Refurbishing Mistral Superlights...need some suggestions.

va12 · Joined: 24 Apr 2010 Posts: 25

Back to the question of the "vents."

These are not leash cups. There are two of them, one near the nose and one just forward of the mast base holes. The caps on them are threaded. When you remove it, there's nothing but a small, threaded hole about 3/8" wide and 1" deep going into the foam. The old board does not have them, the two modern ones do.

Here's a picture of one found on another website. One of my boards is exactly this model. I'm referring to that cap aft of the graphics and ahead of the official Mistral badge.

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NickB · Joined: 30 Jun 2009 Posts: 510 Location: Alameda, CA

DanWeiss · Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Posts: 2296 Location: Connecticut, USA

va12 · Joined: 24 Apr 2010 Posts: 25

Would there be any reason to fill or not fill those holes? Permanently, I mean.

Time, materials, and budget permitting, I'd like to get the two newer boards into primo racing trim for long cruises around the bay. Already have two new racing daggerboards. Ideally, these will be sanded down, painted, and coated with non-skid all the way to the seams. (The better for to ride on the windward rail while cruising upwind.)

DanWeiss · Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Posts: 2296 Location: Connecticut, USA

I can't advise on filling the holes other than to say that you can't use polyester resin as it will dissolve the styrene core.

Non-skid to the rails is super slow. I highly suggest wearing booties when sailing the superlight or any other board that you rail upwind. The grip you get from booties is way better than bare feet anyway.

va12 · Joined: 24 Apr 2010 Posts: 25

I live in Miami. If I have to wear booties, I don't go sailing. I'll leave the booties to you hardcore Yankees.

Maybe some light non-skid down to the rails, or maybe just in the 3-4 foot long area one stands on when cruising upwind.

Besides, I'm building my own fleet. If they all have the same disadvantage of non-skid down to the seams, we're good to go.

swchandler · Joined: 08 Nov 1993 Posts: 10588

I'm surprised that a thermoformed board would have vent plugs. You did indicate that the boards have seams on the rails, right?

Still though, assuming that the plugs are there and that you have verified seeing the foam core of the boards, vent plugs usually have o-rings of some kind to create a waterproof seal. Do your boards have the necessary o-rings, either on the plugs or in conjunction with the threaded female receptacle?

va12 · Joined: 24 Apr 2010 Posts: 25

Very definite seams.

O-rings or a soft sealant is what occurred to me originally, but if I get to go whole-hog on the refurb, I may want to cover them completely. Unless, of course, there's some reason not to.

swchandler · Joined: 08 Nov 1993 Posts: 10588

If there are no o-rings, the vent plug scene is quite sketchy in my view. I'd consider laminating over them to eliminate a weak link, but it might be worth contacting Mistral before doing the work just to get their opinion. One wonders though whether the current folks at Mistral will have pertinent data on such relics from a different era.

va12 · Joined: 24 Apr 2010 Posts: 25

My limited communication with Mistral on this is that there are few folks around who know much about the old boards, which is why I turned to this forum. I'm hoping someone who was a real expert on the Superlights will come along to pitch in.