Cutting Down a Mast Tips

larryw9999 · Joined: 08 Nov 2016 Posts: 13

Anyone have a link to or good tips on cutting down a mast? I've collected a few over the years and think the ones I do have are too long for the smaller sails I have. I'm just getting back into windsurfing after many years and am thinking of using the smaller sails I have never used for teaching some friends to windsurf. And maybe getting out and using the smaller sails myself.

Is it a good or bad idea? Cut aluminum or composite, which is recommended? Suggestion of tool to use?

Thanks in advance for all the help.

larry

jingebritsen · Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Posts: 3371

If you just hafta: cut no more than 5 cm off the tip or base, no more. As you cut more off the bend goes whacky. Then all you end up having is a flag pole....

bred2shred · Joined: 02 May 2000 Posts: 989 Location: Jersey Shore

Agreed, you really don't want to cut down a long mast to use on a small sail if you can avoid it. The problem is that as you move to smaller sails, you need a proportionally softer (not just shorter) mast so that the mast can bend to match the luff curve of the sail and also flex to allow the sail to twist as it is designed to do. By cutting down a long (and stiff) mast, you do just the opposite giving yourself a short mast that's like a tree trunk and you end up with a very drafty sail that won't twist open.
This is the exact reason why many sail manufacturers have gone away from including adjustable head caps on their sails- they don't want you to use a mast that's too stiff for the sail.

If you do decide to chop your mast, use a hacksaw and then follow up with a file or sandpaper around the inside and outside edges. Make sure you make the cut straight. You also want to do all the cutting at the base of the mast if possible so that you maintain as much flexibility in the tip as you can. However, you need to make sure that your base extension will fit inside the mast after you do your cut. If you just go and chop two feet off the bottom of your mast, there's a good chance your base extension will not fit in the mast due to the taper. So it's best to do several short cuts and continually check that your base extension still fits after each cut.

sm

larryw9999 · Joined: 08 Nov 2016 Posts: 13

thanks so far for the comments/thoughts.

icesailing · Joined: 04 Feb 2008 Posts: 172

Never cut from the tip. Always cut from the base. This keeps the shape and the imcs stiffness. You will be greatly decreacing your masts quality if you cut from the top.

WaterKook · Posted: Fri May 29, 2009 12:59 pm Post subject:

SAVE THE MASTS!! EAT A BEAVER!!! Mr. Green

outcast · Joined: 04 May 2004 Posts: 2724

Bad backwoods NH flashback?

Team sail stickers at the print shop now dude