No no no no we don't want them back on the F16 forum, let them stay please <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Wayne, Whilst there is a lot of money spend by AC teams, I can assure you that they don't apply the "lets make a dozen masts and see which one we like" method!!! An AC mast costs close to 1million Dollars!!! If they spent money on a dozen masts how would they do the important things like pay crew salaries? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Wouter: I see no point arguing with you anymore, your point of view is based totally on theory, mine on experience. You will always pull some abstract example to support your point of view and whilst that may make you feel better, it just doesn't have anything to do with what actually happens.

The fact that you can convince people like Wayne that the only way to get two identical masts is to build a big batch of them (costing a minimum of $10 million) and pick the good ones is to say the least, disturbing...

Actually Wouter had very little to do with my post, just good old common sense enginnering dictated that.

Your comment that an AC mast costs in excess of $1000000 dollars sort of confirms things as there certainly isn't that sort of cost in composite materials more like 10K max ( you can buy an awful lot of carbon rovings for 10K ) my guess is that an awful lot of masts are made and scrapped, you just never are told about it.

If the manufacturer struck lucky with the first couple then man he certainly would be makiing fast bucks <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Mmmmmm OK Wayne, if you can order enough carbon for an AC mast for 10k, good luck to you.

And I can assure you there is not a secret pile of discarded AC masts lying around Hall spars or Southern Spars...

I guess this is one of those cases where engineering logic differs from the real world..

Just another thought Wayne, the mast tube for an AC boat weighs over 600kg, Thats a lot of carbon for your 10k....

Which AC team was it last time that broke their ONE new mast and had to use a version 4 mast until it was fixed? Trust me people Macca is right on this, AC teams build only the masts they need. Poor teams build one. Slightly better of teams build 2 (one per boat). Rich teams have one spare maybe two.

It was +39 that had their rig broken in a clash of rigs with the UIT Germany team.

The +39 mast was actually made by Marstrom.

I'm seriously gobsmacked that the carbon in such a small hollow pole weighs 600kgs, surely you must mean inclusive of all the hardware, stress guages, rigging, instruments, pulleys, halyards etc, if so then yes you would need a lot more than 10K's worth of Carbon. On that weight it must seriously strong, sort of a carbon stick on Viagra ? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

I'm out of this discussion.

I have just committed to doing my part in this research project in dynamic stabilizing these 52 mtr long laminate structures by (aerodynamic) trailing egde flap control. I'm afraid that means I'm out of much free time.



So what do I know about these things right ?

Wouter

Wanyne, with all the rigging (fixed and running), spreaders, load cells etc the mast weighs closer to 900kg.

So yes the bare tube is 600kg give or take.

The new mast on Wild Oats (100ft canting keel maxi) is longer and larger but lighter than an AC mast as it uses a higher modulus carbon than is currently allowed in the AC boats. It cost a lot more than an AC mast too...