http://www.mauisails.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=4759

It seems they are less hard top and more constant curve now. What their new curve is precisely they are not saying. They spin the usual sales talk like everything is wonderful and your old sails work even better on the new curve :)

They were hard top like the old Gaastra masts when Barry and Phil worked for Gaastra. Now they say their mast manufacturer can't build them the way they want them. Barry has retired and the sail design is in the hands of Artur Szpunar now. I don't know if that has anything to do with it.

It doesn't seem like it's a big change. I wish all mfrs used the same curve though. We'd all be happier.

Mark _australia said..

I am curious as to how they have changed it and it works *better*.
Wasn't using their mast the absolute pinnacle of performance? Using a different bend curve a big no-no

Or have we been lied to in Maui's advertising previously?

I can't see it would have changed much, maybe just a bit less hard top.

I wonder if there are other sports/pass-times with as much marketing drivel as windsurfing, where everything is greatly improved in all respects each year. Kitesurfing presumably... others?

sausage said..

I had been rigging my 10m tr-8 with a loft 490 100% SDM (constant curve) and 40cm extension successfully (until it snapped last week) contrary to specs req. 520 hard top. Tested it with an old 490 soft top tushingham 100% on weekend successfully to my surprise. Maybe the shorter mast longer extension compensates - can't quite remember whether using shorter mast than specified makes it stiffer or softer?

The Loft mast may have a similar stiffness in the bottom to the next size up hard top.
I had a similar experience with an NP 400 in an Ezzy Infinity 6.0. It was sweet - too soft in the top but it didn't seem to matter and just the right stiffness where it counts. Of course that wasn't a race sail.

This is indeed correct, mast bend curve has been altered slightly to be more in line with the majority of other brands so that other masts can be used with Mauisails rigs.

The modification is only minor. They have indeed tested both combinations (old sails - new masts and new sails - old masts) and were satisfied both could be used successfully. Not sure at our level we could feel the difference as we always have some variability in the manufacturing process which has been addressed with these new masts.

As for Barry retiring, he is still around and involved but not in the day to day activities. Artur has been driving the design of the range for a while now.

ikw777 said..
I wonder if there are other sports/pass-times with as much marketing drivel as windsurfing, where everything is greatly improved in all respects each year. Kitesurfing presumably... others?

Golf.