Re: [Cal_Boats] mast (Reggie)

Reggie, We used power sanders, then alumiprep, alodine, zinc chromate, two coats of awlgrip primer, followed by three top coats. Photos of the project are here http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefsail/sets/72157622081060993/ --Michael-- From: r good <my… [at] hotmail.com> To: ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, April 8, 2011 1:52 PM Subject: [Cal_Boats] mast how best to strip paint from mast? Reggie

Is there really any reason to paint an aluminum mast other than looks? Just curious as the PO of my boat painted our with Rustoleum that he brushed on. Yeah, you read right. Looks pretty crappy at the moment and I'd just prefer to strip it and leave it raw alumimum. Paul West '80 Cal 39 Adventure Kwest

Paul, Mine need a rebuild. It would have been an "eyesore" without repainting it. If it had never been painted, I doubt that I would have. But, the the Awlgrip finish sure does get the compliments. Michael From: "pw… [at] aol.com" <pw… [at] aol.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, April 8, 2011 2:39 PM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] mast (Reggie) Is there really any reason to paint an aluminum mast other than looks? Just curious as the PO of my boat painted our with Rustoleum that he brushed on. Yeah, you read right. Looks pretty crappy at the moment and I'd just prefer to strip it and leave it raw alumimum. Paul West '80 Cal 39 Adventure Kwest

Michael: GREAT PHOTO’S Tanks’ for posting them. Dan R From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Michael D Sent: Friday, April 08, 2011 11:36 AM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] mast (Reggie) Reggie, We used power sanders, then alumiprep, alodine, zinc chromate, two coats of awlgrip primer, followed by three top coats. Photos of the project are here http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefsail/sets/72157622081060993/ --Michael-- _____ From: r good <my… [at] hotmail.com> To: ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, April 8, 2011 1:52 PM Subject: [Cal_Boats] mast how best to strip paint from mast? Reggie No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 9.0.894 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3559 - Release Date: 04/07/11 23:34:00

I asked a professional rigger. He says yes there is, if you are getting ready to sell it. othewise, never. Eye appeal. Reggie To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com From: pw… [at] aol.com Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2011 14:39:33 -0400 Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] mast (Reggie) Is there really any reason to paint an aluminum mast other than looks? Just curious as the PO of my boat painted our with Rustoleum that he brushed on. Yeah, you read right. Looks pretty crappy at the moment and I'd just prefer to strip it and leave it raw alumimum. Paul West '80 Cal 39 Adventure Kwest

I stripped a Cal 20 mast that had been professionally painted with an allgrip type paint and then later with a brush and housepaint as high as the PO could reach. It Looked like hell. I used stripper and a belt sander then a jitterbug sander with 120 grit. I left it bare and 3 years later it still shines. Bare alloy builds up a surface when it is exposed to air a sort of natural anodizing. I did another the same way a year or so ago and it still looks great. Why paint? it only adds weight aloft. My Best, Mike From: "pw… [at] aol.com" <pw… [at] aol.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Fri, April 8, 2011 11:39:33 AM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] mast (Reggie) Is there really any reason to paint an aluminum mast other than looks? Just curious as the PO of my boat painted our with Rustoleum that he brushed on. Yeah, you read right. Looks pretty crappy at the moment and I'd just prefer to strip it and leave it raw alumimum. Paul West '80 Cal 39 Adventure Kwest

and every attaching screw, etc, chips the paint, along with other nicks and dings, which create access for fluid to gradually work its way under the paint and creat a mini-laboratory for corrosion. Weight, expense, additional maintenance, ... Reggie To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com From: ve… [at] yahoo.com Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2011 15:44:32 -0700 Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] mast (Reggie) I stripped a Cal 20 mast that had been professionally painted with an allgrip type paint and then later with a brush and housepaint as high as the PO could reach. It Looked like hell. I used stripper and a belt sander then a jitterbug sander with 120 grit. I left it bare and 3 years later it still shines. Bare alloy builds up a surface when it is exposed to air a sort of natural anodizing. I did another the same way a year or so ago and it still looks great. Why paint? it only adds weight aloft. My Best, Mike From: "pw… [at] aol.com" <pw… [at] aol.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Fri, April 8, 2011 11:39:33 AM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] mast (Reggie) Is there really any reason to paint an aluminum mast other than looks? Just curious as the PO of my boat painted our with Rustoleum that he brushed on. Yeah, you read right. Looks pretty crappy at the moment and I'd just prefer to strip it and leave it raw alumimum. Paul West '80 Cal 39 Adventure Kwest

