Looks good as long as the handle is in the right spot for correct sail trim!

Great idea.

what stops it from just lifting straight out?

nick0 said...

what stops it from just lifting straight out?

In my idea, the twisting of the bar extension along the deck and a really tight fit in the handle so it can only be lifted straight up.

In the above, I imagine it is rubber so tightening causes the rubber to sweel a bit (like the old school boards had many moons ago) - PD?

Either would be strong enough as in 10kn with a 4.5m there is bvgger all stress on anything?

No, this is fantastic. The best spectator sport from when windsurfing was young was watching the mast step pop out when people were uphauling. Very "Funniest Home Videos". I reckon it'll bring back a whole retro style thing

Yep, the T piece popping out and the whole rig grinding up your shin
Thanks Geoff!!

I heard a hot rumor about a new 'suction cup' mast base to attach sails to Sups.. It looks kinda like a toilet plunger and it sucks itself to the deck...

Stay tuned..

In answer to my supporters and detractors:

Using the valve perhaps re-threaded wouldn't work unless there was stengthening in the board at that point, and there isn't in my Fanatic Fly 12'6'' and I suspect a lot of SUPs. If you tap the board with your finger you will find out where the stringers or cross members are.

Although the handle looked 10-15cm too far back for a mast base setting, to my amazement it wasn't. It could be on other boards. I thought of a metal fixture projecting forward from the handle but it turned out to be unnecessary.

The 4 mast plugs on my board make a tight fit and when they're all in I can't wrench the the mast base fitting out. I also thought of making a moulding to fit the handle. This also turned out to be unnecessary.

Even if the star base pulled out there is a rubber plug screwed on the end of it, so the worst result might be a black mark on the deck.

Remember I'm suggesting this for flat water in 4-8 knots. I'm not recommending this fitting for the surf.

I have tried the alternatives for light wind days and sub-planing sailing. As I said I have owned a Serenity. It had it's (severe) limitations. Try to gybe it, or sail downwind when the wind has kicked in. My Starboard K15 (an SUP) with sail on it was everthing the Serenity had tried to be, and more, and you could gybe it, but it was round bottomed and didn't have boxy rails, so relied on a bolt-in tuttle fin to get much purchase upwind, and it weighed 17kg.

Most of us have to put up with 2-3 months a year when there are few if any windy days. Paddling is great, but it's not windsurfing, and if you get 4-6 knots and your desperate enough you'll windsurf anything that moves. This fitting works on my board. It might work for you.

Mobydisc said...

Good on you PD. Why paddle when you can sail?

+1

I left my 11'6" sup (with WS fitting) on my roof racks on the weekend, and when the wind died, unplugged my sinker & rigged it up with a 6.4...had a blast!!!

After watching me do a couple of back & forths from the bank of our local harbour, my WS mates couldn't wait to jump on & try it out, all impressed at the enjoyment of simply 'cruising' on a longboard with a sail on it.

Whatever gets you on the water & puts a smile on your face!

[
quote]barn said...

I heard a hot rumor about a new 'suction cup' mast base to attach sails to Sups.. It looks kinda like a toilet plunger and it sucks itself to the deck...

Stay tuned..

Eureka! A suction cup mast base would solve the problem of those assymetric waveboards...for different conditions, you could just turn the board upside down and sail it the other way! Er...providing there was no nose rocker whatsoever...ok bad idea...