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No dynamic research into alternative materials for masts has occured since the appearance of carbon fiber. Further development of masts may arise only from application of new structural materials made of magnesium-based high-strength alloys.

One of these structural materials is a grainy magnesium alloy type МА2-1гр manufactured using the method of high speed chystallization.

Magnesium alloys are the lightest in weight structural materials. Most widely used magnesium alloys have density of 1760–1810 kg/m³ which is 1.5 times less than the aluminum alloys density. Due to the low density, magnesium alloys have high hardness: when bending flange beams of the same mass and width the relative rigidity will be 8.9 for aluminum and 18.9 for magnesium. Magnesium alloys also possess high antistrike and damping characteristics.

Masts made of magnesium alloys cost almost twice as much as aluminum masts. Then why would a sensible man use such a "golden" mast on his yacht? The answer is weight. Experience shows that about 50% can be saved as compared with aluminum wares. Reducing the mast weight by only a kilogram will allow to get rid of 5-7 kg of ballast necessary to provide the required stability for the yacht. Such economy of gross displacement may well affect the ship's performance especially with considerable ordnance weight. Though the advantages are irrefutable, we should take into account not only the production cost of masts but also a quantity of technological matters, arising during the process of manufacturing such an article.

Now let's assume that we have a "bare" magnesium tube which is lighter than the aluminum shape and we need to mount all the required crosspieces, boom and cheeks on it. All these details are really expensive when made of coil, so they are made of aluminum. Replacing them and similar ordnance parts with magnesium alloys will provide economy of about 50 kg on a 50-feet yacht. Hence such a refit makes sense for those clients who are ready to improve their yachts performance.

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