OK: so there seems to be a pretty strong agreement that carbon fiber is a good material for masts and booms, and it can be both strong and durable. So what accounts for the high-profile dismastings and boom breakages?
a) Uneven manufacturing quality, or difficulty ensuring a given spar's tolerances.
b) Racers demanding spars perilously thin to save weight (jiggering w/ safety factors).
c) Insanely abusive conditions during ocean races -- any spar material might fail.
d) Poor rigging decisions, compromising the spar's design strength.
e) Just more media coverage. Spars have always broken, but now we can see it on
YouTube.