there is the question.... Is it healthy for mast ( and sail ) to stay under load all the time or should be de - rigged every time after use? I do not, but I dream that one day when living on waterfront I will keep on my sails on the masts hanging in my garage ready to go. Just attach boom and hop on the water without travel, rigging and the worst could happens - having wrong sail for the conditions. At resorts they probably have sails rigged all the time , but their life span is not that long anyway. Same with windsurfing schools.
If your going to be living on the water front you're going to have plenty of coin so you'll be buying new gear every year any way...So it won't be a problem.
ok, agree to complicate a bit suppose I decided a purpose build windsurfing aluminium trailer that could carry flat all sails. I saw similar solution during Neil Pryde showcase on Gold Cost. Still much easier life. Attach trailer to car and go. Now is: pack everything into car rid de rig up pack worry about salt water in the car etc.
If I could leave my sails rigged I would. I need to win lotto first so i can live on the water.
I think ( i you won) you will not bother any more about windsurfing, just fetch yourself a fancy yacht to match your waterfront position. I am happy with my windsurfing - will not trade it for a yacht Unless yacht will be big enough to take my board on the deck and crew to take care and take me on the waves
i know from experience from working in a hire centre that the masts do weaken and deform after a while making the sails feel a little heavy and slow, but i know another bloke in safety bay he leaves his gear rigged all the time, well rich tho
last year a mast still rigged snapped overnight while we were out camping. interesting that it didn't break while on the water that day. it wasn't mine but i suspect the mast may have been older and the temperature difference throughout the night played a role.
Before I joined the GTC and only wavesailed out the front of our place I had 7 sails rigged all the time, (my wife's and mine). Now with all the speed gear I don't have room, only my most used wave sail stays rigged permantly. And I completly release all downhaul pressure. Boom clamp is released and slides up as downhaul comes off. To go sailing, all that's needed is downhaul and boom clamped. Sails seem to last longer, there's a small amount of creasing around the boom area at times, but less than you get from repeated rigging/derigging, and storring rolled up.
My masts are about 15years old and still nice and springy.
I need to win lotto first so i can live on the water.
