011, 09:00:04 PM
Sorry to turn the original question into something else but I was just told that new boats are taking priority on masts. i paid in full for mine in August. I first was told in the fall, then March, now sometime in April. As long as people are buying boats, we will never get an upgrade mast. I am just about to bag the whole thing. I have installed all hardware, moved the mast step as advised by the rep, and I may never get a mast. The class boasts about helping to develope new boat owners.. I see it is only NEW boat owners.
Michael,
Have you received more recent news about your mast? Is it not being shipped with the 'March Container'?
Darren
I hate sticking my nose into this stuff as Matt always bites it off ;-) ...but what the hell. I'm just going to tell you what I know or am reasonably sure of. There's much conjecture out there about supply chain issues and I hesitate to speculate on those rumors.
SuperSpar buys tubes from Kilwell in NZ. The tube we use is not one in high demand, so they only have one mandrel. Kilwell is in the fishing pole business, primarily. Kilwell just doesn't crank out as many tubes as we need, as fast as we need them, at the price we need them at. They also must build a pile of them to ship them effectively.
There are other manufacturers of carbon tubes...yes. Several issues arise when we look at a different tube supplier.
1. SuperSpar gets a great deal from Kilwell on the tube...hence it's not a very expensive carbon mast.
2. In order to shift tube builders, we need to go through a lengthy test period to ensure we don't change the mast characteristics.
3. All this has to come to a class vote before any change can happen. Being pissed off at Rondar does little good. Mast supply issues have cost Rondar many issues with good customers and many sales of Vipers. Paul is pissed off too. All he can do is; wait for the class to make a decision on the price point of mast spec so another builder can be secured, vote on it and implement. As you see...not so easy. I do know that Paul has paid thousands out of his own pocket to airfreight masts that easily could have been placed in containers because SuperSpar didn't deliver as promised. He calls them virtually every day.
4. This was all so much easier when only 15-20 boats are sold per year. Production is pacing at 4 boats month right now.
Michael, I'm really sorry about your stick not making the March container. I do believe that Paul is trying to force SuperSpar to get supply up to speed by April (late) as I mentioned.
Your class officers are very aware of this and are crafting a letter to SuperSpar as I type this.
Our options, at this moment are limited by:
- Price
- Preexisting design/spec that muct be matched...ie; tested
- Vote
- Implementation
FWIW...I have been waiting for 4 masts to replace ones that were made incorrectly since last August. Mine aren't shipping in my container leaving today...as SuperSpar promised they would be.
It's a tough road Paul walks....piss off the guy with a stick on order or piss off the guy with a new boat on order.
Darren, to answer your question. Kilwell in NZ doesn't make masts...just tubes. They are airfreighted to England then placed in a container back to the US. Airfreighting a mast box from England runs $845 (to SFO). Not many folks want to spend that kind of money and shipping is not the problem. We have a container leaving Rondar roughly every 4 weeks. The problem is getting SuperSpar to actually deliver the masts to Rondar to put in the box.
I hate to see this turn into another Rondar Bashing so perhaps we can focus our frustration at SuperSpar?
http://www.superspars.com/
Moving forward will require a focused effort from the Tech and Exec committees and they are working on this very issue.
For the record I have recently finished up a two year process converting the U20 class to carbon. I contacted every carbon mast builder in the world. The pricing variance was huge for the specs. Kind of amazed me. The big guys, Hall, Southern and Selden were happy to supply, at a much higher price than anyone else. The little guys were either flakes or unreliable. The biggest advantage the big guys offer is they will stock inventory...albeit at significantly greater price. I think the delta was over $1200 oem cost.
End result...I'm damn near ready to start building masts myself. As Matt said, it's really pretty easy. Our stick is not complicated...just 5 tubes and some bits.
Sorry guys... I hate to vent but the issue is I have no mast. I am borrowing the one I have now (aluminum). I vented before and Paul Z talked me off a ledge. I told him that I thought that new boats were getting priority and he assured me that that was not the case. Now all of a sudden it is a case of new boats taking priority. Just give me a straight answer. I paid in full for the mast in August. Green should hold my place in line. Period. I have a new main on the way. I can't use it with my tin rig. That leaves me with a 13 year old main, new jib gnav gear installed, mast step moved. But no mast. If someone would have told me that I would not be able to get a mast for a year I would have waited. I could have ordered a main for the tin rig and made it through. I would have been better off. Now I have a main that I cannot use and really do not know that I will get a mast this Summer. The way it was spelled out to me ... as long as people are buying new boats I will not get a mast. I understand the supply issue. Someone should have told me. I now hear that someone else ordered a mast and waited a year and finally cancelled the order. I cannot do that because I have a new main. I used to work for a sailmaker and knew better than build a sail for a boat with no mast. I want to apoligize to the class about my rants. I am not blaming the class. I had a great time in NY and everyone tried to help. Brian Bennett brought up an issue about there only being one builder. We as a class need to keep RONDAR honest and look at other builders. We are at there mercy. They can do what they want. The class belongs to the people who race. They have no concern on our issues they just want to sell boats. I understand that but we are the class. The older boats are what kept the class going and they need some attention also. keep the older boats up to speed or lose them.
