Recently purchased an 2nd hand 2004 Gaastra (Matrix '04) sail
Now I need to grab a mast that suits (upgrading from random old gear)
Obviously Gaastra and Fiberspar masts will suit, have read the threads on what suits
Gaastra sails.
But wondering if either of these masts would also suit Gun and Loft sails (and any affordable, available others)
Basically, what mast to I buy to suit Gaastra but also be able to buy other brands maybe, with good fit to both
For mast quality, i'm probably going to go about 50% carbon RDM (if poss.) Fiberspar make one. Okay price, okay flex? Or am I wrong?
I'm under the impression that any mast that suits gastra won't suit anything else, but I could be wrong, these things seem to change willynilly.
I prefer to stick to sailmakers who use constant curve masts.
f me decrepit, 2639 posts! Your fingers must be rubbed down to bone!
Dism, buy into a skinny sytem and have done with it.
In a coupla years you wont be able to get sd masts.
Gaastra are traditionally 'stiff top' masts. I don't know how mast-sensitive their sails are, but it normally pays to get the right mast for your sail.
You're doing the right thing by checking this out online BEFORE you go out and buy something that may or may not work!
OK for an exhaustive analysis go here:
www.peterman.dk/masts-all-imcs01.htm
The column you want to look at is the "IMCS bend charac-teristcs" column. This number equates to bend curve. Low numbers (less than 10) mean stiff top masts, high numbers (more than 15) mean flexy top masts, anything in between means constant curve.
Most of the older gaastra masts are 9 or below, which means that they are a stiff top mast. So are the Maui sails masts. *
I doubt that a stiff top mast would work well in a Gun, Loft, North, Ezzy, Sailworks etc sail (although I think you need to really tune the sail well to figure out if the mast is working properly). I'm reasonably sure that it wouldn't suit a Pryde sail.
So let's restate your problem: You want to base your future quiver around one sail that you bought recently. That's OK, but bear in mind that for total mast-sail nirvana you are limiting your future sail choices to pre-2007 gaastras and Maui Sails. I wouldn't do it 
, but that's just my opinion. What I'd do is get a mast that's constant curve, while it may not totally suit the gaastra you just bought, by the time you're experienced enough to tell the difference you'll be ready to buy a different brand of sail and you have so many more options then.
As for RDM vs SDM, go skinny. You won't regret it 
* Note, however, that the 2007 and later gaastra masts are constant curve. This is because Dan Kasseler joined Gaastra at that time, and he seems to prefer designing around constant curve masts.
, but that's just my opinion. What I'd do is get a mast that's constant curve, while it may not totally suit the gaastra you just bought, by the time you're experienced enough to tell the difference you'll be ready to buy a different brand of sail and you have so many more options then.
Dism just get the plastic out and buy an RDM ...You must do this or forever be stuffing around with gear that doesn't cut it.
You wont regret it.
Buying a 50 percent carbon SDM you will regret.......
Go for power-ex,no-limmitz or ezzy RDM's You know that old saying "you get what you pay for"
