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Old 23-09-2015, 20:06   #1
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Recommend Me a Mast Paint.

hey guys, both my mast and boom are badly in need of repainting need some recommendations on a suitable paint for the spars once they've been prepped. any thoughts? I still have about a half gallon of gloss white easypoxy around from a previous boat project so I'm inclined to just use that unless you guys have a better suggestion.
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Old 23-09-2015, 20:31   #2
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Re: recommend me a mast paint.

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Originally Posted by frozenhawaiian View Post
hey guys, both my mast and boom are badly in need of repainting need some recommendations on a suitable paint for the spars once they've been prepped. any thoughts? I still have about a half gallon of gloss white easypoxy around from a previous boat project so I'm inclined to just use that unless you guys have a better suggestion.
What are they made of?
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Old 23-09-2015, 20:54   #3
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Re: recommend me a mast paint.

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What are they made of?
whoops, forgot to mention that, they're both aluminum
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Old 23-09-2015, 21:21   #4
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Re: recommend me a mast paint.

Most of the 1 & 2-part LPU's, or Imron auto body paint. Though the key with any of them lies in the prep.
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Old 24-09-2015, 05:09   #5
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Re: Recommend Me a Mast Paint.

“... Bare Aluminum:
Wipe the surface free of oil and grease with Pettit 120 Thinner. Remove oxidation and etch the surface with medium grit emery cloth; remove sanding residue. Apply one thin “wet” coat of 6455/044 Metal Primer; allow to dry at least two hours. Proceed with the first coat of Easypoxy.
6149 EZ Prime can be used over the 6455/044 Metal Primer for smoothing surfaces if desired ...

http://www.pettitpaint.com/fileshare...s/Easypoxy.pdf
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Old 24-09-2015, 06:02   #6
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Re: Recommend Me a Mast Paint.

If you want to avoid repainting again, use a two-part LPU like Interlux Perfection or Awlgrip.

I used Interlux 2000 as a primer (no etching required) and rolled on Interlux Perfection as a topcoat and the results were excellent - looked like professionally sprayed.

Tips: Be prepared for lots of careful sanding between coats, especially the primer coats. Roll on with cheap 'hot dog' foam rollers. Practice your technique near the top of the mast where no one will see the results. Make sure you're in the shade. It's hard to describe, but you have to 'stretch' the paint along the spar with the roller. You only have a couple of minutes every few feet before the paint starts to kick, so keep moving -pass over each section maybe two or three times, not just once, and respect your wet edge. If you do it right, the paint will self-level like magic (no need to tip with a brush, especially if using white paint).

Read and reread the instructions from Interlux, and mix the paint and reducers very carefully.
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Old 24-09-2015, 07:33   #7
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Re: Recommend Me a Mast Paint.

I used Signature Finish. It is great. And easy. Easy to fix also.

I can't recommend enough.
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Old 24-09-2015, 08:04   #8
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Re: Recommend Me a Mast Paint.

The epoxy paints will begin to chalk in a couple years due to UV breakdown. Listen to these folks and go with a linear polyurethane. I'm repainting my mast and boom in November.
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Old 24-09-2015, 08:23   #9
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Re: Recommend Me a Mast Paint.

I took my aluminum spars to a manufacturer of aluminum railings for sundecks etc. They prepped and powder coated my mast, boom, spreaders, and various fixtures I had removed from the mast ... all done for only C$350 ... and a very professional finish too.
Prior to handing them over to the fab shop, I stripped all fittings from both spars. They gave all parts some form of acid bath to remove any impurities and then performed the powder coat process.
Three days later, I received my spars back protected from shipping damage with 'bubble wrap' and looking like brand spanking new. I spent a day re-installing the hardware prior to re-stepping it on the cabin top. Nobody but me knows it is a 'used' spar. All others believe i bought it new and are quite surprised when i tell them it's a paint job by a local fab shop. at least two other people intend to follow my lead and get theirs painted too.
I should mention I replaced the original aluminum rivets with stainless steel which tested some muscles when re-installing the parts, but I feel much better knowing they will not fail in a blow. The rivets were all purchased from a local wholesale supply shop for less than C$20
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Old 24-09-2015, 08:29   #10
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Re: Recommend Me a Mast Paint.

Don't paint them. Use CB6 aircraft aluminium Polish :-)
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Old 24-09-2015, 12:36   #11
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Re: Recommend Me a Mast Paint.

