Results of Mast Study at Sayville

A technical analysis of the mast study conducted at the 1968 Nationals, examining the vulnerability of Thistle masts to breakage. The study found that lighter wooden masts (under 28 pounds) and masts bent more than 6.5 inches were more prone to failure, suggesting the need for higher quality standards and dimensional consistency in mast manufacturing.

This is a summary. The full article text is © the Thistle Class Association — read the original scan via the link above.

• mast study
• technical analysis
• boat construction