sboardcrazy before you get too excited we have very limited stock of Whitesticks left in Australia.
There is a good search function on this forum you can use to find old posts. There are also a few discussions from the Boards UK forum. K3 is a UK brand.
Here are a few I found from a quick search:
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Wave-sailing/K3/http://forums.boards.mpora.com/archive/index.php/t-56762.html
If you can specify what sail brand you are using, then we can provide some feedback on whether the masts are working on those sails. Often simply trying to match up bend curves does not result in compatibility.
Mark you are correct, the bend curves on the website are quoted wrong, we have been meaning to update this for a while.
Basically:
Battlestick > Between Stiff top and Constant Curve
Whitestick > Constant Curve
Yes . . good warranty
broke 3 . Then got refunded . . Was a year ago maybe they are better now .. Very light !
apparently there are guys in WA using these in mast high surf with no problem, and have been for 4 plus years .. id like to hear from one of them,
I've been using the Battlestick 430 on my 4ish year old KA Kaos sails for about 2 seasons mostly around Perth and find them a very good mast.
I haven't been out in the heavy winter wind and waves since early this winter but I don't see them as being anything but equal or better (in value for money) to the Powerex which I now have as my spare.
The 430 is too stiff for my 4.7 Kaos and will probably get a shorter one for my smaller sails but even so if your like me and run the minimum amount of kit then the Battlestick is a great wave sail mast at a good price.
Good quality - the join is actually a good fit unlike my Powerex - and even better value (unless the price has increased greatly). I'm very happy with them. 
I just can't see the battlestick suiting a KA wave sail. it's the wrong bend curve.
my gut feel is the whitestick will be closer to what KA needs but still not the best match.
ka use a 13.5% bend curve.
according to the K3 website their masts are constant curve flex top at 13.5% but now it's been said in fact the battlestick is constant curve stiff top and the white stick is constant curve.
I've seen the photos on seabreeze of the k3 rigged in the KA and the simmer and it just doesn't look right to me. especially in the simmer.
Works for me....
But then I'm not a "gotta have the latest greatest" type of person hence the fact that my sails are a few years old and my boards are usually superseded models bought at about half the price of the latest models.
I've been using the Battlestick with those sails for a few years now and I'm very happy but if you like to have colour coded, exact match and latest gear then go for it. I'm just saying that with what gear I've got and my level of sailing ability AND compared with the "correct match" Powerex mast I was using before I can't fault it and will buy the K3 mast again. Maybe I can live with less than 100% more easily than some.....
Select to expand quotepatsken said..
Works for me....
But then I'm not a "gotta have the latest greatest" type of person hence the fact that my sails are a few years old and my boards are usually superseded models bought at about half the price of the latest models.
I've been using the Battlestick with those sails for a few years now and I'm very happy but if you like to have colour coded, exact match and latest gear then go for it. I'm just saying that with what gear I've got and my level of sailing ability AND compared with the "correct match" Powerex mast I was using before I can't fault it and will buy the K3 mast again. Maybe I can live with less than 100% more easily than some.....
not really what I was getting at. I'm hardly pushing for people to buy new gear. just gear that suits the intended use. powerex is not the correct match either. closest non correct mast I've found to work in the KA wave sails is the unifiber skinny 400 I use. the powerex 430 i use to me is a little stiff in the top but yes powerex kinda works if it's all you have.
point being, if you are going to buy a mast for your sail then why not get a mast that suits because everything else is a noticeable compromise. like all things in life it's only when you do a/b comparisons that things become clear.
if I were a shop owner and you came to me to buy a constant curve stiff top mast for a KA sail I wouldn't sell it to you.
the wall thickness of the WS compared to the BS , tape measure on the WS & the wall thickness midway along the BS bottom half...
they do feel nice to sail , and a good price,
Select to expand quoteGestalt said..patsken said..
Works for me....
But then I'm not a "gotta have the latest greatest" type of person hence the fact that my sails are a few years old and my boards are usually superseded models bought at about half the price of the latest models.
