What are the differences between the carbon masts used in the Merlin class?
Is choice related to crew weight?

Are particular sailmakers better matched to each mast?

Is anyone compiling a 'gear guide' for boats at the Nationals/Silver Tiller?
If so how about extending it down to at least mid fleet, it would be interesting to see what people other than the superstars are using.
Cheers,
Chris 3442

If someone would like to fill in the gear guide here, that would be helpful (and gets us a chance to be published in Y&Y magazine).

It would be a very useful tool as te last time I did it, I got a  very good response.

The way it was explained to me by a very experienced Merlin sailor was:
Chipstow the best quality, most expensive
Selden is newish, starting to get more acceptance, and the North Sails are matched to it
Superspar is the cheaper option

Just a third party opinion, would love to hear some more informed debate and see the gear chart

Don't shoot the messenger

From what I can understand the Chipsow mast (whilst the accepted norm) is theoreically too flexible but works very well for most people who are theoretically using too much in the way of lowers. Others, like Selden and the CSC, have come up with very sensible alternatives which are a bit stiffer lower down but no-one at the front have put the time in to try them out properly. Roger and James tried the CSC but eventually worked out they didn't need to use it.

Superspars are a great budgets alternative. Bit stiffer and if you are a bit heavier (23+ stone) then you may as well have one of those.

I don't know what you mean by the front, but Tim and I felt we had reasonable speed most of the time and occasional blistering speed with Selden/Norths at the champs.  Certainly correct on the less lowers than Chipstow business!

Of interest/worry though it would appear that not all Selden masts in circulation have the same bend characteristics...

True mine bent so much it broke - lack of puller was the issue :-)

I now have a chipstow which was far too expensive at first but since Selden up'ed their prices the nice insurance man was happy with the swap.

I now understand that they may be a new offering soon to be tested on the East coast - time will tell.  Certainly a competitor for Superspar, as I understand the same man will have designed both, just a decade apart!

Was not aware you were using one so I take it back...

is it just me, or is the link to the gear guide not the link we need?

The link represents an easy way to list the gear used by the top 10 at the champs. It doesnt extend down to mind fleet, so we'd have to wait for a volunteer who wanted to compile that information themselves...

It's a shame that the Gear Guide is so incomplete, I would have found it really useful. 

Can anyone tell me how many people in the top 10 (or 20) did not use a Chipstow?

Surely there's not just "a Chipstow carbon mast", "a Selden carbon mast" etc - with alloy we don't just have "a Selden mast" but a C section or D section or.... with different qualities for each. 
Is it not the same for carbon masts and if not why not?

Because Jacko mast are 'Hand Built' on his rig, there are variations of the mast with stiffer lower sections