The mount has been shimmed and torqued to spec (20N*m) at our facility to offer a tight fit with your mast. Due to the assembly and coating process, masts will have ever so slight differences in thickness. We are talking about 0.0-0.3mm… the thickness of a human hair. If you want your mount to remain removable for travel, we recommend you simply loosen the screws a few turns during extended periods of non-use. If you do fully remove the mount, make sure the adhesive shim does not get misplaced when the mast is re-inserted. Verify correct shim placement before tightening the mount. The new custom 6/4 Titanium hardware will reduce corrosion between the flathead and mount, but always rinse your gear and understand that without occasional dis-assembly and depending on your climate, the mount may seize to your mast and you will be left with a 1-piece setup, like all other carbon masts.

Regarding grease/lube: A little Lanocote, Tefgel, or grease under the head of screws and along the stainless pins can help prevent corrosion. However, we do not advise the use of grease on the actual threads because it can result in loose hardware and it de-incentivizes following our request of occasional dis-assembly. The supplied screws do have patches of thread locker; feel free to apply additional if it wears away with use or you do experience loose hardware, which you shouldn’t with an adequate torque level of 20N*m. Always reach out if you suffer from consistent loosening of hardware, as this could be indicative of wear/fatigue or other potential problems.

When connecting your adapter, ensure the two precision-fit pins are inserted perfectly parallel to the length of the mast. If it starts to bind, remove and try again. Do not force anything! A little olive oil or light penetrating oil (WD-40) can help lubricate the pins, which will essentially act as pistons when inserted into the mast. Like the mount, we recommend dis-assembly during extended periods of non-use to prevent corrosion or salt crystals from forming and making removal more difficult. If the adapter does become difficult to remove, simply unscrew the adapter hardware, reconnect the fuselage, and lightly tap the wing and tail portions as close to the adapter as possible to keep the pins parallel as they back out. Keep the joint free of sand and debris, and clean with compressed air, pipe cleaners, or water to prevent scratching of the surfaces when connecting adapters. Again, never use excessive force when connecting or removing adapters. Contact us if it feels too difficult to remove or install, and never attempt to pry the adapter off.

Do not over-torque hardware, especially titanium! We torque mounts and adapters to 20N*m when shipping masts. Titanium is not as ductile as stainless steel, and will fracture if overloaded. The primary loadpath of the Evolution adapter interface is the 10mm steel pins, so titanium hardware is not subject to bending loads. If you suffer from loose hardware, contact us immediately for diagnosis. Evolution masts and adapters were engineered to eliminate lose bolts. Loose hardware indicates damage, wear, or improper assembly.

Use M6 foil connections at your own risk. Cedrus adapters connect using a combination of M8 and M10 hardware, resulting in an extremely stiff and strong connection. Foils that connect using significantly weaker M6, M7, or equivalent hardware are at risk of loss. Contact us with any questions or concerns.

As with all carbon/aluminum hybrid joints such as OEM wings connected to aluminum fuselages (Armstrong, Axis, Takuma, etc), do not leave Cedrus adapters inserted into carbon fuselages when not in use. Galvanic corrosion will occur between the two dissimilar materials; the carbon will win. The fuselage or adapter will be eaten away in time, or worse the wings will seize to the fuselage. We do recommend applying a coat of grease to the heads of Armstrong and GoFoil fuselages to prevent galvanic corrosion between the front wings and the fuselage.

Cedrus masts do require a little bit more maintenance than some other setups. These actions are equivalent to lubing your bike chain, waxing your skis, sharpening your edges, or changing the oil in your car. You can certainly “ride it hard and put it away wet,” but please understand that we cannot be responsible for any issues related to excess corrosion or damage due to abuse. At this point, we have nearly 6 year old masts still in service all over the world, so we know our material choices are sound. Our warranty rate is less than 1%, and we have been able to repair pretty much every mast following frozen hardware, impact, or damage to the edges. That being said, please take care of your mast, and it will take care of you!

In closing, we get it; bad things happen. We hit sea-life, run into the reef, drop stuff out of our car, or break leashes in the surf. We are here to help, and we will always do our best to repair damaged equipment at a fair price. Please do NOT try to fix damage yourself, as this can only make our job harder. We’ve gotten really good at removing seized bolts, but if you break a drill bit in the mast it could lead to a complete loss.

Thanks again for your support, and please reach out with any questions or feedback!