I have removed my mast and am painting the hull. Aside from making sure all the light and windex work I would like to work on the mast but I don't want t0 paint. Any suggestions out there. Is the a way of buffing the mast or something like that?
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Clean and wax
I did the same thing a few years ago. I completely cleaned the mast, got rid of the bubbles where the stainless fittings were riveted into the aluminum mast, repainted, and waxed. I didn't have it then, but Fleetwax (available at BoatUS - by Collins), which I discovered after that, works great. You should also change your sheaves, whether they need it or not. Stu
I did the same thing a few years ago. I completely cleaned the mast, got rid of the bubbles where the stainless fittings were riveted into the aluminum mast, repainted, and waxed. I didn't have it then, but Fleetwax (available at BoatUS - by Collins), which I discovered after that, works great. You should also change your sheaves, whether they need it or not. Stu
What about Painting
What about painting. Will this pecome a yearly event? What to paint it with and how long will it last?
What about painting. Will this pecome a yearly event? What to paint it with and how long will it last?
Rustoleum from Ace Hardware
Rick I don't know what color your mast is. Mine is white. I use a spray can of Rustoleum I get from ACE hardware. It's a satin white that matches perfectly. However, I think I will change to a glossy finish to match the shiny in the future (we're doing a lot of work on our boom now). There's a good article in the new Good Old Boat magazine about refinishing bubbles, too. As always, they say used a good primer, but we've been using the Rustoleum for six and a half years and it's holding up well. Just scrape down to bare metal and use some acetone to make sure it's clean. Stu
Rick I don't know what color your mast is. Mine is white. I use a spray can of Rustoleum I get from ACE hardware. It's a satin white that matches perfectly. However, I think I will change to a glossy finish to match the shiny in the future (we're doing a lot of work on our boom now). There's a good article in the new Good Old Boat magazine about refinishing bubbles, too. As always, they say used a good primer, but we've been using the Rustoleum for six and a half years and it's holding up well. Just scrape down to bare metal and use some acetone to make sure it's clean. Stu
Mast painting
Rick, you didn't say if your mast was painted already, only that you didn't want to paint. Bare aluminum masts are generally anodized which seals the aluminum from oxidizing but only while the anodize is intact. Over time it wears away from rubbing, chafing weather and the like. If your mast is not painted this would be a good time to give it a good cleaning and a few coats of wax. This won't restore the anodize but does help to seal the aluminum. In the future the waxing can be done from a bosuns chair every couple of years without unstepping the mast. If you do chose to paint, do yourself a favor and do it right. Most of the end result of any paint job is in the prep. What ever primer and paint system you use, follow the clean, prep and painting instructions from the manufacturer, have confidence in your own ability to follow those instructions and you shouln't have to repaint for a few years. This is also a good time to strip the mast of hardware to eliminate masking and it will also give you a chance to deal with any corrosion problems. Whatever you decide to do have fun and good luck.
Rick, you didn't say if your mast was painted already, only that you didn't want to paint. Bare aluminum masts are generally anodized which seals the aluminum from oxidizing but only while the anodize is intact. Over time it wears away from rubbing, chafing weather and the like. If your mast is not painted this would be a good time to give it a good cleaning and a few coats of wax. This won't restore the anodize but does help to seal the aluminum. In the future the waxing can be done from a bosuns chair every couple of years without unstepping the mast. If you do chose to paint, do yourself a favor and do it right. Most of the end result of any paint job is in the prep. What ever primer and paint system you use, follow the clean, prep and painting instructions from the manufacturer, have confidence in your own ability to follow those instructions and you shouln't have to repaint for a few years. This is also a good time to strip the mast of hardware to eliminate masking and it will also give you a chance to deal with any corrosion problems. Whatever you decide to do have fun and good luck.
Mast painting
Rick, you didn't say if your mast was painted already, only that you didn't want to paint. Bare aluminum masts are generally anodized which seals the aluminum from oxidizing but only while the anodize is intact. Over time it wears away from rubbing, chafing, weather and the like. If your mast is not painted this would be a good time to give it a good cleaning and a few coats of wax. This won't restore the anodize but does help to seal the aluminum. In the future the waxing can be done from a bosuns chair every couple of years without unstepping the mast. If you do chose to paint, do yourself a favor and do it right. Most of the end result of any paint job is in the prep. What ever primer and paint system you use, follow the clean, prep and painting instructions from the manufacturer, have confidence in your own ability to follow those instructions and you shouldn't have to repaint for a few years. This is also a good time to strip the mast of hardware to eliminate masking and it will also give you a chance to deal with any corrosion problems. Whatever you decide to do have fun and good luck.
Rick, you didn't say if your mast was painted already, only that you didn't want to paint. Bare aluminum masts are generally anodized which seals the aluminum from oxidizing but only while the anodize is intact. Over time it wears away from rubbing, chafing, weather and the like. If your mast is not painted this would be a good time to give it a good cleaning and a few coats of wax. This won't restore the anodize but does help to seal the aluminum. In the future the waxing can be done from a bosuns chair every couple of years without unstepping the mast. If you do chose to paint, do yourself a favor and do it right. Most of the end result of any paint job is in the prep. What ever primer and paint system you use, follow the clean, prep and painting instructions from the manufacturer, have confidence in your own ability to follow those instructions and you shouldn't have to repaint for a few years. This is also a good time to strip the mast of hardware to eliminate masking and it will also give you a chance to deal with any corrosion problems. Whatever you decide to do have fun and good luck.
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