Windsurf attach mast

Question
Hello,
How do I attach the mast to the board? The mast keeps sliding off the mast extension!
Thanks!
Albert
Ontario, Canada


Answer
Hey Albert,

I'll try to help you with the limited amount of information you've given.

For starters, ensure that you have either standard size mast or skinny. Standard (~2" across) is the normal for most of us. Make sure the mast foot and extension are compatable (ie; connect to each other properly), and fit your mast snugly but able to rotate. A skinny mast foot will NOT work on a standard mast.

The mast will slide into the luff sleeve of the sail.
The mast extension will slide into the mast. Ensure that you have the correct type of extension for your mast. The extension should be a very close fit, no slop, but able to rotate inside the mast.
There should be a rope on the extension to downhaul the sail with. Loop this rope through the grommet of the sail and the pulleys on the extension. It should go through the grommet at least twice. When setting the extension height, the grommet of the sail should be about 6-8" above the downhaul pulleys. Tighten the downhaul rope to about 2" from the pulleys.

This is what holds the mast to the extension, the pressure of the downhaul rope.

Now the mast foot should attach to the extension. There should be two pins that you will compress to allow the mast foot to attach to the extension. Again, this should be a snug fit with no slop. The foot should just fit into the extension.

You may have the newer style euro pin type base and extension where there is a single pin on the mast foot that will slide into the bottom of the extension and lock in. There will be pins on the extension to release the mast foot.

Depending upon the type of board you have and the type of mast foot you have, attaching the mast foot should be straight forward. If you have a more modern type of board and mast foot, there will be a slider nut on the bottom of the mast foot attaching to a threaded stud. This nut will slip into the mast track and then you thread the stud into the nut. Before the final tightening, adjust the position of the mast base according to the wind conditions and sail size, then tighten the base very snugly.  Now attach the sail via the extension to the mast foot and you are ready to sail.

If you have an older board, your mast foot may be specifically for that board only. The mast foot may have to slip in a twist, or some type of pin with a locking device. Many of the older boards were manufacturer specific with the mast foot.

The mast foot to extension/mast is basically the same for all boards.

I hope this will help you get things together so you can sail. If you need more info, please describe your equipment in detail (ie, make and model of board, mast foot brand, extension brand, year?). This info would help me to determine compatibility and also how it all fits together.

Hope this will help.
Keep on sailing,
Windlover