Quote from: Drew Harper on March 09, 2011, 10:44:41 AM
Darren, to answer your question. Kilwell in NZ doesn't make masts...just tubes. They are airfreighted to England then placed in a container back to the US. Airfreighting a mast box from England runs $845 (to SFO). Not many folks want to spend that kind of money and shipping is not the problem. We have a container leaving Rondar roughly every 4 weeks. The problem is getting SuperSpar to actually deliver the masts to Rondar to put in the box.
Drew, thanks for the reply.
If we are paying the air freight from Australia to UK, and then shareing container shipping to the east coast of the US, can't we get Superspar to Air Freight directly to the US a shipment of multiple masts to be distributed to people waiting for them, and to meet up with hulls coming over from Rondar? I would think this should be around the same cost.
Michael,
I understand your frustration. I really do. Rondar is stuck in the middle of getting a bad rap here. Rondar doesn't build the mast. SuperSpar controls availability. Every builder will need to use the SuperSpar mast until the class votes for another rig supplier. Moving to another builder will only get you mad at that builder when SuperSpar doesn't deliver your mast to them. I can understand being frustrated at Rondar for delaying your boat....but the mast? It's like getting mad at J-boats for delaying your brand new 111 because Hall spars didn't deliver the rig on time. Not J's fault.
I spoke to Paul and he said he already offered to lend you the mast off of #73 until yours is available to ship. Please take him up on that. We will stall selling that boat until you have your mast. It seems to be a good gesture to get through a complicated issue. Please let me know soon if this makes sense as I have a buyer for that boat I need to inform on its availability.
Darren, the cost to ship masts via container is basically free as we have them leaving all the time. Two left this week alone. The issue isn't shipping from England but having them available to ship. The tubes come from New Zealand to England, then need to be made into a mast then shipped. It's only 2 weeks shipping England to the East Coast. We just need SuperSpar to deliver the bloody things to the factory so we can shove them into a box and onto a ship.
I know everyone is frustrated with this. Paul Young is working diligently to resolve this. I might suggest a polite letter to SuperSpar may be appropriate.
Drew thanks for the final answer on what the hell is going on behind the scenes.
It is the not knowing that pisses people off. If people were told that Super Spars had a tube supply issue, I am sure a lot of heart ache would have been avoided.
So basically the problem lies with the tube supplier Kilwell. Now is there an answer from Kilwell on ramping up tube production? I understand there is only one mandrel but surely it can only take a couple of days to make up one tube. How many masts do we get per tube?
Hey Matt...just got off the phone with Paul. This will be all sorted by mid/late April. He's given me his word on this and he is a man of his word, as you know.
He's taken some very proactive steps to ramp this up and to eliminate this issue from all our lives. I can't discuss the details but please know it is being sorted.
Key to this process is full awareness that we are selling lots of boats, Europe is coming online and we will need not dozens, but hundreds of masts coming up.
matt
sorry to hear of your troubles and thanks for sharing your dilemma, because it should help prevent this happening again.
drew- is it just matts problem with the mast solved by late april? or is this for every mast ordered recently? i ordered in early february and was penciled in for may delivery. to the best of your knowledge, with no absolutes or guarantees, will this take care of me also?
Quote from: Steve Conger on March 10, 2011, 12:21:13 PM
matt
sorry to hear of your troubles and thanks for sharing your dilemma, because it should help prevent this happening again.
drew- is it just matts problem with the mast solved by late april? or is this for every mast ordered recently? i ordered in early february and was penciled in for may delivery. to the best of your knowledge, with no absolutes or guarantees, will this take care of me also?
Had a phone conversation with Paul Young this am. He's made this a full-time job. Resolving the mast problem...this is after his full time job of building boats...LOL.
I do think so Steve. He's pressing hard for resolution as per mid/late April of all the mast availability woes. I feel sorry for the SuperSpar guys. I think he's taken a pound of flesh out of each ass cheek of theirs.... :-D
I appreciate the response I am getting from the class. I believe I will take Paul up on his offer. At least I will be able to set the boat up and use my new main. I hope I didn't come acsoss like I was bashing the association. There just needs to be a standard on when the orders are placed. Mast or boat. In the order they are placed. If the rig comes in like they say in April then it should not hold up the sale of the boat. This will at least get me going.
I think this is a situation where the class is a victim of its own success.
Not much over months ago, we were getting excited about selling 20 boats per year. No one was really making much money out of this class and had to give a lot of focus on other projects.
