Shouldn't be out in over 25 knots? Really?
H16 masts rarely break from hitting the bottom. It's possible (and likely) to damage the comptip (usually just the track), but the mast itself can withstand a ridiculous amount of abuse.
Obviously, they're not as fast as an A-Cat, but you can survive (and some can race well) in winds over 20-25 knots.
Mike