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WHAT IS REFLEX
RESPONSE?
 Have
you ever wondered why nearly all the top windsurfers use Fiberspar?
Have you ever considered why most sailmakers design their sails
on masts made by Fiberspar? There are other manufacturers that
make carbon masts, but none of them feels like a Fiberspar.
A mast is moving all the time and gives the sail either a slow,
heavy feel or a quick, responsive feel.... kind of like driving
a car with loose steering versus driving a Porche. The secret
to a fast windsurfing mast is the ability of the mast to stabilize
the sail under excruciating loads- loads brought on by changes
in wind strength, pumping for speed, vibration from chop, landing
jumps, maneuvers and tricks. Each load inspires an appropriate
response from the mast. How the mast reacts is called reflex response
and is measured in units of speed.
Fiberspar masts are produced from single carbon thread that are
carefully positioned in a patented process to provide the best
strength to weight and maximize reflex response. For the same
stiffness, the new Reflex 7000 Quick Tip, for example, returns
to its original shape faster than all other masts. In windsurfing
terms, this means that your sail will give you better acceleration
and speed, at the same time offering better control.
 The
development of windsurfing masts with the fastest reflex response
has been a cornerstone of Fiberspar Technology since 1986. As
one of the ways we quantify the impact of new designs, processes
and materials, Fiberspar engineers constantly measure the reflex
response of different masts with an electronic eye and oscilloscope.
This test measures the speed at which the tip of the mast returns
to center after deflected with a standard load.
The Reflex Indicator numbers (Reflex 3200, Reflex 4200, Reflex
4600, Reflex 7000) are proportional to the first mode of vibration
of the mast, and the drag coefficient of the mast diameter,
measured in milliHertz. Typical Reflex Indicator numbers for
windsurfing masts range from 2000 mHz to 5000 mHz, and for the
first time the 7000 mHz milestone has been broken!
No need to get hung up on the numbers, the higher the Reflex
Indicator number, the faster the response time. The Reflex 7000
QT has more than ten percent higher reflex response than any
other mast.
Reflex Response: It's what makes your rig feel alive.
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