Is it just me or does someone else love the sound a mast makes when taken apart?

The key thing about masts jamming is to truly understand why this happens in the first place. The problem is indeed sand or grit in the joint, but there are several ways that sand gets in there. For sure, you can start with sand entering the joint because your sail rigging was done on a windy beach or where the mast ferrule was dirty. But what happens more often is we drop the rig in the water and sandy water gets forced inside the mast during a crash or simply when waterstarting, and the water then drains out, leaving the sand behind. That sandy water can indeed get in through the mast join, but it also comes in via the mast tip if your upper bung is not water tight. The sand or grit then wriggles inside the mast joint as you continue to sail because the mast flexes, and that is when the joint becomes jammed, with the accumulated extra sand and dirt. With some masts, the sandy water can also get in from the base, perhaps through holes in your extension tube. The lower section of the mast should have a sealing foam 'bung' inside, above the top of the extension, but many do not. In summary, sealing the mast joint IS a good idea, but check your bungs first.

Also an idiot guide to second hand buying would be amazing

Love this tip! And thanks for being such a great ambassador for the sport. You enthusiasm is infectious. PS: I am re-entering the sport after a 29 year break, and I enjoy watching your videos for inspiration and education.

Cool hack! I would do it the other way around: keep the inner tube on the top piece of the mast. That way, if you store your top in your base… you got an auto-protection going for you 🥳

I use tape every time, simple and easy!

Such a convivial moment when the whole beach teams together on a stuck mast though…

I have bee doing the duct tape trick for years but this is better, even more when you dont rig next to your vehicle. Muchas gracias for this one!!!

Carbon dust possibly…but it sand particles. Sand with water… a mast cap on top of mast is also key. If no cap… cut/shave down a pool noodle to stuff in the top

Nice trick. I’ve been using electrical black tape for several years now and it does the trick really well also. Just 2 full turns and re-use the same piece of tape for almost an entire season. Another one is to store your board with old tennis balls in footstraps to keep their shape.

That's a great idea Ben. Much appreciated and I'm going to give it a go!

Just get $2 worth of electrical tape and tape around mast connection. It sticks incredibly well to itself but doesn't leave any residue on the mast. Needs about 10cms of tape so a 20m roll will last nearly a year. Here in Australia you can buy it at Bunnings for less than $10 for a 5 pack.

Well we have all had our mast stuck at some point - no pun intended. As you stated and that has always been my finding it really is about cleaning both parts of the mast before assembly. Which is one of the reasons I have always hated rigging my kit on the beach. I would always look for some grass or even rig on the paved parking lot to avoid the sand blowing into everything while rigging.

this is also useful for getting a stuck mast apart, i.e. using rubber on respective ends (closer to the join would work best) in order to gain more traction, thus a better "twist" to prize apart

This arrangement would also provide protection for at least one end of the mast against impact. Good tip!

Spent half a holliday getting my mast unstuck. The whole camping was staring at me. Wiggling the mast with a person on each end did the trick after hours and hours. I will be using this hack!!

Ben, you are the best. Great hack ! Thanks

Would a condom be an alternative option? Asking for a friend

Great ☺️ could be used under harness lines to save the grip

I've been using Duck tape for several years now and that also works fine, even on cambered sails. Trick to get the mast unstuck is to put it upside down, with the top in the ground between your feet and then shake it really hard (like shaking apples from a tree), switching between short and long shakes.

Excellent tip ! Ive seen the same hack used for the bend area of booms . Its for those of us that rig on rougher surfaces

Thanks for the tip. Now I know why I kept all those inner tubes for:). Have had mast stuck twice. Both at the extension. Both from sand. Blaming the nasty shore break with the "sandy" water. Sometimes do end up with gapping or two piece if I don't spin the mast while removing them.

Nice hack. Easy way to release stuck mast, tie the boom to it. With two boom it’s best. One above, one below. Then you have lots of strength to turn on opposite side and release it. Simple law of physics but took me a while to think about it.

Cool idea, I'll tape the connection with Zumpelband...😜🏄‍♂️🤙

Great tip!

Brilliant 👏

Great video! Now we need a video on how to unstick a mast if this advice wasn't followed 😂

Cool. I have do do this with my RRD compact 5 pieces mast !

