Although I've also read these are readily available on A-cats, unless I've missed it, I have yet to see them available on any F16 (understanding that the carbon mast on the stealth is not a superwing mast).
Well, the Stealth carbon mast is special in its own right, with a tapered top section and it is a breeze to right.
But you are right in the sense that we haven't seen a carbon mast in the F16 class yet with a crossection profile as used by the A-cats and the (alu) Superwing mast.
So what's the story here - are they now available (or are they perhaps rumored or expected to soon be available)?
Pretty much if you lay down the money for one then you can have one. I think it is safe for me to say that we'll see a second commercially available F16 carbon mast (with A-cat cross section) being introduced in the foreseeable future. I know a certain supplier has indicated looking into it. That is all I'm allowed to say at this moment, I think.
Since the aluminum superwings are so good, what will be the benefit of a carbon mast? I would guess it might be a little lighter and maybe the stiffness could be tuned for sailor weight and/or desired mainsail luff shape, but would that be worth the extra cost?
The carbon mast would certainly be lighter, probably by some 3 to 4 kg overall not more. This is because the F16 rules has rule that limits weight reduction on the mast section. This is done to keep alu and carbon masts in the same performance ballpark and to garantee seaworthyness of the design. Having said this, I'm told by carbon mast builders that the F16 rule is pretty decent for carbon masts. They can be build lighter still but the min weight in the F16 rules is a pretty good average for a dependable mast without going overboard. The builders like this as well, it levels the playing field a little bit and gives customers protection against special (disposable) masts. It is considered a good compromise.
My personal opinion is that a carbon mast can be made to suit any crew set/crew weight/sailing style and in that sense it is attractive. The lighterweight will make the boat feel more stable and make righting singlehandedly a breeze. Having said this I expect the alu mast to be a better compromise for crews who switch between doublehanded sailing and singlehanded sailing often. It is also a very attractive option moneywise and it will hold up better to things like UV-degradation and outdoors storage. I regard the alu version to be pretty capable already and in that way I don't expect that much difference between the masts.
I always understand that a full sail can always be made flatter by bending a mast (alu rig) but that a stiff/flat rig (carbon) can never be made fuller (using only normal trim controls). In this sense I feel that an alu mast has a larger range of usage (2-up to 1-up and back).
So in summary I don't think one is per se better then another; it all dependents on your way of sailing and the configurations your are exepect to sail in the most.
I would bet they would be less durable, both to damage and UV.
But the new carbon mast are quite developped in this respect by now; indeed alu last forever, but I don't think carbon is comparable to say 10 years ago anymore.
Wouter
