Mast Storage Question-Cover or No Cover?

[Ducati]

Every fall we completely remove and de-rig our mast and store it on a mast rack. Should we cover it or leave it exposed to the elements over the winter? It's a black mast and it takes some hits + scratches during this process and was thinking that there might be some type of protective cover or wrap that we could use. Last year I covered it with an industrial clear plastic wrap however it was not robust enough and offered little protection. I was also told (after we did it of course) that plastic wrapping on a painted mast will cause the paint to pit however we did not notice that but I'm not going to take that chance this year.

Any suggestions?

 

[tommays]

One of the more common things would be to remove the haylards over the winter to prolong there life

To me unless the cover is water proof and not going to trap water inside it is not going to do much

 

[John384]

We have a Catalina 36 (hull # 1807); friends of ours in the same marina have hull #1811. They store with the mast in the boat (Wisconsin). We remove the mast and cover it with 6 mil black plastic multi-purpose sheeting (Home Depot) leaving the bottom open so air can circulate. Our masts are anodized aluminum; theirs looks much duller and weathered than ours. In the grand scheme of things, it probably does not make much difference, but ours will probably present better at resale time.

 

[Rick I]

We used to cover ours with heavy 6 mil plastic sheeting but it would trap water and it was difficult to completely seal it. Now we use kitchen plastic wrap. Just go round and round the mast with the roll. Seals very well, keeps water out and protects halyards.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Just finished wrapping my recently painted mast in two layers of 2 mil plastic. Easy because all my wire is off. If I had completed the rerigging project I would have wrapped under the wire. I worry more about storage scratches than weather. Wire rubbing on anodized or painted aluminum does a number. It is good to know the messenger lines are protected. One year the messenger lines were almost rotted through after a long winter. The marina "bags" the masts that it removes and racks, 6 mil I think.

 

[tommays]

I had problems keeping the bag dry enough for two part paint which lifts easy when kept wet

And anodized mast may not have as many issues with moisture

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Covering it keeps the sun off of it, which prevents (or prolongs) oxidation. But, I have noticed that a lot of people cover their mast to keep water out and end up trapping water, which freezes in cold weather areas, because they don't wrap it properly.