On my Ezzy mast I use a rubber o-ring between the 2 parts. Never had a stuck mast since! What I also noticed that one mast kept getting stuck together because the pieces were too tight. After a bit of light sanding they went together much easier and didn't get stuck anymore

ooh, i like it very much. I have been using electrical tape for years, which seems to do the trick as well.

I never had an issue with masts getting stuck until I switched to full carbon masts. I reckon the carbon dust mixes with water during sailing and creates a tight seal. So when it's time to disconnect, you are fighting both friction and a pressure differential, like pulling a vacuum. I'm pretty sure this could be fixed if mast manufacturers fit a 20 cm low friction, teflon coated (removable) non carbon sleeve in the upper half. I'd be happy to pay the premium if it was guaranteed not to stick.

My mast got stuck every session at the beach, and I found that the mast top end was broken. It came down to the joint inside the mast! So besides this tip which is great, check your top is correctly sealed.

Fantastic hack!

I use parcel tape since years. This helps perfect

thanks Man

And for the boom sliding down?

Inner tube sections also work on the boom clips that hold the tail stock on. While duck jibing my fingers have inadvertently popped the clip open , the result could be a broken boom arm if you don't notice it. I have used tape but the inner tube section works just as well.

you can use a second rubber on the connection to the mast extension :)

I use 2 inch wide clear tape to SEAL the seam. That's all! And I keep my sails rigged at the beach for months on end.

Great! I know what I will ask for my birthday: Used inner bicycle tueb!

Rocket science!

Electrical tape works. If there is a seal with tape or the suggested inner tube, the resulting prevention of fluid flow through the joint, either internally or externally, prevents any grit getting to the overlapping parts - which, of course, you have ensured are free of grit before you put the two halves together. Not using anything will result in sand getting in and creating an interference fit. I've seen it too many times. Use the inner tube method or electrical tape.

We use electrical tape where I live. Never any residue like duct tape might leave. Ben's trick is pretty cool, but since I've gone tubeless on my mtbs, no spare inner tubes anymore. haha

Thanks Ben, my boom often gets stuck

Not sure that sealing the connection solves the problem. I've seen masts being stuck in places without sandy beaches, so i'd rather say it might be coused by too tight fit between parts of the mast. Never used tape of any kind around mast, left rig in sand for hours in sand and never had problem with stuck mast. There's cool feature on severne masts to prevent this situation - foam cap with sllghtly bigger diameter that cleans inner diameter of mast. Anyway, cool hack and worth trying if someone needs it.

thats a damn good idea

Brilliant

Won't the time worn passion, for rolling on the rubber, stop the masts from breeding. That's masticide in my books. That aside. Big sail makers like GA, Neil Pryde etc. have bought or invested in mast makers. Now they deliberately make sails that need different mast sizes. I quit windsurfing 40 years ago when i had 4 sails and one mast. It all worked fine. Having recently come back to the sport I am shocked that i already have 3 sails and 4 masts? Kill the masts.

You should patent this and make millions!

Doesn't work for the pieces of my RRD mast I have tried so far. But it comes in 4 pieces, plus one fixed extension, and is still slightly conic, and I think I tried it on one of the lower ones. It feels a bit like putting a human condom on a horse - not that I've tried it yet. Maybe I have to look into the fatty bike tubes after all, or see if there are somewhat wider tubes. The ones I got don't miss by much. I'll be in the shop tomorrow, I hope something I find works, and I can update with the exact measurements.

Add hair conditioner - rub it on the mast join, then tape

Never would have guessed that was your first go…😁

Very good idea but can't fit the inner tube. I've got SDM mast. So this is only for RDM or maybe using big fat tyre inner tube?

"La palme's conditions aproved "

No option for me. Without this I'm already struggling to get the mast out of the sail.😖

Is that also good for the Boom connection point?

Can you make something about mast deviators? Should we use them?

Cool trick for warm water, but will it work in freezing conditions? When I’m windsurfing in below zero temperature mast always freezes together.

great

YAHOO!

SDM also possible I think

with a cambered sail if the joint is right on the camber that might not work...

Juste du scotch gaffer c'est plus rapide et ça évite que les deux parties du mâts s'écartent. C'est plus simple et bien plus efficace !

I use duck tape and the effect is the same I think.

I use duc tape, works like a charm.

ore just use a litle vaseline

Dis tout try wing foil

Looks like to much work ..!!!! Not doin it 😜 condom for a mast 😊