When a mast builder was sourced, the big purchase was a group purchase of around ten masts to get the older boats up to speed. I think everyone was caught on the hop by the recent success of the class and that has turned into production issues. In the last 3 years around 50 masts have been supplied. Now its looking like 50 per year are needed. If not more.
No matter what business you are in, such a sudden ramp up in production will lead to wrinkles in supply and demand.
I have supported Rondar as the builder and believe they for now should be the sole builder, none of this US builder crap. I also will support Super Spars as I like the product and the price. I am willing to let them have a dam big bite second bite of the cherry they helped grow.
No worries Michael. Growing pains for a popular class. I don't think anyone thought the West coast would sell on par with the East Coast this year. We are trucking and will work hard to keep our momentum.
Another container just left the plant yesterday bound for SF....woohooo!
Very pretty Yellow boat is on it too. I like this one!
Please email Zim and cc Young on it so they can arrange to hook you up with 73's mast.
Hope your new main is blisteringly fast!
Quote from: Drew Harper on March 11, 2011, 04:26:48 PM
No worries Michael. Growing pains for a popular class. I don't think anyone thought the West coast would sell on par with the East Coast this year. We are trucking and will work hard to keep our momentum.
Another container just left the plant yesterday bound for SF....woohooo!
Very pretty Yellow boat is on it too. I like this one!
Please email Zim and cc Young on it so they can arrange to hook you up with 73's mast.
Hope your new main is blisteringly fast!
Any chance you also have a picture of a red boat that will be in the same containiner?!
-Scott
Quote from: Scott Ellis on March 13, 2011, 11:25:28 AM
Quote from: Drew Harper on March 11, 2011, 04:26:48 PM
No worries Michael. Growing pains for a popular class. I don't think anyone thought the West coast would sell on par with the East Coast this year. We are trucking and will work hard to keep our momentum.
Another container just left the plant yesterday bound for SF....woohooo!
Very pretty Yellow boat is on it too. I like this one!
Please email Zim and cc Young on it so they can arrange to hook you up with 73's mast.
Hope your new main is blisteringly fast!
Any chance you also have a picture of a red boat that will be in the same containiner?!
-Scott
I don't Scott. I'll ping Claire. She has a hard time taking shots these days...just had to relocate to Istanbul as her hubby was transferred with BP. She's doing the paperwork from afar but still at it.
Speaking of masts - I'm going to dry sail my boat all summer up in the PNW and leave the mast up in the storage yard. I read an article by Christian Jensen in the repairs and fixes section on the home page about the UV prohibitors in the clear coat on the masts from superspars, but I'm really toying with the idea of painting it white with awl grip. Anyone done this beofore? Am I being too paranoid?
-Scott
Quote from: Drew Harper on March 08, 2011, 02:09:53 PM
Awlgrip 'Fleet White' is a good one. They've had it in production for quite awhile should it ever need touch up.
There's an easier 'user applied' paint called Perfection that works will too, though I find it not nearly as effective as Awlgrip.
some others have painted their mast for the same reason, i am also considering the idea of painting mine when i get my new mast. if you do paint yours please tell us how it goes.
I sprayed clear awlgrip on mine. Pretty easy. It can also be brushed.
Quote from: Scott Ellis on March 13, 2011, 05:06:20 PM
Speaking of masts - I'm going to dry sail my boat all summer up in the PNW and leave the mast up in the storage yard. I read an article by Christian Jensen in the repairs and fixes section on the home page about the UV prohibitors in the clear coat on the masts from superspars, but I'm really toying with the idea of painting it white with awl grip. Anyone done this beofore? Am I being too paranoid?
-Scott
White or a light colored Awlgrip is the best thing you can do for your mast - keeps it cool and protected from both UV and scratches.
But - you are in the PNW - the sun don't shine there so why worry about UV?????
Okay,
My 3 1/2 year old mast is starting to have problems. The track is delaminating. Ideas to fix?
I'm getting her ready for LBYW...
Greg, you need to get all the old crappy adhesive out from behind it and then get new plexus behind it. It might be easiest to just take the whole section off clean it up and glue it back on. Use lots of tape to hold it in alignment. Plexus comes in a few different varieties, get one that has a long "open" time so it doesnt cure before you are done.
Quote from: Greg Jackson on May 21, 2011, 12:29:15 AM
Okay,
My 3 1/2 year old mast is starting to have problems. The track is delaminating. Ideas to fix?
I'm getting her ready for LBYW...
[/quot. Greg,
It's not like you race every weekend. 3 1/2 yrs is not very durable! Are the newer mast better quality? Plunking down 3-4 grand for something that has a short useful lifespan is hard to justify.
Glenn,
I do not race every weekend, but I do sail pretty much every other weekend and I do leave my mast exposed during 120 degree days in the summer...
HIJACK - I saw on facebook that you did the hydro-turf. Did you remove your hardware or cut around it?
Greg