Conference unifix::sailing

    I painted anodyzed aluminum mast parts for my ForeSpar mainsail
    furling sytem.  I washed it well with lacquer thinner to remove
    any oils, then sprayed it with a light coat of zinc chromate primer
    followed with two coats of two-part polyurethane paint.  It looks
    like new two years later including 12 months of continuous cruising.

    The man I bought my Pearson 30 from painted his spinnaker pole and
    it also looked great. 
    
    He suggested that I do my mast and boom to help prevent any corrosion
    no that the boat is in salt water. This boat had been on the Great
    Lakes for 19 years.
    
    What he did was the following:
    
    	1.	Remove all hardware
    
    	2.	Wipe the boom and mast down with WD40 and dry
    
    	3.	Coat with a base paint (I have the can home. name of
    		the material slips my mind)
    
    	4.	Paint with RUSTOLEUM (sp) one coat
    
    	5.	Cover with one layer of varnish
    
    This is something I am planning to do next spring.
    
    Paul

    I wouldn't recommend .2 for the mast.  Rustoleum is way to soft
    for that application.  Easy to touch up, but you will be doing a
    lot of touching up.  The recipe in .1 will give a much longer lasting
    finish.  If you spray two part, please use a qualified mask.  That
    stuff can ruin your lungs.
    
    BTW, we went with Rustoleum on our boom as a temporary fix and it
    looks like doo-doo now.
    
    Dave

    also in regards to .2, WD-40 is an oil, exactly what you don't want
    under paint.  Solvent wipe would make sense.

    Is zinc chromate a standard product that can be picked up at
    a paint store? I think this is what the guy told me he painted 
    his mast with, and it sounds great!
    
    Thanks for the tip.
    
    Beau
    

    Just use the recommended metal primer for the topcoat that you choose.
    Zinc chromate will probably be one of the ingredients in the primer.
    
    It's a good idea to check the integrity of all the fittings and
    the section itself in old mast.  I painted mine a few years back
    and it looked great until it fell over a few months later.
    
    - gene

    I PAINTED MY BOOM A YEAR AGO AND IT STILL LOOKS PERFECT.  I WIRE
    BRUSHED IT, WIPED DOWN WITH THINNER AND BRUSHED ON A ONE PART LIGHT
    GRAY EPOXY MARINE ENAMEL.  REMOVING HARDWARE FIRST IS LITTLE TROUBLE
    AND PROVIDES A MORE PROFESSIONAL LOOK WHEN FINISHED.  ALTHOUGH IT
    WAS ONLY ABOUT 60 DEGREES WHEN I PAINTED IT THERE ARE NO BRUSH MARKS.
    I KNOW I SHOULD HAVE PRIMED FIRST, (ZINC CHROMATE IS AVAILABLE AS
    AN AEROSOL SPRAY IN HDWE. AND AUTO PARTS STORES), BUT I WAS IN A
    HURRY.  SO FAR SO GOOD.
    
    P.S. COLOR WAS CHOSEN SO AS NOT TO SHOW SCRATCHES AND TO MATCH
    MAST WHICH WASN'T PAINTED YET.

    I spoke with C&C -- they recommended 
    
    a) Remove hardware, including rivets
    b) Sand down mast
    c) Wipe down with acetone or #98 paint thinner
    d) Zinc Chromate primer
    e) Exoxy paint
    f) Re-rivet with stainless or aluminum rivets
    g) Reassemble hardware

    re 1014.8                 
    f) Re-rivet with stainless or aluminum rivets

    Stainless rivets in an Al mast is asking for it, especially in the
    presence of salt water.  Some stainless alloys form an electrogalvanic
    couple with aluminum, in effect a battery, which becomes a wonderful
    corrosion site.

re .8:

I'm surprised epoxy paint was recommened. Epoxies are damaged by 
sunlight, and epoxy paint usually isn't recommended for outside use. A 
two-part polyurethane (such as Awlgrip, Imron, etc) would be much more 
durable. 

re .9:

Properly bedded, stainless steel rivets are fine. Aluminum rivets are 
substantially weaker than stainless steel rivets. I wouldn't use 
aluminum rivets for anything more critical than a halyard exit plate.