carbon spars

[nigelf]

After a lifetime with wooden and aluminium masts, I have carbon spars coming along soon with a new Paradigm 2. Carbon masts seem to snap when aluminium would have bent (to be straightened later). There is some guidance on potential pitfalls with carbon in the website but reports rarely give the reason for breakages. All advice to a newcomer to carbon spars will be most welcome.

[darebarry]

Do not use metal mast engineering on a carbon mast. Pot rivets and self tap screws do the mast great harm. I have got one of Terry's masts and all the fittings etc are glued on. If you dont make holes in it, support it well and you should not have any problems.
Cheers Dare. N3521

[Phil Brown]

Don't put alumiminium fittings directley onto carbo, the electrolytic action will cause corrosion and weaken the carbon. (our mast failed at the sail entry fitting that had been riveted on with an aluminium rivet, wasn't the reason it failed but that was the weak point)

If you must use pop rivets make sure they are stainless steel (for the reason above) and get the proper ones for carbon that bell out behind the mast and not the fitting you are trying to fix on. An ordinary pop rivet will widen the hole as you pull it up and you end up with a peg in an enlarged hole which has no holding power instead of a rivet (Simon Walworth's jib halyard sheave box zippered down the front of the mast because of this) Alternativley put a washer over the back of the rivet before you pull it up.

[wobbly]

You may wish to check the measurement of the mast with and without the mast foot before taking ownership.  We had a minor problem on our paradigm 2 mast that was readily over come by Rondar. Have you also seen the strand on the discussion board on Paradigm set up? We apprecaited all the useful advice so kindly given via the discussion
group and at the boat parks of Weymouth and Salcombe.We have had ours just a month and it's fabulous. So roomy!  Enjoy. N 3534

[nigelf]

Many thanks for this useful tip which I have added to my eventual check list. The Paradigm is due next month and will be N3535, "Metric Electric". If it goes like you suggest and lives up to its name all will be well. Nigel.