My mast appears to be stuck fast after yesterday's session. Feels like it might have a few grains of sand/grit in it or similar. Any tips for getting it apart? Wet, cold, slippery hands and tired arms didn't help yesterday afternoon :oops:

Jase

Try fitting 2 booms one above and one below the joint and twisting in opposite directions

Cheer's I'll try that. Only got one boom, although I'm sure if I ask someone nicely next weekend...

Just recruit a bunch of us and we'll all pull. It's sometimes quite funny when they pop apart and everyone falls on their arses.

Thanks! I'm the new boy with the really old kit! :wink:

It can sometimes take up to 3 people on each end of a mast to seperate it but the boom trick is a useful one to know as it requires less people. However, it does require booms with very good clamps (i.e. tight connection) or the mast can just slip around inside it. I've even used the boom trick on my own when at the beach by stuffing the boom under something solid (like a bench) and twisting the top half of the mast on my own.

Prevention is better than cure though:

- Do your best not to get grit inside the mast (especially the joint) joint when rigging.
- If the mast feels tight or you can hear grinding / crunching when putting it together then take it apart again and clean it. Ignore the little voice in your head that is saying "sod it, it'll do, just go sailing".
- Tape the joint with something that will stop the water getting in. I use Durapore tape (which is meant for bandages) but it works well on my X9s otherwise they seem to be the world leaders in getting stuck! For some reason electrical tape lets water into the joint on my mast. Put it this way, sailing in waves without any tape and my mast is guaranteed to jam. If I am abroad and tape it then at the end of the week it comes apart as easily as it went together. Taping definitely works.

Mike