I just started one winter project. I removed my boom and brought it home to re-paint it in the basement. My original plan was to sand the small areas of corrosion (where stainless fittings are attached), spot prime the bare metal, then use Interlux Multithane Primer and Interthane Plus to restore the original black color. After removing all fittings, and sanding with a random orbit power sander, I was able to remove all the paint fairly easily (took a couple hours). After finishing with 320 grit sanding, the boom looks beautiful with bare metal. I never really liked my mast and boom in black, so now I'm thinking of changing direction. Do I leave it silver or should I paint it white? I prefer white. I'm leaving the mast up this winter and planned on taking it down next winter. I suppose I could go aloft next spring and sand it but that's not a job I want to do. So if I don't paint my boom black, it will look a little odd for a season. What do most of you guys prefer? Bare aluminum or painted?
- Status
Scott, the last question is more properly worded
as 'Anodized aluminum or painted?' Those silver, natural colored sticks that you see are really anodized. If they weren't, they would be white dust in a couple of years. After taking off your paint, any anodizing was ruined by the sanding process. (if it was anodized) You still have two choices, re-anodize or repaint. But you must do one or the other. Some guys say to cover it with grease or baby oil. That can't be good. Oh, I did mine with Awlgrip linear polyurethane. Not easy and not the cheapest. Here's a look at the result. The painting process description is on my web site under this photo #100. Good luck. And this is a job worth doing.
as 'Anodized aluminum or painted?' Those silver, natural colored sticks that you see are really anodized. If they weren't, they would be white dust in a couple of years. After taking off your paint, any anodizing was ruined by the sanding process. (if it was anodized) You still have two choices, re-anodize or repaint. But you must do one or the other. Some guys say to cover it with grease or baby oil. That can't be good. Oh, I did mine with Awlgrip linear polyurethane. Not easy and not the cheapest. Here's a look at the result. The painting process description is on my web site under this photo #100. Good luck. And this is a job worth doing.
Beautiful Fred.
Can we assume that the Awlgrip was sprayed? Will it hold up to nicks and scrapes? Mine goes to the keel and when they pull it I always lose more paint(old Kenyon). You are right tho', you cannot leave an aluminum spar devoid of some type of covering.
Can we assume that the Awlgrip was sprayed? Will it hold up to nicks and scrapes? Mine goes to the keel and when they pull it I always lose more paint(old Kenyon). You are right tho', you cannot leave an aluminum spar devoid of some type of covering.
Thanks Ed, but no, it's not sprayed.
Go to my web site for the details under photo #100. (hint; very small foam roller)
Go to my web site for the details under photo #100. (hint; very small foam roller)
paint or no?
Scott; I prefer painted spars. I think the aluminum color is too utilitarian, makes it look like a military or commercial vessel. I don't like those unpainted Deerfoot boats, either.
Scott; I prefer painted spars. I think the aluminum color is too utilitarian, makes it look like a military or commercial vessel. I don't like those unpainted Deerfoot boats, either.
I'll paint it white.
I figured that the spars would need re-anodizing if I leave them silver. I was curious about other sailors preference in regard to color. Johnny Cash and The Rolling Stones would paint it black, I suppose.
Fred, if I can duplicate your effort I will be really pleased! Personally, I like white so it may look a little odd to have a great looking white boom with a scuffed up black mast for a season until I take the mast down. Speaking of Johnny Cash, we saw "Walk the Line" over the weekend ... what a great flick! I grew up listening to Johnny Cash because my dad played his records all the time.
I figured that the spars would need re-anodizing if I leave them silver. I was curious about other sailors preference in regard to color. Johnny Cash and The Rolling Stones would paint it black, I suppose.
Fred, if I can duplicate your effort I will be really pleased! Personally, I like white so it may look a little odd to have a great looking white boom with a scuffed up black mast for a season until I take the mast down. Speaking of Johnny Cash, we saw "Walk the Line" over the weekend ... what a great flick! I grew up listening to Johnny Cash because my dad played his records all the time.rocket science?
I'm nowhere near qualified to analyze the result, but the heat absorbed by a black spar or deflected by a white spar may have some theoretically noticeable effect on wind movement across the sails. I'd love to hear if any of you physicists out there have some thoughts on what that might be...
I'm nowhere near qualified to analyze the result, but the heat absorbed by a black spar or deflected by a white spar may have some theoretically noticeable effect on wind movement across the sails. I'd love to hear if any of you physicists out there have some thoughts on what that might be...
- Status