Search for a Location
  Clear Recents
Metro
South West
Central West
North West
  Surf Cameras
  Safety Bay Camera
Metro
North
Mid North
Illawarra
South Coast
Metro
West Coast
East Coast
Brisbane
Far North
Central Coast
Sunshine Coast
Gold Coast
Hobart
West Coast
North Coast
East Coast
Recent
Western Australia
New South Wales
Victoria
South Australia
Queensland
Northern Territory
Tasmania
  My Favourites
  Reverse Arrows
General
Gps & Speed Sailing
Wave Sailing
Foiling
Gear Reviews
Lost & Found
Windsurfing WA
Windsurfing NSW
Windsurfing QLD
Windsurfing Victoria
Windsurfing SA
Windsurfing Tasmania
General
Gear Reviews
Foiling
Newbies / Tips & Tricks
Lost & Found
Western Australia
New South Wales
Queensland
Victoria
South Australia
Tasmania
General
Foiling
Board Talk & Reviews
Wing Foiling
All
Windsurfing
Kitesurfing
Surfing
Longboarding
Stand Up Paddle
Wing Foiling
Sailing
  Active Topics
  Subscribed Topics
  Rules & Guidelines
Login
Lost My Details!
Join! (Its Free)
  Search for a Location
  Clear Recents
Metro
South West
Central West
North West
Surf Cameras
Safety Bay Camera
Metro
North
Mid North
Illawarra
South Coast
Metro
West Coast
East Coast
Brisbane
Far North
Central Coast
Sunshine Coast
Gold Coast
Hobart
West Coast
North Coast
East Coast
Recent
Western Australia
New South Wales
Victoria
South Australia
Queensland
Northern Territory
Tasmania
  My Favourites
  Reverse Arrows
All
Windsurfing
Kitesurfing
Surfing
Longboarding
Stand Up Paddle
Wing Foiling
Sailing
Active Topics
Subscribed Topics
Forum Rules
Login
Lost My Details!
Join! (Its Free)

Forums > Windsurfing General

Sail your SUP without a mast base fitting

Reply
Created by PD > 9 months ago, 7 Sep 2011
PD
NSW, 67 posts
7 Sep 2011 7:49PM
Thumbs Up


Want to sail your SUP in light winds on flat water but it doesn't have a mast base screw fitting? Read about my solution to the problem in the SUP forum.



Waiting4wind
NSW, 1871 posts
7 Sep 2011 8:19PM
Thumbs Up

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

Great idea.

Mark _australia
WA, 22813 posts
7 Sep 2011 6:34PM
Thumbs Up

Gives me an idea - could mould a bit to fit in the handle, with a long bar protruding forward or aft (running along the deck) to mount the rig in the right place

nick0
NSW, 510 posts
7 Sep 2011 9:31PM
Thumbs Up

what stops it from just lifting straight out?

Kimba
SA, 456 posts
7 Sep 2011 9:43PM
Thumbs Up

You could make a threaded adaptor sleeve and screw it into the vent plug. Cut a gasket to fit the mast base.

Mark _australia
WA, 22813 posts
7 Sep 2011 8:16PM
Thumbs Up

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?

Bondalucci
VIC, 1579 posts
8 Sep 2011 12:13AM
Thumbs Up

Unfortunately, lots of SUP handles are set "off centre".

Not sure how strong the valve screw holders would be either.

-curious to know how these go from people who try them, though.

Jethrow
NSW, 1257 posts
8 Sep 2011 7:34AM
Thumbs Up

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

Ben 555
NSW, 455 posts
8 Sep 2011 8:16AM
Thumbs Up

Jethrow - you have just bought back some painful memories

ka43
NSW, 3082 posts
8 Sep 2011 9:16AM
Thumbs Up

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

Sailhack
VIC, 5000 posts
8 Sep 2011 4:20PM
Thumbs Up

I've already helped with a small repair from a pin 'popping' out and going through the deck on a mate's board...can see a few issues, but good concept all the same!

As a passing comment, would the board (and grip insert) stand up to the additional force the sail will put on it? Both my sups have w/surfing rig attachments, and I was under the impression (maybe a delusion, but...) that those boards are designed stronger to handle the additional force?!?

barn
WA, 2960 posts
8 Sep 2011 3:15PM
Thumbs Up

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..

aus301
QLD, 2039 posts
8 Sep 2011 5:32PM
Thumbs Up

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..


If it were to work I assume this would require the user to remove some of the deck grip, as the point at which you would usually attach a rig is normally covered and I can't see any suction cup sticking to a foam grip.

PD
NSW, 67 posts
8 Sep 2011 5:35PM
Thumbs Up

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
NSW, 9029 posts
8 Sep 2011 7:34PM
Thumbs Up

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

Sailhack
VIC, 5000 posts
8 Sep 2011 9:40PM
Thumbs Up

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!

pierrec45
NSW, 2005 posts
8 Sep 2011 10:00PM
Thumbs Up

Jethrow said...

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


Nah, it's all fixed now on an old plank I use when there is little wind...



Wet Willy
TAS, 2317 posts
9 Sep 2011 3:04AM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
[
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...



Subscribe
Reply

Forums > Windsurfing General


"Sail your SUP without a mast base fitting" started by PD