Oh no not Masts again.... help needed

Things are a bit too tight at the moment to splash on a new SDM mast and I need to find one to suit my '08 KA Kult 6.4 (KA spec sez 430/21 or 460/25). I have used 2 of my existing masts, lengths are correct but bends are not. I have a 460 ART Speedstick which is stiffish and a 430 NP X3 (Matrix System Progressive Flex) which is dreadfully too stiff for it.

I need to find a 430 Constant Curve type, carbon not fussy but not 100%, can you peoples help me out with some brands and model names that are CC so I can keep an eye out in the classies etc.

If you have one for sale please contact me!

Thanks in advance.

a Tushinham mast will be spot on. I'm pretty sure they are the same as KA masts

The bend curve of the Art Speedstick should be OK. My understanding is that they are the same as a Powerex, 12% CC, but I may be mistaken??
The 460 is a little stiff for the 6.4 and it is nicer on a 430 but I have sailed with a 460 KA SDM on a 2010 6.4 kult (this mast is 12%) quite a lot and it,s very doable, just not perfect.

Out of the 2 masts I have the ART Speedstick is the best but as as you say a 430 would be nicer, Gestie uses a Powerex 430 and he has good flop in the 2 top panels in the leech (pic is on the KA site and I think you commented there). And in that discussion the KA and Powerex are said to be near identical in curves so its no wonder he's got it right. The problems I have with the ART is that I cannot get enough downhaul to get those 2 nice curves even when I max out the downhaul to dangerous levels! I can get the top panel to do it, just, but not the second one under it. Also the bottom batten needs a boot to flip around the mast, to get it to flip I need to apply more outhaul which flattens the sail too much and no belly to speak of. So me thinks something is not quite right. A great big pump of the sail will get it around but it's gotta be blowing 15+ knots min.

The NP X3 progressive curve is just totally wrong for this sail, no flop at all, a diagonal crease from the second batten near the mast all the way to the top battens leech (or vice-versa). The leech is dead flat. The 2 lower battens won't rotate even with a boot, even outhauled to the max they still won't rotate unless you drive your shoulder into it NRL footy style . The sail was so flat by then that it was dreadful. Power was on off and totally gutless in the lulls, unstable and lacked heaps of power.

In comparison, the 7.5 Ezzy Freeride sets quite nicely on the ART 460, not perfect but good enough that it actually feels much lighter in the hands than the 6.4 Kult which surprised me and alerted me that things were not right. The Kult should be better than this.

It's a pity, I've had the Kult for around 12 months or more and I have not been able to set it correctly and use it to its potential. My fault, not enough money to get the right bits but I'm working on it!

Hi Raf, I was using a Powerex 430 in the 6.4 and later got a KA mast and couldn't notice any difference. Lately I've been using Naish masts in my smaller KAs and they seem to suit really well. I tried that 6.4 with a 460 Naish and it felt good too, needed less effort than the Powerex to downhaul to the same luff length but still set pretty much the same.

Hey Jarrod, I think I've got it all solved, a local friend is updating his gear and if all the stars and planets line-up I could be the owner of a 2 year old RDM Ezzy mast + extension at a price I can afford. The Ezzy is a CC mast and has the ability to alter its length by changing tops whilst still staying constant curve. I want to rig the sail on this first and make sure it will do what I'm hoping it will do.

I've had a look at different mast websites, all make claim to have the best masts in the world, as you would. But bugger all tell me if their mast, or one of 'em is constant curve. I'm being baffled by percentages, if they came up with a graph as used by NP and showing a CC as a base line it would make it all much easier to understand.

If this Ezzy does what I hope it will do I might stick with them for all my masts in the future, I really like their modular approach, it's economical and workable.

Here is a website that I now always consult before bying a new sail or mast..
www.unifiber.net/masts-selector

No worries my pleasure
On a different note I wondered how many of us actually are able to feel a diference in performance when it comes to masts and sail combonations?
I know that my skills are way down but as an example, I sailed a 460 loft mast SDM with my KA6.6 rec mast 430, a sailworks 7.1 rec. Mast 490 and an old 5.1 Gaastra directed force. Next I'll rig my 8.4 maui on it and I reckon/hope it'll all be fine. I have recently got a 430ezzy mast and am using that now for the KA but I could not say that I feel any difference. But that's only me. Ignorance is bliss as they say

Ignorance is bliss, yes.

But if you go do it right you will never want to go back as you will feel the difference.

I'll just sail as often as I can until I feel the difference and then act on it. As I said I am not good enough, I don't doubt others are, and some are just playing the game. Anyways, tomorrow I'll give it another go. BOTANY here I am yeah.

Mostly agree Mark, that's another reason why I'm all for Ezzy masts. Apart from the ability to buy just one half as well as being able to mix n' match halves, they quote IMCS rating as well as bend curve ratios on website.

Not sure about the idea of using that ratio you suggested though, may be a bit confusing for some (particularly newbies or non-technical people). I think that the current method of measuring and quoting the IMCS bend curve rating as used by some (i.e. UK Boards mag) is simpler and easier to relate to and arrives at the same result (tis a shame that sail/mast manufacturers aren't printing these specs on their products).