Can a Bent Hobie mast be Straightened?

I had my H16 mast bent last year by a storm when it was sitting on the beach unrigged. its a 1978 boat without a comp tip mast. I heard it could be done so I took it to a body shop that fixes cars and they tried to bend it back. But in their own words they "chickened out" They were afraid to break it.
Gib
Grand Bend

If its kinked or dented your screwed. If its above where the comptip goes cut it off and just add a comptip.

no kink or dents just a bend in it starting about 5ft from the bottom so I can't do the comp tip option. The body shop bent it back to neutral then went another foot but it didnt make a difference it just went back the origional bend. I have been sailing with it. I cant point that great but otherwise not a huge problem. but i looks kinda ugly for sure. I wish we could cut/post pictures on this site it's kinda funny... but hard to fix

It you want to shoot me a pic, I'll be happy to post it.

benjamin at gatewaywebdesigns dot com

There was a post some time ago about a guy that straightened out a bent mast by setting up the ends on sawhorse's and then hung some kind on weight in the middle to pull it down in the opposite direction of the bend

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06 getaway -- always remember, man with both feet in mouth have no leg to stand on.

You can do it, but because the bend is so close to the end, it's much harder to fix.

I've straightened masts on a couple of medium sized trees spaced a couple of feet apart, but the bend was closer to the middle of the mast.

5' from the end, you'll need a machine. It will never be totally straight unless they are really good. The bent area will be strain hardened, too.

My advice is to turn it in to your insurance. For the price of your deductible, you get a brand new, straight mast.

A huge thank you to Benjamin for offering to host the pictures of my sad day and bent mast. there's a couple bonus pics of other people who got caught by the same storm. Lake Huron can be rough.

http://uoda.darkandstormynight.org/hell ... /mast1.jpg
http://uoda.darkandstormynight.org/hell ... /mast2.jpg
http://uoda.darkandstormynight.org/hell ... /mast3.jpg

I think boat was a 30ft they got a back hoe to dig it back into the lake.

http://uoda.darkandstormynight.org/hell ... /mast4.jpg
http://uoda.darkandstormynight.org/hell ... /mast5.jpg

I think I learned how to post a picture properly

The boat wasn't rigged and the gust came just as the sunlight was starting to show

At least I was on shore by choice... This guy needed a back hoe to dig him back into the lake.

Holy crap! That's bent.

I would replace it. Folding the mast while sailing may really hurt someone.

Can you flip the tube and add a comptip. I guess the question is, is the comptip longer than the bend is from the bottom?