Anybody fitted a tuff luff to a masthead? If so, do you have the spec of the one you used?

Having to replace my nice ali Rutgerson one as one of the sections is bent, alternatively, maybe someone has some old sections lying around?

Chris,

I have a section of tuff luff I took off my GK - mast head including the metal feed that is at the bottom. It was very simple to take off so would be easy to fit. I just used both haliards to tension the mast forward and unbolted and slide off - all done on a swinging mooring in 20 mins or so.

I converted back to hanks as you need someone on the fore deck to recover fore sails, so fine if you are racing or have experienced crew but not so good for short handed sailing or crews with less experience.

If you want to call me on 0770 6993879 - make me an offer!

kind regards

Ian

I had a Tuff Luff fitted to Genghis Khan (now sold to new owner). I went for the "1205", I think it cost me around 360 for the complete kit. It may be cheaper for a masthead if you need a shorter extrusion???

I bought it from a place on the I.o.W, can't remember the name, somthing similar to Ocean yacht services??

It's a great piece of kit and dead easy to fit as the new model just clips on over the forestay. It can be a pain to remove and re-fit at a later date though and I wish I had replaced the forestay when the tuff-luff was new rather than waiting a couple of years.

Hope this helps

George

Chris

I recently fitted a Tuff Luff to my GK during the winter season, albeit a fractional rig.
No great probs, but dont believe the "fit it in 10 minutes" waffle quoted. Muchos cursing and swearing as it "easily and efficiently" wouldnt snap together over the forestay !!!
The foil comes as a roll so its easy enough to measure by hoisting a tape measure using a genoa halyard, and adding on a couple of feet. as I recall the extra couple of feet aint too expensive, but the whole kit was a shade over the ?400
Best advice is read, and re-read the instructions, and then have some-one else re-read them. They are vague and it ever so easy to fit the bloody foil upside down and only find out when the lower die-cast feeder wont fit!!! :
Whole lots was supplied by Coates Marine, but dont let them fob you off with "doesent need a pre-feeder". I re-conuted this statement to the fore deck crew who after having completed the first lap told me I was speaking out of my fundamental. Its a swine without it, and the genoa jams unless the feeder is fitted and adjusted accordingly.
best of luck, and money well spent from our point of view.

Thanks for the info on the tuff luff, as I lent my boat to one of the crew and he wrapped it round another boat and bent the ali foil, the new tuff luff is going via insurance!

One comment from a sail maker was to make sure that either air temp is 15 deg plus or keep the tuff luff warm before fitting and supposidly it all unravels nicely...I really am looking forward to trying....

Thanks for the info on the tuff luff, as I lent my boat to one of the crew and he wrapped it round another boat and bent the ali foil, the new tuff luff is going via insurance!

One comment from a sail maker was to make sure that either air temp is 15 deg plus or keep the tuff luff warm before fitting and supposidly it all unravels nicely...I really am looking forward to trying....

hi chris,
yes your sailmaker is correct. the foil is made from plastic so the colder it is the more brittle it is. Pretty easy to fit though, maye be two hours work, helps if you have somone around to give you a hand.