Question
My granddaughter is on
I'm an old Hungarian surfer (62) and I have a little bit younger Fanatic Cobra windsurf. Could you send me a photo about the mast track(?) because I miss it. This small equipment would protect the mast root against turning. (Look on attached photo: at the end of mast there is a red something, it turns always right or left...) I have found nowhere this type of windsurf in shops......and want to make myself this small equipment. Thanks for your help in advance!
AnswerHey Karoly,
If you have the red piece, then there is a fix for it turning. There should be a loop of some type molded into the part. Check your local hardware store and get some 1/8" diameter stretchy cord (~ 3 feet).
Somewhere near the nose of the board there should be a place that you could tie a small rope to. Slip one end of the stretchy rope through the loop on the part and knot the end enough to prevent it from slipping through. Now stretch the rope to the nose so that there is enough tension to keep the part from turning and tie off the rope. Leave enough excess to be able to retie the rope each time you go sailing but don't leave enough to get in your way. Most older boards were designed to have this safety line so that if the mast became detached from the board, it would not float away. In the early days of sailing, many European countries required sailors to have this line on their rigs. Most places don't require this safety line any more. For some rigs, it served another purpose of keeping the part from turning.
If for some reason you have lost this piece, I'm afraid that I won't be much help. They are quite obsolete and hard to find. Watch ebay and you may find someone listing this type of part. As for a place to buy old Fanatic parts, I have yet to find one. Here is a website that may provide some help but no guarantees. www.worldwindsurfing.com.
Hope this will help.
Keep on sailing,
Windlover
