bend in comptip

I had a chance to pick up a free mast and this mast has a bend in the comptip. Not the aluminium. Anyone have any experience with this happening? Can sun/heat and a poor storage position cause the comptip to sag? What is the correct way to store a comptip mast? I think the guy had it laying in his yard for years. Any chance of fixing it? Its about a 1/2 to 1 inch curve. Thanks

Which way does it curve? if it curves toward the luff track then it's a-ok.

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1990 "Formula 1" H16 (# 009)

Bends off to port. Bend starts in the middle of the comptip section. I think it's hosed.

I have no experience with this but if you put a little pressure on it in the opposite direction, then take a heat gun and warm the area around the bend, I'm thinking if you warm the plastic slightly it may soften enough for you to straighten it out??

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06 getaway -- always remember, man with both feet in mouth have no leg to stand on.

Comptips are gelcoated fiberglass, not plastic, so I doubt that would work.

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1990 "Formula 1" H16 (# 009)

Comptips are heat cured epoxy if I'm not mistaken, so heating might work.

Are there any stress cracks? If not, sail it until it breaks.

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Now I feel really stupid!

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06 getaway -- always remember, man with both feet in mouth have no leg to stand on.

Good thoughts here..Fiberglass is a short term for 'fiberglass reinforced plastic'. I learned that epoxy and polyester are just two different kinds of reinforcing plastic and epoxy has a lower melting point and deforms easier than polyester. I'm gonna take a queue from Roy and put it in the sun with a brace under the bend and weight the end. See what happens. In the meantime I will keep an eye out for a comptip. thanks,,

Here is a picture of my white formula comptip with the gel coat cracked off the fiberglass. Pretty plain to see the fibers really. Maybe it's heat cured epoxy though.

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1990 "Formula 1" H16 (# 009)

I would do as others have said...flip it over, put a little weight on it, and let it sit bent the other way for a while. We see this occasionally with composite windsufing masts. If someone leaves the sail rigged on the mast for too long (like at a rental where they keep the rigs set up for months at a time) the mast will take a set. The cure is to spin the mast 180 degrees and re-rig so it bends the other way. The fix should be the same for a fiberglass comptip.

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