guys i have a 430 mast ,
what the largest and smallest sail i can put on it
can i just put a 400 sail on it , or would the 30 cm be too high
with a larger sail , can i just get a mast extension eg a 460 sail ?
or doesnt it work like that
No it doesn't work like that....... you need the recommended mast length and stiffness and ideally bend curve too.
But depends what stage you are at - if still on a beginner's board and nowhere near planing you can rig a 4m wavesail on a 430, with 40cm of mast sticking out the top and it won't matter.
billy, some sails have an adjustable head - this is a strap and fastener set up that goes around the top of the mast. So some 400 sails can be rigged on a 430 mast.
Some 460 sails with luff lengths in the low 460s can also be rigged on a 430 mast.
As you are just starting out this can be an ok compromise.
Unfortunately not all masts bend the same way, some are more flexy at the top than others (flex top -> constant curve -> hard top).
What you don't want do is put a flex top mast into a sail designed for a hard top mast (or vice versa). The sail will rig poorly.
So before you mix sail brands and mast brands - ask here.
how do you tell if the mast is a flex ,
i thought all mast are the same
what size should you look for , with a good extension
can u get a mast 400 with a 60 extension , that would fit most sail
I dont mean to hijack this thread - but while we are on masts. Im about to order one. Im also a "noob".
What is the real difference with a RDM , STD, and are there any other types?
Im in Cairns and there are no shops to ask. I have a posse of locals who help me out but thought Id just ask before I annoy them.
justin
Unless you are planning in the harness then you would not notice the difference in mast stiffness and bend curves with different sails.
If you are planing and in the harness you should notice the difference. Some will be bugger-all different, some will be lots different.
So, if you aren't hooked in planing, then so long as you can physically rig the sail on the mast, all will be OK.
The longest extension you will probably find is about 40cm. I have streamlined (brand name) ones that run to 46cm, for the same reason you are asking - I get from 3.7m2 to 6.5m2 on a 400 and 430 mast - but I don't think I rig with much more than 36 or 38cm extension. You start to get not much extension in the mast and you start to get worried about splitting masts.
As a generalisation :
for a 430 you would get around a 4.7m2 to 6.5m2
for a 400 you would get around a 4.0m2 to 5.7m2
if it isn't written on the mast what the IMCS / MCS / curve / flex is then you have to either :
look up the brand name on the web
rig your sail on it and see how it looks and performs
build a test rig
not worry about it, just go sailing
worry about it, throw it away and buy a new one
Many years ago I knew a bloke who bolted his mast base to a door. Just an ordinary internal room door and went out sailing. Point being somewhere somebody is sailing a door better than you can sail a $3000 board. Point to that being - I don't know, but I am sure there is one.
and thats why RDM cost more than STD.
Is it true that some sails/brands will only fit STD and some are made to only for RDM?
Im loving this, its like a new mystical science and language.
Thanks.
Billy think it comes down to cash mate !!! If your willing to spend on "performance" and have a trailer full of gear. you will need 10 board 7 masts 15 sails an 4 booms ;-)
I have made the mistake to often of purchasing sails that aren't compliant with my masts lengths and i have given them away (lucky they were second hand) Don't purchase anything with-out and adjustable masthead.Depending on the level of windsurfing and budget you are running id sygest not to worry about the mast flex. (this is for advanced sailors.)
I have successfully placed a 4.0 - 6.0 on a 430 and sailed comfortably (after adjusting harness lines) i don't have to budget to worry about mast curbs.
Anything above 6.0 i run a 490 and use sails adjustable 7.0+ plus.
All comes down to budget and how anal you are about performance. Rigging smaller sails is difficult because its hard to move harness lines in high wind (get tired quickly). Alot of advance sailors have smaller booms new mast and sail pre setup for dictating condition These sailors may go kilometers off shore..
You should put your weight and board size as this is a contributing factor to sail choice.
Depending on how far you plan on going offshore and level of fitness to swim-back dictates the distance of extension The higher the extension the higher the risk of gear failure. This simple equation can be can be implemented for mast flex.
The further you push the equipment (mast flex / extensions) the greater risk of gear failure.
i am taking it back to the guy i borught it off and his going to swap it for a smaller sail and rig
i will msg back what i end up getting
my strong advise to anyone starting get a decent rdm 400 mast 30% carbon up wards
strong, will fit your beginner sails and these days all the wave sail you are likely to use in the future (assuming you want to wave sail, but off coarse you do.)
since the begining i have gone through way to many sdm and wrong masts. now its only the one 400 in the garage
off coarse if you want bigger sails for light wind flat water down the track keep $aving.
Billyboy, it's good news that they are going to swap the sail and mast for you. Things will be much easier with a smaller rig but I think you'll be looking for that 6.5 again in the not to distant future. I learnt on a 6.7 and I fell in heaps, Wacked my head with the mast a hundred times but seriously I needed the power of the 6.7 to plain in lighter wind when learning. With a 4 or 5 you are going to need 25-30 knots to plain and unless your in for a beating you won't be throwing yourself into conditions like that for a while. Don't get me wrong, if he's willing to swap the bigger sail back when you have advanced you will be set. A 6.5 is a good sized flatwater sail and most commonly used by average weight sailors everywhere I sail on the east coast. Wave sailings a different matter all together but I do agree that a 400 is the most suitable mast for wave sails, I rigg 4.7-5.8 on a 400 for all my wave sailing but for flatwater a 430 will be needed as well. With RDM being the sexy thing at the moment you should be able to find a cheap secondhand SDM at a windsurf shop. When you get hooked you'll find yourself upgrading your kit as much as you can, just remember if you switch to RDM that means a new extension as well. Most freeride/wave sails can rigg on both SDM and RDM but some are specific to both, you just have to do some research on the manufactures websites to make sure before you buy.
Anyways just go out and have fun, don't get caught up with the whole flex top mast bend stuff just yet, I still don't care about it and I still manage to sail and have a good time.
Jase. 
What are the decent masts worth lately? 430/460 STD or RDM???
Just got a used sail that could probably do a bit better than being paired up with my old STD 430 NP X3
you can buy a new 460 x9 for well over a grand. N.P are generally flex top design if thats the sail you have. look on the unifibre chart to see what suits??
altenatively there are sail + full carbon mast new from hot sails australia for under a grand, sorry for the obvious plug but it is a bloody good deal....
