Hi Everyone

Okay so I'm heading back onto the water after about 15yrs ! (OMG) because I'm sick of watching my kids sail their skiffs around and being bored out of my mind on the land!

I've got a Bic 293 on the way. The reasons for this are many: I need to go upwind, I want to be able drop the rig and stand/watch them, I will possibly race it, and more importantly I will to use it for them (they will be able to race it in the next few years themselves).

I've gone for the c490 mast that allows me to use both the 7.8 and 8.5 one design sails. I have a 7.8 that I'll use to "learn again".

A question or two:
- What alternative larger (8.5+) sails will match this mast outside the one design packages and without being ridiculously expensive?
- The specs on the Bic mast show it as reasonably bendy @21 ICMS - big deal, not big deal? (again, I'd love two or three masts but alas budget says no).

In return for a good answer I'll post some pics of me upside down

Thanks in advance!

Hi,
To clarify, all gear is new - except sails which I'd like 2nd hand because they'll probably be underwater a lot!.

The Bic mast is interesting/confusing because it seems the IMCS is quite low for a new item relative to other brands (see the bic website, I can't post the link because I'm too new a member!). Anyway this is why I was asking - I wonder if there's a reason for that and what sails might suit a bendy mast :).

Cheers and thanks for the welcome!

MeToo said..
Hi Everyone

Okay so I'm heading back onto the water after about 15yrs ! (OMG) because I'm sick of watching my kids sail their skiffs around and being bored out of my mind on the land!

I've got a Bic 293 on the way. The reasons for this are many: I need to go upwind, I want to be able drop the rig and stand/watch them, I will possibly race it, and more importantly I will to use it for them (they will be able to race it in the next few years themselves).

I've gone for the c490 mast that allows me to use both the 7.8 and 8.5 one design sails. I have a 7.8 that I'll use to "learn again".

A question or two:
- What alternative larger (8.5+) sails will match this mast outside the one design packages and without being ridiculously expensive?
- The specs on the Bic mast show it as reasonably bendy @21 ICMS - big deal, not big deal? (again, I'd love two or three masts but alas budget says no).

In return for a good answer I'll post some pics of me upside down

Thanks in advance!

Hi MeToo,

I restarted windsurfing after 30+ years layoff. Bought a Fanatic Viper and a 9.6m2 sail for the light winds here, no surf nor Australian Bight 25-30 knot seabreezes. Then discovered windfoiling, you gotta try this.

The mast might be made for one of their soft sails. I did quote earlier that the IMCS should be around 25 to 27 but after looking at several sites its usually around 29 for a performance 490 mast.

The stand up paddle board sails some people use are like an old windsurfer rig and are incredibly soft.

If you want anything that has got performance you will have to get better gear.

Also after looking at the Bic website I have noticed that the rig is designed as a youth sail, smaller people usually use softer masts, also they have a carbon content of 60 % most performance masts are 85 % and above.

I would contact the shop you originally bought the gear from and ask them.

Al Planet said..
Having the 430 460 and 490 the same stiffness does allow for less masts in the quiver which is value for money. It's a one design so it's not an issue unless you are in a mixed fleet.

Understandable logic, but unfortunately, it does not work that way with IMCS mast ratings.

IMCS is'Indexed Mast Check System'. This was designed to enable a practical comparison of different length masts.

The idea, as I understand it was to fix the fact the MCS testing was overwhelmingly influenced by the length of the mast. So that a shorter mast of similar stiffnes, tested with the 30KG weight, would test much stiffer (higher number) in MCS and one that was longer would test much softer (lower number). So the IMCS was developed to 'index' the rating to the length. (The standard mast length and stiffness was selected as 460cm 25 MCS, which also IMCS tests as 25 IMCS)

So the only logical explanation I can think of is that the 21 rating on the 490 mast is actually it's MCS rating. If this is the case it could be closer to a normal 490 - 27 IMCS rating. I would have to do the maths to check that but I am feeling too lazy ATM to look up the formula.

See: www.surfsailaustralia.com.au/product/bic-techno-t293-one-design-mast#surf-sail-clothing-hardware

The above graphic of a 460 mast (60% carbon) suggests it is IMCS 25. I believe, unless I am mistaken, that the reference to IMCS 21 the OP has for the 490 must be an error. You might be best to look closely at the specs on the mast and photograph them and post.