Mistral Competition board (12 foot board)

Question
Hello.  Please help.  Of course, I need a part.
I have a mast base extension, connected to the chinook? hour glass rubber piece.  Below that hour glass section, is a plastic connection that does not fit the board.  It has about a 3/4" male end.  My board requires approx. 3/8" metal male end. My other board has the correct part. It is a red plastic part that snaps into place, and you twist to release from board. Where can I buy that part, and can we take off the current connection on the hour glass rubber part to replace with new part??  Or do I need to buy a whole new chinook and mast base extension.
Thanks,  Marty

Answer
Hey Marty,

I have a question that will help you to get the part you need. Does your metal male end have two flat sides, or is it round? Either should have a lip/notch on the bottom of the part. The flat sided shafts are an older design that slides down into the mast track only one way. Once the lip is below the pins, then it turns 90 degrees and locks the shaft into place. The red plastic part is usually what turns this shaft and also has a v shaped protrusion on the underside that fits into a small groove on the board. This keeps the red piece from turning and releasing your mast. These were on many boards in the '80's.

The other type shaft is round and slides down into the mast track. Then a small black lever will push down and lock the pins around the shaft at the lip point. This is the newer style from around 1990 and up.

So, if you have the flat pin style with the red plastic piece, then try this place
http://www.bigwinds.com/wind/  You will have to email them and ask for the parts that you need. I know that they have them as I was there recently looking for some parts for my '91 Equipe. I was amazed at the variety of older Mistral pieces parts that they had and I do remember seeing the red plastic parts and matching shafts.

If you have the round style shaft, you could probably get that at Big Winds also. But here is a place that has them for sure,
http://www.oceanairsports.com/cat/Mistral83.cfm?page=99
You would be looking for the Mistral 8mm pin for mast track about a third of the way down the page.

Hope this will help.
Keep on sailing,
Windlover