I've been using the Battlestick with those sails for a few years now and I'm very happy but if you like to have colour coded, exact match and latest gear then go for it. I'm just saying that with what gear I've got and my level of sailing ability AND compared with the "correct match" Powerex mast I was using before I can't fault it and will buy the K3 mast again. Maybe I can live with less than 100% more easily than some.....
not really what I was getting at. I'm hardly pushing for people to buy new gear. just gear that suits the intended use. powerex is not the correct match either. closest non correct mast I've found to work in the KA wave sails is the unifiber skinny 400 I use. the powerex 430 i use to me is a little stiff in the top but yes powerex kinda works if it's all you have.
point being, if you are going to buy a mast for your sail then why not get a mast that suits because everything else is a noticeable compromise. like all things in life it's only when you do a/b comparisons that things become clear.
if I were a shop owner and you came to me to buy a constant curve stiff top mast for a KA sail I wouldn't sell it to you.
The original heading was "Anyone had any experience with these masts?". I understand completely your points but what I wrote are MY experiences with the K3. If you rate your experiences in life around reading the instruction book or specs of a toy then go for it but I must be at a different level of ability to you because quite frankly I sail with what I have and enjoy myself with it. It's a bit like marriage - I'd really like to be going out with Megan Gale but .......
The end.
Select to expand quoteGestalt said..
point being, if you are going to buy a mast for your sail then why not get a mast that suits because everything else is a noticeable compromise. like all things in life it's only when you do a/b comparisons that things become clear.
if I were a shop owner and you came to me to buy a constant curve stiff top mast for a KA sail I wouldn't sell it to you.
People make compromises in every aspect of their lives around what they can afford, I don't think windsurfing gear is any different!
And it is not uncommon for people to find their sails work better with a different mast to the sail brands.
I'd have thought being stiff top they woudl have been designed for Gaastra and Maui Sails.
If indeed the Battlestick is working in Severne and KA they can't be too stiff top.
OTOH I wonder why the cheap model is flex top and the expensive model a stiff top????
Sounds like they made a mast and then when they made a stronger one the bend curve was inadvertently affected.
That to me sounds alarm bells concerning the R&D.
If you want a middle of the road bend curve RDM you buy Ezzy or Powerex cos they can't be broken. (OK sure somebody somewhere has but failure rate on them is so low it is ridiculous)
Sure but who is selling their old powerex?
If anyone is, let me know, 400 and 370?
The 430 whitestick rigs well with the koncept 6.6. Put an order in for a 400 also, which will take 4 weeks.
Yep you gave your opinion and I gave mine. You seem to be very touchy that I don't agree with you. Hopefully other people with ka sails reading this will put more faith in the battlestick being the wrong mast rather then listen to people who either don't realise the need for a sail and mast to match or are just selling a productSelect to expand quotepatsken said...Gestalt said..patsken said..
Works for me....
But then I'm not a "gotta have the latest greatest" type of person hence the fact that my sails are a few years old and my boards are usually superseded models bought at about half the price of the latest models.
I've been using the Battlestick with those sails for a few years now and I'm very happy but if you like to have colour coded, exact match and latest gear then go for it. I'm just saying that with what gear I've got and my level of sailing ability AND compared with the "correct match" Powerex mast I was using before I can't fault it and will buy the K3 mast again. Maybe I can live with less than 100% more easily than some.....
not really what I was getting at. I'm hardly pushing for people to buy new gear. just gear that suits the intended use. powerex is not the correct match either. closest non correct mast I've found to work in the KA wave sails is the unifiber skinny 400 I use. the powerex 430 i use to me is a little stiff in the top but yes powerex kinda works if it's all you have.
point being, if you are going to buy a mast for your sail then why not get a mast that suits because everything else is a noticeable compromise. like all things in life it's only when you do a/b comparisons that things become clear.
if I were a shop owner and you came to me to buy a constant curve stiff top mast for a KA sail I wouldn't sell it to you.
The original heading was "Anyone had any experience with these masts?". I understand completely your points but what I wrote are MY experiences with the K3. If you rate your experiences in life around reading the instruction book or specs of a toy then go for it but I must be at a different level of ability to you because quite frankly I sail with what I have and enjoy myself with it. It's a bit like marriage - I'd really like to be going out with Megan Gale but .......
The end.
Select to expand quoteK3DAustralia said...Gestalt said..
point being, if you are going to buy a mast for your sail then why not get a mast that suits because everything else is a noticeable compromise. like all things in life it's only when you do a/b comparisons that things become clear.
if I were a shop owner and you came to me to buy a constant curve stiff top mast for a KA sail I wouldn't sell it to you.
