Great post Hans.

You will have quite a round leading edge of the airfoil if you use a tube, but a sock like windsurfers (with camber inducers perhaps) Moths and certain Wharrams might work well. At least, testing can be done with this rig until one finds the correct stiffness (something I guess isn't easy to get right just by calculation), and then a lightweight/flexible glass+foam fairing can be added.

Autoclaves are definately out of the question for homebuilding. The best one can hope for is vacuum bagging and cooking in a homemade stove. I know Kevin Cook has his own autoclave, but I consider him an interesting but special case


In conclusion, there are quite a lot of alternatives if one feels like building a mast..