cutting the mast

[Arcsrule]

thinking my home built cf foil/mast is useless for retail, I'm thinking to cut the mast to about 18 inches or so. this will require building a new mounting plate. has anyone done this successfully? the new slingshot is just to new and pristine to keep for my uses, so I will sell it and give my Caraffino boards some usage. building/making stuff is what I truly love to do.

[faklord]

One option would be to use something like one of these: http://www.ketos-foil.com/en/kf-box/25- ... isser.html
Drop your cut mast in and fill the gaps with epoxy/chopped glass (or similar)
& cross drill mast for barrel nut(s)
A bit costly but should be strong.

[Blackrat]

That's very short , only cut so short if you got very flat water

I recommend minimum 24"

30" is even better to learn to foil

You will out grow 18" on your first few weeks of foiling

[Starsky]

Agree, give yourself at least enough mast to learn to actually foil.

Slingy talk about their shortest as something only for the first few sessions, when learning to taxi on the surface.

In fact, I say just use the slingy to learn as designed and then once you can ride. Use your home grown to see how it flies.

Why ruin your hard work when you already have a really good learning tool. Makes no sense to sell it and try and learn on something untested and unknown? Potentially making the process much harder. The Slingy foil is by all accounts a nice easy foil to learn on..... and you already own it! Why take a loss on it? Use it!

Selling it and cutting your carbon mast sounds like your pretty determined not to foil!

Learn the easiest way possible with the stuff you already have and decide what to cut or sell once you have an idea of how your homegrown actually works. Who knows, it might be great, and you can sell the slingy. You'll get the same amount for it anyway. Either way, what your suggesting sounds backward to me.

[Peter_Frank]

thinking my home built cf foil/mast is useless for retail, I'm thinking to cut the mast to about 18 inches or so. this will require building a new mounting plate. has anyone done this successfully? the new slingshot is just to new and pristine to keep for my uses, so I will sell it and give my Caraffino boards some usage. building/making stuff is what I truly love to do.

Why ? Not sure I understand - are you riding the hydrofoil, or are you selling the hydrofoil, or do you plan to make and sell several hydrofoils ?
We are missing a bit in your statement I think

How long is your mast now ?

90 to 100 cm is the length most wants (only racers go a bit longer), and I always advocate to jump over the "short mast" learning step that some are choosing the last year or so, as it is not worth it IMO.

For a hydrofoil school they work yes, as you have limited amount of time, and they can use the short ones always, where others can only use them for a very short time and then they are useless
Many got the idea it is more difficult to ride and balance on a longer "stick" - but it is just as stable as a hydrofoil is self balancing in terms of roll

PF

[Mossy 757]

I cannot for the life of me imagine why anyone would want to learn on a short strut. When you're learning is when your ride height control is the worst and you need all the strut in the water you can get!

I'd just learn how to ride the thing and not blame your gear. I learned on a full-length foil and am convinced that this means anyone can do it; always remember that slingshot wants to sell you 3 different masts because they're a company in business to make money, not necessarily because it's the best/easiest way to learn.

[Starsky]

I wouldn't go that far.

I bet a short mast would have prevented my first couple sessions from being so humbling, and that at 24-30" the kangaroo phase is more manageable. if you have a mind to be on a regular mast as soon as your flying stable and can waterstart smoothly, I think it's viable, and likely desirable for someone in their 60's.

Selling your slingy foil at a loss and cutting your only remaining mast doesn't sound like it has the end goal in mind at all.

Get going on that hover glide, and someday soon you will get to savour all the work you put into the carbon build. Riding along nicely on your own build will make you look back and laugh at this thread.

It's worth it. After what seems like a lot of crashing you will have opened the door to a whole new level. One with less load and strain and need for high winds which will in turn allow you many more years of fun than traditional gear.

I know your nervous. But you have the short masts. Just use them exactly as the stepping stones they were designed to be and you will be fine.

[Peter_Frank]

Starsky, what do you mean "but you have the short masts" ?

He writes he want to cut down his mast, not what length he got now ?

Confusing

Peter

[Starsky]

Arcsrule is the same guy from the "it's not going to happen for me" thread.

I got stuck with 2 carafino foil boards...I made a carbon foil to fit them. a year went by and I never took them to the water. so last year I bought the slingshot system with 4 mast, covers, and alien air board. I installed the shortest mast and took it to the beach twice. it was in the water maybe 30 minutes. my beach is mostly deserted but still I felt unsafe trying to learn this. So, I quit. I just don't have the time to invest in learning this. I will take a huge financial loss selling these, but its the right thing to do. I also have a vacuum pump I used making the carbon foil. it was a fun build...

He has cold feet, and wants to sell the Slingshot set up and recoup some cash, but at the same time cut down his carbon mast to learn on an untested/tuned foil while also leaving himself without a full set up in the end.

Screw that, stick to plan A. Use the damn slingshot. Can't recoup the full cost anyway. Learn with the short masts and when you can ride you get to see if all your hard work on the carbon foil was any good. If it is, sell the slingy, if not, well at least your foiling and have a bit more chance of figuring out how to tune your home build!

[Bille]

thinking my home built cf foil/mast is useless for retail, I'm thinking to cut the mast to about 18 inches or so. this will require building a new mounting plate.
...
building/making stuff is what I truly love to do.

Then mold it before you cut it ; if your good at making molds , it shouldn't
take more than a day of work each side, to build a mold , (+ two days of cure time).

I would also go with the advise others gave ; make the short strut 30-inches.

Bille