which orientation of the mast in the cradles is best for traveling? Crown(bend of mast) up or down? And why?

yes Im bored

Most I've seen do it with the sail track facing up, so as not to pinch or damage it by bouncing up and down on the supports I guess. I usually tie mine so tightly that it wouldn't bounce but you never know when a line might let go.

I use my trailer winch to pull down on the mast when it is in the cradle. My winch has a two inch wide nylon band type of "cable". I put the slot up none the less. The far end that sticks out the back (top of mast) is cradled in a wooden frame that holds my tail lights. I split a section of hose to slip over the wood where the mast and the pontoons rest on it. Then it is tied down with a section of spectron to keep the end from bouncing.

Same as Tim for the same reason.

While I know the track up thing is popular,

For the last 22 ish years, I've always put them in the 'V' on the front with good padding, and the back in various home made wood, styrofoam, PVC cradles, and the black plastic clamp I forgot the name of, track down.

Never had a problem. But I'm sure track up is as good or better for the reasons stated.

Six of one,........

Track up is even more important with a carbon stick. If the padding wears through or blows out the luff track would be way more vulnerable than the front of the mast.
Tawd

Here is one problem I have with my track up. It comes when the boat sits on the trailer for a month or so between races, birds sit on the mast and crap in the sail track! And spiders seem to like to build little round fuzzy egg sacks in there too!

I always wash it out thoroughly the day before I go to a race, then spray it with dry lube, which is easier to do with the track up.

I guess that would be one reason you might want to store it the other way round, might stop the bird crap but the spiders might like it even more.

From my mono days we always carried the mast with the track up with the theory that if the mast sagged it would be in a posotive direction. I am not really sure how much distortion you would get from mast being supported at each end over time. Probably not enough to make a difference.

**** and spider eggs are way worse than a crushed, ground down, carbon fiber luff track. If your too lazy to clean the track ,buy a mast cover from Kinder or somebody.I haven't had that problem with my N-20 and my A has a mast cover,Maybe it's an F-16 thang.
Tawd

You live up north, your birds are down at my house crapping on my mast all winter, and your spiders are here too. My mast is aluminum, if I had an expensive carbon mast I would get a cover for it, but I would still trailer it sail track up.

I also have a Prindle Escape and a Hobie 14 sitting on the beach, mast up. There is a big red tailed hawk that sits on top of the Prindle mast most mornings, crapping on the tramp. There are other birds that sit on the Hobie mast, they crap too. Do you have special birds up there that don't crap? Send them down here please!

Sounds like your a bird magnet. The Audubon society might be interested in you, maybe some sponsorship.

I don't think it's me, I think it's the sunshine state.

The birds don't crap on me...yet.

Here around the TX Gulf coast,

People put up a Plastic Owl (the bird), mainly to keep the seagulls away, which in turn keeps the little goodies they like to leave behind away too.

If the Hawk is a problem, that might be worth a try? Works for Seagulls anyway, works well.

No, I like the Hawk! I've seen it eat mice, snakes and moles, so he is quite welcome. His crap washes off the tramp as soon as I splash some water on the tramp.

I did have one of those plastic owls set up in the bass boat on the lift, to keep birds off, but after about a month they became best friends...and kept crapping in the bass boat.

The worst ones are those huge Blue Herons, they take big dumps and they ate all my kid's Koi out of the driveway pond!

The best accessory I EVER bought was a tramp cover, we have really big Seagulls here and they like to sit on top of my mast and they crap all over the cover, which goes over the boom like a nice little tent. The rain washes the crap off the cover. Everything under the cover stays nice and crap free. Cover is pretty simple, square with some velcro at the stays and around the mast. The front of the cover at the mast end has a side that ties around the beam and keeps the sand out. The back is open for ventilation. Since its custom made it goes on fast and stays put and doesnt look trashy like a blue tarp.

Get a nice cover and you will never worry about crap again.

I think I paid $120 bucks or so.

Kinder Indstries in RI

If you ever want to punk someone who keeps their boat moored in a harbor, toss a handful of crackers onto their boat as you sail by, the birds eat the evidence and have a crap party while they are visiting.

Good times.

Yeah but...I only paid $500 for the Prindle. If I buy a custom cover for it, it's going to cop an attitude, next thing you know it will want a wax job.

$12 Trashy blue plastic cover would be just right for it though!

Its what I do for my N20. Works just fine.