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I should mention I replaced the original aluminum rivets with stainless steel which tested some muscles when re-installing the parts, but I feel much better knowing they will not fail in a blow. The rivets were all purchased from a local wholesale supply shop for less than C$20
Stainless rivets on aluminum mast in a marine environment could be problematic for corrosion?
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Old 24-09-2015, 13:29   #12
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Re: Recommend Me a Mast Paint.

I used Interlux Pimekote and Perfection for the paint. Here was step by step process.

1-Sand all old paint off until you reach chromate coat (this should be yellow or green color) if mast was properly painted the first time. In areas with corrosion, you need to sand down to bare aluminum. If no chromate, sand all the way to bare aluminum.

2- Now you need to etch the aluminum to take the paint. Paint will not adhere directly to aluminum. You need Alumaprep and Alodine. You can purchase this fairly inexpensive at any auto body shop. Alumaprep will etch the aluminum and Alodine will create the first protective coat bonded to Aluminum. Paint adheres very well to Alodine. (Wear protective everything, this stuff is nasty toxic, suit, resperator, gloves, eye protection). Brush on with foam or good quality brush and do not let dry on aluminum. Rinse and repeat as per product instruction. Do entire mast and boom. Make sure you mix accroding to product label exactly.

Now to Paint

3- We used Primekote for 3 layers. Cheap rollers did not work well and always left parts of foam behind. We have a 56 foot mast and 17 foot boom. We used 3 GOOD QUALITY rollers per coat. Once the roller starts to breakdown, change it out. Roll on with 3-4" foam roller and tip with a dry 3-4"roller. Make sure you lightly sand between coats with 300 grit sand paper.

4- We used Interlux Perfection for the final 3 coats. Same as the epoxycoat, use good quality rollers. Sand between layers (lightly) only removing any high spots. The finish product should be just as good as sprayed.

Some ideas to keep in mind. While I am typically a hands on person, if I had to do again I would have had a local paint shop do the job. The quote I recieved was for $200 to media blast with walnut or gypsum agregate (not sand) and $800 to spray any paint I wanted. The time it took me to do this entire process, about 100 hours over 1 month, I would happily pay someone else $1000 and have my mast back in less than 4 days.

If that is not on option, remember; The paint process will look terrible until your 5th or 6th coat of paint. You want to do small light layers and gradually build to a nice even finish. Also, keep on eye on the humidity level and dew point especially with that last 2 coats. If the dew point drops or humidity gets above 60%, it will not be a good day to paint. This will take away the finish when curing and leave you with a dull chalky coat.

Good luck.
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Old 24-09-2015, 14:03   #13
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Re: Recommend Me a Mast Paint.

Years ago I painted an aluminum wind generator pole. I sanded ,acid washed it, sprayed it with chromate then painted with two part epoxy paint (several coats). That lasted about a year. I then sanded and put a two-part polyurethane paint. That lasted about it two years. I then sanded it and sprayed on a cheap lacquer spray can paint,it looked better than the other paints and every 6 months to a year I would just spray some more on. no sanding no muss simple. It never flaked it just got "thinner". Sometimes I would just spray the front of it because that is what wore out first.
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Old 24-09-2015, 19:14   #14
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Re: recommend me a mast paint.

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Originally Posted by frozenhawaiian View Post
whoops, forgot to mention that, they're both aluminum
We used Perfection 2-part on ours. Apply thin, 2 coats. Use the recommended Chromate prep.
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Old 25-09-2015, 22:50   #15
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Re: Recommend Me a Mast Paint.

Quote:
Originally Posted by frozenhawaiian View Post
hey guys, both my mast and boom are badly in need of repainting need some recommendations on a suitable paint for the spars once they've been prepped. any thoughts? I still have about a half gallon of gloss white easypoxy around from a previous boat project so I'm inclined to just use that unless you guys have a better suggestion.

We used Sterling 2 part LP after touching up some places with etching and primer. It's been 11 years now and the mast and boom still look great. Linda and I painted it by hand using a roller to apply and a brush to tip off. It looked like it had been sprayed. Using an enamel will see only a couple years of service if even that.

Even though folks say not to wax LP I do so once a year using Collinite insulator wax. Oh BTW we have been cruising full time fir the past 10.5 years.

A good 2 part LP properly prepped should see many years if good service

Good luck with your choice

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