Can anyone help with the relative advantages and disadvantages of the various carbon masts: Chipstow, Superspar and Proctor? I'm not looking to be at the front of the fleet. My boat is an NSM 2 just used for fun.

The Chipstow mast is superb, a highly refined bit of kit used by all the top boats, drawbacks are cost and the lead time to get one.  The Superspar is a good compromise, not as light and a little stiffer than Chipstow, but quite a bit cheaper.  Proctor are not really in the game.....

I asked Richard Whitworth the same question.  His reply was that there is a massive jump up from an ali mast to a carbon mast and a little jump from a superspar to a chipstow.  You won't notice the difference if you're not at the front of the fleet.

Apologies to Mr W for any paraphrasing/innacuracies in the above!

I have a Superspar on my NSM4 and it's a fantastic product which has taken a lot of s**t from me sailing in occasionally very high wind, boat sometimes full of water and doing stupid things like forgetting the puller with the kite up.

If you're interested in buying a pre-tales boat which has all the carbon already (and everything else - i.e. all the go-faster stuff) feel free to email me.  You will end up spending between 1500 and 2 grand to put carbon on your boat properly and you can have a trick boat for 2500 - 3000.

Would second Jon's endorsement of the durability of the Superspar as I have done several things with mine which I doubt I would have got away with on the Chipstow, mine has to be 6 or 7 years old now transferred from Elusive when I bought Heaven Sent 4 years ago

Andrew

I can't comment on the relative merits of the different masts but I have just fitted a new Superspars carbon mast to my NSM2 and am very pleased with it. The boat feels a lot easier to sail and more responsive than she did with her ali mast. 

Nigel