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Mast lengths

Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 7:03 pm
by dave1986
I currently have a 91cm mast for my Moses 633, and wondering whether I should have chosen the 101cm size.

Is there much advantage to a longer 101cm or 111cm mast for free ride? Or are they generally only better for speed/course racing?

Dave

Re: Mast lengths

Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 7:11 pm
by jumptheshark
Generalizing, but depends on how you ride. Would posit the 633 suits the med to short lengths more than it does long.

Shorter doodling around in circles or swell. LEI or foil.

Over a meter and its more freerace, cranked over, straighter longer lines, usually foil kites.. again, generalizing.

91 is a nice compromise. You can throw on a fast wing for some freerace riding and handle most conditions or stick with the 633 and carve around a little more.

Re: Mast lengths

Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 7:13 pm
by grigorib
For freeride foiling on 590/683s/633 I’m riding 105cm whenever it’s deep enough - it’s awesome to fly high and edge hard.

91 is great middle ground and along with shorter masts works magic at shallower spots

Re: Mast lengths

Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 7:18 pm
by tkaraszewski
I'm about to order a 27" (68cm) mast specifically to fit in a small airplane, to use in the surf. Seems a normal "surf foil" length so hopefully it doesn't feel ridiculously short.

Re: Mast lengths

Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 7:46 pm
by Peter_Frank
You will get loads of opposite responses on this one, just so you know Dave, you might not be able to get "wiser".

The supershort masts are IMO nonsense, and a reminiscence from the sup/surf foils where they are needed for paddling up on shallow reef/sandbanks.
This is not an issue when kitesurfing, as with longer masts you still dont have more mast under the water.


I got three, 83 / 91.5 /100 cm masts.

Use the 91.5 mostly, as when light wind and not much chop or swell it works great overall if I should just have one mast also, the "go to" mast.

Whenever it is "good" waves, and/or more wind and chop or sideshore, I choose the 100 cm.
In fact yesterday when used with a 3.5 m2 kite, it got me thinking how often I use the 91.5 where the 100 would be the better choice and SO much better, no doubt.
Lazy, if the 91.5 was on the flyer that very day, I might just grab it.

The 83 cm is a different animal. Use it for marginal dead onshore winds only, 5-7 knots.

If the wind picks up, this short length is pure rubbish IMO, and worth nothing (but getting better, as a LOT harder to ride).

I know others will have maybe the complete opposite opinion :naughty:

And no, you wont gain with an 111 cm in my experience.
If you dont have a big "urge" for a longer mast, keep the 91 cm, spot on overall for your Onda 633 :thumb:

8) Peter

Re: Mast lengths

Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 8:04 pm
by dave1986
Thanks for all the responses. I think I'll still with the 91cm mast. Although I'd be interested to know where the 105cm Moses/ GhostWhisperer masts come from? All I see is 101cm/111cm?
grigorib wrote:
Fri Jun 28, 2019 7:13 pm
For freeride foiling on 590/683s/633 I’m riding 105cm whenever it’s deep enough - it’s awesome to fly high and edge hard.

91 is great middle ground and along with shorter masts works magic at shallower spots

Re: Mast lengths

Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 8:17 pm
by grigorib
dave1986 wrote:
Fri Jun 28, 2019 8:04 pm
Thanks for all the responses. I think I'll still with the 91cm mast. Although I'd be interested to know where the 105cm Moses/ GhostWhisperer masts come from? All I see is 101cm/111cm?
grigorib wrote:
Fri Jun 28, 2019 7:13 pm
For freeride foiling on 590/683s/633 I’m riding 105cm whenever it’s deep enough - it’s awesome to fly high and edge hard.

91 is great middle ground and along with shorter masts works magic at shallower spots
105cm is original Slingshot Ghost Whisper mast labeled as 42”. Setup came with 680 fuselage, 545 wing (shortened 558) and 328 stabilizer (shortened 330)

Re: Mast lengths

Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 8:33 pm
by SENDIT!
Don't forget about the shallows, Peter. Bring one of your 100+ cm masts around here and you'd be walking forever to get out deep enough to start!

Re: Mast lengths

Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 8:44 pm
by slowboat
You made right choice with 91. There are advantages and disadvantages to all mast sizes but 91 is a perfect middle ground. Longer masts have more drag and turn slower.

Re: Mast lengths

Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 8:56 pm
by Peter_Frank
SENDIT! wrote:
Fri Jun 28, 2019 8:33 pm
Don't forget about the shallows, Peter. Bring one of your 100+ cm masts around here and you'd be walking forever to get out deep enough to start!

I know, but that wasnt the question from the O.P.

If too shallow and not deep further out, you got no choice but to make a compromise using a shorter mast.

But this is another situation.

We got a few spots where we have to walk and drag "forever" before sufficiently deep, but noone would choose a shorter mast because of that on these spots.
As we got hundreds of kitespots in the vicinity we can choose any spot we like, deep in a few meters, or not deep till several hundred meters out :naughty:

Luxury to be able to choose, I know.

But we dont have any spots where it is shallow all over, like you have.

Thus a different situation and you have to choose the mast length based on compromise and necessity, and not your preferred liking when riding, if shallow all over.

8) Peter