Length of Mast Extension needed for old HiFly 300

Question
Hi Windlover,

A while back you gave me some wonderful advice about an old HiFly board that I picked up at our local Goodwill.

Many thanks for that!

Today I was able to get a used Chinook One-Bolt mast base with the Mistrl nut for a good price.

So my next item on the list is a mast extension to go with it.

The sail that came with the board was an older style Windsurfer sail as you saw here:

[url]http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/585/sail1.jpg/[/url]

[url]http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/821/sail2w.jpg/[/url]

Since it does not have the "Mast" measurements on it, what is the best way to determine the lenght of the extension to buy for this old board?


Also you'd mentioned getting about a fin that was 14 to 16" long.  I have ran across a decent used slalom fin (type A) but it is only 10".  Do you think that would work to get started (especially as I will also be using the board for SUP and I noticed that those fins seem to be shorter)?

Speaking of which, I carried the board to the lake to make sure it would support my weight and was not waterlogged.  It seems to do fine in that regard.

However being able to sit or stand on it (with no fin) was quite a challenge<g>.  I can see why they say SUP builds excellent core muscles!

BTW - on that note, this seems to be a good deal on a low cost SUP paddle that can also convert to a Kayak paddle:

[url]http://www.amazon.com/Carlisle-Taboo-Stand-Up-Paddle/dp/B005VBL2LE/ref=pd_sim_sg[/url]

It even has the bent end for SUP paddling - somehthing I have not seen on the less expensive paddles.

Anyway, thanks again in advance for your help!

Charles

Answer
Hey Charles,

The easiest way to determine how much extension you need would be to put the sail on the mast. Then pull it down as much as you can. If the bottom of the mast sleeve goes beyond the bottom of the mast, then try to push the mast in as far as it can go. It will be difficult to get any tension on the sail so you will need to guesstimate the extra. With the mast in as far as it will go, measure the length from the bottom of the mast to the bottom of the sail. Now add 6-8" to allow of tensioning the sail and that should tell you what size extension to look for. They usually come in three sizes, short, medium, & long. If medium is just enough, go with a long just to be on the safe side. Extensions are designed to be able to safely use at their maximum length but it can put undue stress on the bottom of the mast, especially if it is an older mast. Better to have more extension inside the mast that not enough.

As for a 10" fin, it will work fine for your board. A longer fin would help if you were going to be in higher winds and are trying to get the board on a plane (which is a chore in itself for a longboard). If you are just going to be sailing light to moderate winds and some SUP fun, then the 10" fin will work.

The paddle does seem like a good deal.

Hope this helps.
Keep on sailing,
Windlover