People make compromises in every aspect of their lives around what they can afford, I don't think windsurfing gear is any different!
And it is not uncommon for people to find their sails work better with a different mast to the sail brands.
clearly it would be very handy for you if we left bend curve out of the conversation.
Select to expand quoteGestalt said..
Yep you gave your opinion and I gave mine. You seem to be very touchy that I don't agree with you. Hopefully other people with ka sails reading this will put more faith in the battlestick being the wrong mast rather then listen to people who either don't realise the need for a sail and mast to match or are just selling a productpatsken said...Gestalt said..patsken said..
Works for me....
But then I'm not a "gotta have the latest greatest" type of person hence the fact that my sails are a few years old and my boards are usually superseded models bought at about half the price of the latest models.
I've been using the Battlestick with those sails for a few years now and I'm very happy but if you like to have colour coded, exact match and latest gear then go for it. I'm just saying that with what gear I've got and my level of sailing ability AND compared with the "correct match" Powerex mast I was using before I can't fault it and will buy the K3 mast again. Maybe I can live with less than 100% more easily than some.....
not really what I was getting at. I'm hardly pushing for people to buy new gear. just gear that suits the intended use. powerex is not the correct match either. closest non correct mast I've found to work in the KA wave sails is the unifiber skinny 400 I use. the powerex 430 i use to me is a little stiff in the top but yes powerex kinda works if it's all you have.
point being, if you are going to buy a mast for your sail then why not get a mast that suits because everything else is a noticeable compromise. like all things in life it's only when you do a/b comparisons that things become clear.
if I were a shop owner and you came to me to buy a constant curve stiff top mast for a KA sail I wouldn't sell it to you.
The original heading was "Anyone had any experience with these masts?". I understand completely your points but what I wrote are MY experiences with the K3. If you rate your experiences in life around reading the instruction book or specs of a toy then go for it but I must be at a different level of ability to you because quite frankly I sail with what I have and enjoy myself with it. It's a bit like marriage - I'd really like to be going out with Megan Gale but .......
The end.
Sorry... I apologise G.
When I saw the title of the thread I read it as experience - as in using them. I bow to your superior knowledge seeing that you read the specs and saw the pictures. And you're probably right in that maybe I'm not smart enough or perhaps good enough to realise that every piece of equipment has its ideal match with another piece of kit, but like I said it was about experiences with these particular items (which I have) not a p---ing contest with those who want and need the "correct" kit to go out and enjoy the sport. Actually mis-matched gear probably does MATCH my ability.. DOH
I guess I'll go and sail all by myself because obviously my kit's not up to the standards you require to have fun. 
(there's no tongue in cheek emoto thingy)
Oh and by the way - I haven't got a product to sell and I'm not overly touchy about it - I just find it a little amusing that when someone asks about "experiences" the spec sheet experts appear and give their opinions about why someone else's choice of gear isn't up to scratch. I will have to think about my gear a bit now though seeing that I've now got a flash(ish) car (anyone who was interested in my rusted out Econovan has missed out) to carry around my 1 board, 3 sails and 1 K3 mast etc.
Maybe you have some product to sell??? Don't think I'll buy from you though - you would confuse me way too much with specs and technical stuff I wouldn't understand.
you're confused patken,
i'm not basing my opinion on reading a spec guide. you'd love to think that it seems, as you keep banging on about it. and I don't sell windsurfing gear.
yes I can tell if a sail is rigged properly from a photo. even just looking at a sail rigged on the beach I can pick it not having the right mast. so can many other people with experience.
as far as this thread goes, i'm posting my opinion based on an intimate knowledge of the sails you're talking about having used them for over 10 years now. and I've tested them on many different masts including ones that have been out of spec in length, in stiffness, in bend curve etc. have you ever actually used your sail on the right bend curve? maybe you should so you can have in informed opinion.
