Mast painting

[Sastevenson]

What is a cost effective yet quality way to paint a mast that sits in my garage 80% of the time. I sail most weekends in the spring and fall but garage my boat and mast after each day out. The only time my mast is in the elements is when we spend the weekend on the boat. (Maybe a few times a year) The PO had it spraypainted and I have that wet sanded so it is smooth. Additionally the mast is free of any hardware including spreaders. I pulled everything off to do the job.

Thanks in advance,

Scott

 

[centerline]

a aluminum mast is anodized and not intended to be painted. with bare aluminum you can buy etching primer so the paint will adhere to it, but this is only for bare aluminum.
no matter what you intend to paint the anodized surface with, you will have a difficult time getting anything to adhere to it for very long....

this doesnt mean you cant do it, but it just wont last as long from chipping and flaking as it would on another type of surface.... it will need to be touched up more often to keep it looking fresh...
I will not recommend a paint but the advice I will give is, when you apply the paint to the anodized surface, the thinner it is, the longer it will stay on. thick paint chips off in larger pieces than does thin paint...

 

[AWalker]

Linear polyurethane will stick great to it. In my experience anodizing takes paint very well, so long as it it clean. The mast may have been painted originally, or anodized. You could even take it to a local powdercoating shop and have it coated, or a body shop and have it shot with automotive grade paint, be sure to use an aluminum safe primer first though.