"Can you please lend a hand?" Every windsurfer has asked for help when the mast halves just won't come apart after a session or surfing holiday. Before you pull out the big guns, you should of course pull out all the other stops: A few strong hands are usually enough, especially if you have previously placed one end of the mast on the ground and shaken it vigorously. Laying it on one end and bending it can also make the plug connection work again.
However, if these methods are unsuccessful, you have no choice but to use a hammer. Don't worry: the mast will not be damaged, the method has been tried and tested over the years.
The unofficial success rate of this method: 100 %."
Give it rubber!
The basic principle of the hammer method is to apply constant tension to the connector and loosen the connection by hitting it with a rubber mallet. To use this method, you need two fixed points that are a few metres apart and firmly anchored in the ground. In our case, a children's swing was used for a different purpose, but during the surf test in the Danish sandpit Rømø, the corresponding construction was also successfully set up between the trailer coupling of a van and a street lamp.
It is important to know that you can strike hard with a rubber mallet. More important than the blows, however, is the constant pull on the ratchet - so don't be squeamish here either. There's nothing to lose anyway!
Manuel Vogel
Editor surf
