Mast types

My old 81 hobie 18 has a different type of mast than my 84 hobie 18. The 81 has an alum mast for most of it, and then a carbon fiber (or some type of fiber) top, the top also narrows towards the top. The 84 hobie has an all alum mast with that is the same size all the way up.

Whats the difference, which is better?
Any info great.
JD

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ALLEY CAT 1984 RED LINE HOBIE 18 MAGNUM
Sail # 10505 or 277

The tapered tip is called a "comptip" and is made of fiberglass. Do a search for comptip and I'm sure you'll come up with tons of discussion on the subject.

Basically, in the early/mid '80s, Hobie got sued due to people raising their masts into electrical powerlines. As a result, they developed a non-conductive fiberglass tip for the top section of the mast as a safety feature to prevent electrocution. This mast tip takes various forms but has been standard equipment on all Hobie products manufactured since the mid '80s.

There has been tons of controversy regarding the comptip's performance. Most people will agree that it is a minimal difference in performance, especially for someone not racing. You are required to have a comptip if you race in a Hobie one-design regatta.

Regardless of which mast you use, always be sure to check for powerlines.

sm