when is a mast too long??

Dec 18, 2019
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Hi All
Recently upgraded from a Go Foil 24" mast to a Go Foil shiny 29.5". Took a couple of sessions to get used to it, but really impressed with the change.
It's a deep Tuttle mount which is thicker but does great with the GL180. Doesn't flex as much as the thinner 24" mast.
My question came to mind when I started considering a new shorter board, some of the shapes I like only have track mounts, so that would force me to place an Tuttle adapter plate on raising me by, I think, 4 inches. So would 33.5 inches of mast be tooo much???
thanks
Johnny 5
 

Kaser1

Tom Curren status
May 3, 2004
10,271
262
83
Maine
I just went through this myself. I had a board that was track only and my old mast was the 24 with the adapter put it around 27.5. I was used to that height and liked it.

Just upgraded to the 29.5 a few months ago but my SUP was tuttle box so it didn't matter much. Just recently got a prone that was track only and had to get the adapter. Rode it first time a few days ago and it really didn't bother me, was used to taller mast.

Like anything you'll get used to it. But I ride more than just surf so I don't think I'm as sensitive to these things anymore, it's just part of the deal. I think if I just prone surfed on foil it might be different.
 

Clamsmasher

Michael Peterson status
Apr 22, 2013
1,855
926
113
Nar
I never used tuttle, but I only got positives from going to the 29.5” with plate. Prone and tiny board mostly. Maybe bothers me a tiny bit when I’m out at the local reefs in really marginal tide/small swell. I doink the rocks a lit more often than the 24” But the plate doesn’t really add that much.
 

Hdip

Michael Peterson status
Apr 23, 2005
3,331
788
113
Malibu, CA
I ride the 28 inch lift mast. Guy in the water told me he’s on the 30 something inch mast from lift and won’t go back.

The downside is a longer mast may make paddling into tiny waves harder as the foil is below the wave energy. And the obvious one is you bottom out way more paddling.

Benefit is slower longer pumps. More time to recover before a breach.
 
Dec 18, 2019
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thanks for the positive opinions!! And I also noticed on the Armstrong web sight, they offer a 85cm (33.5") mast. And they describe it as the "do everything mast".
Sounds like an adapter plate should be fine for me.