I have a question about my unpainted mast and boom on my 1979 Cat.27 tall rig. Is the aluminum anodized? If so how can I clean and polish them without causing problems with the anodizing?
Bare Mast
- Thread starter Brian Buzz
- Start date
What is your goal? A bright and shiny mast? Then have at it. Eventually your mast will get wear spots and they will turn dull slighty grey. It is like trying to plug the holes in a sieve. A game of Wack-a-mole.
Or you can clean the mast of the ugly spots. Rub with a fine scotch pad. And let mother nature take over. The Aluminum will oxidize and form a fine film that will protect the metal from further corrosion. It will have a matte light grey look like many of the aluminum masts in the marina.
And go Sailing.
Or you can clean the mast of the ugly spots. Rub with a fine scotch pad. And let mother nature take over. The Aluminum will oxidize and form a fine film that will protect the metal from further corrosion. It will have a matte light grey look like many of the aluminum masts in the marina.
And go Sailing.
I just want to clean it up but don't want to hurt the metal if I use the wrong wrong cleaner. If it is anodized I think I don't want to use any acid type or abrasive cleaners. I'm guessing.
I can't say specifically about your mast, but often, they are not anodized. As js says, the surface oxidation becomes a self-protecting barrier layer that prevents further oxidation.
I have built garden structures out of copper pipe, sand them to a bright smooth finish and painted them in varnish and they have remained bright and copper colored for years in all kinds of weather where unpainted copper turns green in months. But that green also protects the copper.
Just something to think about.
-Will (Dragonfly)
I have built garden structures out of copper pipe, sand them to a bright smooth finish and painted them in varnish and they have remained bright and copper colored for years in all kinds of weather where unpainted copper turns green in months. But that green also protects the copper.
Just something to think about.
-Will (Dragonfly)
I sent my brother a picture with the comment "I waxed my mast" he sent back he's not looking at a picture of his bro waxing
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Brian
I had a 1978 Hunter 30 that had an anodized mast.
As I remember I just used star brite polish on it and that was all. Wiped on and wiped off, not to much elbow grease needed. Went thru a lot of rags.
I would not use and acid type products just soap and water and a good brush to remove the heavy grim and oxidation. The cleaner wax will do the rest.
I had a 1978 Hunter 30 that had an anodized mast.
As I remember I just used star brite polish on it and that was all. Wiped on and wiped off, not to much elbow grease needed. Went thru a lot of rags.
I would not use and acid type products just soap and water and a good brush to remove the heavy grim and oxidation. The cleaner wax will do the rest.