Hi all. Here's a challenge.
I have 3 year old NeilPryde 490cm 100% carbon mast, used with two NP sails, H2 and V8 both 8.6 m2. I do most of my sailing with these sails on a big JP SLW or a smaller Fanatic Falcon. I'm just over 70kg and have been doing this for over 30 years.
Here's the question, I really hope some of you experts can help me with. I want to get a new 8.3-9.0m2 but don't want to go with a NP this time, although the new V8 looks pretty tempting, and I want to continue using my rather expensive NP mast.
Which sailbrand (twine-cam or similar, not race) rigs well on a NP mast (other than NP)? I've always read that NP masts are very flex-top and I want a good match. I would love to get help on this or if you have experience. I've been eying the usual big brands, like GA, Severne, Point-7, and Duotone. All of my smaller rigs are GA and I've very good experience with those. So which brand should I look at?
Thanks for the help. Cheers!

Hi Osk. This should help.
www.unifiber.net/unifiber-masts-selector-2017-v1

The NP mast are what they call progressive flex . What that means is the smaller sizes are flex top and they get stiffer the longer they get . The 490 is around a medium flex and work well with most brands except hard top such as Gaastra and a few others .

gorgesailor said..

Imax1 said..
The NP mast are what they call progressive flex . What that means is the smaller sizes are flex top and they get stiffer the longer they get . The 490 is around a medium flex and work well with most brands except hard top such as Gaastra and a few others .

Are you sure? I have actually heard the opposite... Best to Rig it.

My bet would be if you Rig a Severne or Duotone on the NP mast the leach will fall off way to early & looseness will be too extreme. It would be worse if you had a stiff top mast however - the mismatch causes really unpleasant results...

I'm sure , from 490 up they are definitely medium flex . I've used NP masts with North Sails for years and work great . Even the 460 works ok.

And being on the lighter-side of the average, a flexy top certainly wont hurt when used with constant-curve sails.