Mast attachment piece

Question
QUESTION: The mast base attachment piece broke on my very old HiFly windsurfer.  It is two pieces held together by a 3/4 inch thick round rubber piece that is 5 3/4 long and goes through the center of the two pieces.   The bottom 3 inches fits into the windsurfer and is locked by a collar that expands the very bottom.  About 4 inches fits into the Mast.  The rubber piece dried up fron age and broke.  The rubber piece is all I really need.  The letters AKUTEC or AXUTEC is printed on the base.   Any help would be appreciated.     Thanks  John

ANSWER: Hey John,

Here is what you need;

http://www.chinooksailing.com/products/product_info.php?cPath=2_76&products_id=2

Be sure to spray your bolts/ nuts with some penetrating fluid and let soak overnight. You can grip the wide points of the old joint with channel locks or a vice. There is a metal insert that is like a washer with a female threaded sleeve attached. The washer part is where the wide part of the joint is and what you need to grip onto to remove the nuts/bolts. Use a strap wrench to hold the new joint when tightening the nuts/bolts. Be sure to put a little BLUE locktight on the threads. DON'T use RED locktight. Blue is removable, Red is almost permanent. Be VERY careful to not cause any damage to the plastic parts. They are brittle and fragile from age and any stress cracks could cause breakage. They should hold up to normal use, just be gentle with them as they are obsolete and pretty much irreplaceable. Lose or break them and you have a stand up paddle board instead of a windsurfer.

Hope this helps.
Keep on sailing,
Windlover

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for you answer but my board was built before they used the piece you are talking about. I don't think I could retrofit the plastic pieces to hold the rubber piece you are talking about.   The mast attachment piece is about 10 1/2 inches long totally.   There are two half plastic pieces which make up the piece.  These two pieces are held together by a 3/4 inch round rubber rubber piece about 5 1/2 inches long that runs through the center of the two pieces.  The piece bends to 90 degrees when the mast is attached to the board and is in the water.   It is one straight piece again when the sail is pulled up for sailing.  Maybe I can send a picture.   The bottom 4  inches fits into a hole in the board and locks by turning a locking ring which expands the bottom of the piece holding it to the board.  You can not move the mast back and forth as the more modern attachments pieces do.   I know you never heard of this piece.   It is a very old HiFly board.  Thanks for trying to help me.

Answer
Hey John,

Sorry about that. You need the tendon type joint. They are just a different type of joint that certain manufacturers used. I've seen just about every type of rig built in my 30+ years of windsurfing.

http://www.chinooksailing.com/products/product_info.php?products_id=252

See if this will work for you.

Hope this helps.
Keep on sailing,
Windlover