carbon spars from china or far east??

[Pavook]

has anyone run accross a mast/boom/sprit manufacturer from china or elsewhere in the Far East?
can anyone provide links?

any comments on the quality of the product?
cost?
availability?

Thanks

[mackid068]

Why patronize the Asian tiger economies? Me, I'd worry about quality, but maybe there are. Search google. Utilize meta search engines-dogpile.com for one.

[Tim B]

If you're looking for cheap spars, forget it, they're not. Composite spars, whilst layed up in a reasonably simple manner still require experienced workers to get a good laminate with the minimum of voids (at lowest weight). If you start skimping you'll end up with voids, or areas that are not wetted out properly and that will cause premature and catastrophic failure of the spar. If I were you, I'd buy from the guys who have been doing it longest. After all, they should know what they're doing.

There are areas in a boat where you can save money... and this isn't one of them.

Tim B.

[ErikG]

Tim I beg to disagree.

There's no reason at all that the asians wouldn't be able to make them as well as anyone else. Sure Experience comes with time, but not with time alone...

You can buy it or perhaps even steal it. Knowledge is knowledge, and with their salarys I'm sure they could afford a few failure to get there.
And when they do...

[AYACHT]

They can do it just as well as anyone. Must be at least 1 source over there

[mackid068]

I concur with Tim. Though Asian companies are competent with this, I'm sure (and have knowledge and cheap products), what about convienience of purchase and damaged parts repair and whatnot? How could you facilitate that if a company is so far away (even with fax machines, airmail, e-mail etc.). There are no instantaneous matter transporters. I bet you all could envision some problematic scenarios.