I can say with a very high level of certainty that your sail rigged on a way out of spec mast will have a reduced power range. the drive that was originally designed into the sail will be missing. the top end performance will be vastly different as well. as it is the 5.7 of that vintage had some batten rotation issues in the foot batten and the wrong mast is not going to help that one little bit either.
it's great that that you are happy with you setup. but remember other people will read this thread down the track and for that reason I will continue to point out the issue of incompatible bend curves.
very interesting the north sails have tested other masts to find bend curves they consider compatible. in that they say that ka masts are compatible.
the non compatible ones are the stiff top masts.http://www.north-windsurf.com/eng/nodes/display/pages/mast-technology
lets see what neil pryde say.
Because of the importance of the sail and mast relationship, and the complexities involved, it is essential to use a NeilPryde mast with a NeilPryde sail. This ensures you can benefit from the full wind range on offer and spend minimal time tuning.http://www.neilpryde.com/rigs/masts/masts-overview.html
I wonder what ezzy sails have to say.
Sails work great with the Ezzy Mast system, but also work with a variety of other brand masts (RDM and regular diameter). You could contact your mast maker and see if the bend of your non-Ezzy mast is compliant.
Ezzy mast bend curves are tip: 75% to 79% and base: 62% to 65%
www.ezzy.com/masts/mast-overview/
it's only really the faceless men that seem to put you in the firing line sue.
bottom line here, after you've looked at warranty,
branding or price means nothing.
what means everything is bend curve. don't let anyone tell you any different. yes you have some room to move within the bend curve spectrum. from my experience approx. 1.5% either way of the stated spec. outside of that and I start to feel like I'm losing too much.
a few years back there was a real call on seabreeze to start to publish bend curve spec because people started to realise that there was a noticeable difference and unfortunately most manufacturers just referred to everything as constant curve.
brands like sailworks and KA kinda lead the pack openly providing spec for their gear and did so prior to any conversations on seabreeze. since then looks like others like north, ezzy, NP, loft etc have all joined in to let sailors know what their product works best with. because they understand that not everyone has the perfect mast.
my rule of thumb is if a manufacturer can't supply me with an accurate spec of their product then I boycott them.
if anyone tells you they are a sail designer and that bend curve doesn't matter then they are either manipulating the information for their own gain or they don't know what they are talking about.
Select to expand quotepatsken said..
I've been using the Battlestick 430 on my 4ish year old KA Kaos sails for about 2 seasons mostly around Perth and find them a very good mast.
I haven't been out in the heavy winter wind and waves since early this winter but I don't see them as being anything but equal or better (in value for money) to the Powerex which I now have as my spare.
The 430 is too stiff for my 4.7 Kaos and will probably get a shorter one for my smaller sails but even so if your like me and run the minimum amount of kit then the Battlestick is a great wave sail mast at a good price.
Good quality - the join is actually a good fit unlike my Powerex - and even better value (unless the price has increased greatly). I'm very happy with them.
I've reposted my original reply to the question asked because the responses have gone way off track...
Note 1. Nowhere do I say that Sue has KA sails or the mast is perfect with mine - I do say that I find them a very good mast. That's my experience with them and I won't comment on the performance of other brands that I don't have.
2. I state that I don't see them as being anything but equal or better (in value for money) to the Powerex which I now have as my spare. A valid point for a lot of people is price and longevity and whilst the K3 hasn't been around as long as the Powerex I've been using, it does have a much better fit on the joint and I reckon I will get a lot more years out of it yet - which may be a problem for all the retailers but suits me.
3. I DO note that I find my mast too stiff for my 4.7. But guess what, I still enjoy sailing with a 4.7 and in fact I prefer to sail the 4.7 (if the wind is strong enough) but then maybe compromise doesn't worry me all too much. The stated wind range of a sail is purely a subjective statement based on what a professional test sailor thinks with the "perfect" set up and will be totally different to what a Numby like me will get using what I have in my kit.
4. I'm very happy with them... That's MY experience with them but I'll apologise once again G if that irks you.
5. Although quite a few professional sailors turn up around the WA coast I have noticed that most of us have day (or shift work) jobs and a big percentage of those are quite happy to sail with gear that is more than a couple of seasons old and maybe not up to "spec".
6. Maybe G should preface his posts with IM(H)O because his post that talks about faceless men seems somewhat of a rant (IMO) because it appears to me that my "experience" response to the original question has upset him due to fact that not all of us require a perfect setup to enjoy a sport that seems to be in decline - coincidentally.