Reggie, on my latest CAL 25 rehab (well, last year), I reworked a lot of mast stuff mainly removing blocks and cleats in favor of a mast base plate. 'Taws the (in)famous "Chicken Little". I filled the old holes in the mast with liquid metal (just to prevent leaks), and did a 220 grit with the trusty Porter Cable dual action 6" on the whole mast. then I used some aluminum polish type stuff with a lot of buffing. Came out real nice, real nice. Don't know how long the polishing lasts, but it still looks fine. I don't remember the name of the aluminum treatment. When another guy in the yard saw the mast job, he bought the leftovers from me. Ergo, I don't have the can. Meanwhile, on my 40, dreaded PO had painted the spin pole with some kind of shiny epoxy or some such. It is now half flaked off. Obviously did not exercise the care others on this list have mentioned. Will have to do the same sanding treatment I did on the 25 mast. No more paint. Cheers Charlie From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of r good Sent: Friday, April 08, 2011 7:16 PM To: ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Cal_Boats] mast (Reggie) and every attaching screw, etc, chips the paint, along with other nicks and dings, which create access for fluid to gradually work its way under the paint and creat a mini-laboratory for corrosion. Weight, expense, additional maintenance, ... Reggie To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com From: ve… [at] yahoo.com Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2011 15:44:32 -0700 Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] mast (Reggie) I stripped a Cal 20 mast that had been professionally painted with an allgrip type paint and then later with a brush and housepaint as high as the PO could reach. It Looked like hell. I used stripper and a belt sander then a jitterbug sander with 120 grit. I left it bare and 3 years later it still shines. Bare alloy builds up a surface when it is exposed to air a sort of natural anodizing. I did another the same way a year or so ago and it still looks great. Why paint? it only adds weight aloft. My Best, Mike

I painted mine with grey rustoleum water based primer, and it came out pretty good. The bad thing is I used some etch and I dont think I washed it off real good beforehand (the same green stuff that's supposed to convert steel so it won't rust (I think maybe it's a bunch of crap! Ditto maybe for the West Systems aluminum pre-etch) and I have some corrosion burting thru like pimples in some places. I wished I just washed the darn thing with some soapy water and rinsed it off good before painting it. I was going to top coat it with one of the fancy one part urethanes, but I wasn't sure how long I'd have to let the primer cure before doing that. Now I may have to remove all the corroded areas and start over. Yecch. And double yech. What about the fact that aluminum seems to pit and corrode when exposed to sea water, like my aluminum ladder on my truck, or worse, the aluminum TV antenna that corrode and crumble that I see on roofs? Or, my orginal spreaders that corroded, especially on the inside?? Or, my friends boom on his Columbia Challanger? Why do folks replace masts if the salt and air don't git 'em? Jerry --- On Fri, 4/8/11, r good <my… [at] hotmail.com> wrote: From: r good <my… [at] hotmail.com> Subject: [Cal_Boats] why paint a mast To: ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Date: Friday, April 8, 2011, 1:20 PM I asked a professional rigger. He says yes there is, if you are getting ready to sell it. othewise, never. Eye appeal. Reggie To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com From: pw… [at] aol.com Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2011 14:39:33 -0400 Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] mast (Reggie) Is there really any reason to paint an aluminum mast other than looks? Just curious as the PO of my boat painted our with Rustoleum that he brushed on. Yeah, you read right. Looks pretty crappy at the moment and I'd just prefer to strip it and leave it raw alumimum. Paul West '80 Cal 39 Adventure Kwest

If you use "ospho" on steel, it doesn't make it so it doesn't rust, it makes it into a primer product so you can then paint...but every crumb of rust must be removed first by wirebrushing/and sanding. I have done that on my dinghy trailer for the wheel covers and frame, good for 10 years. They use it on commercial vessels after brushing off rust also. Smiths makes one, we used that on another really rusty trailer after grinding off the rust, let it dry, ospho"d (if it's the same chemical as ospho) then rustoleum primer, THEN the rustoleum paint in white, spray cans. Used the trailer in SF bay and it looked good till we sold it??? We washed and scrubbed our unpainted cal 29 mast, untouched for 30 plus years, and turtle waxed it, which streaked a little, still looks good 2 years later. However, every cal (i only was cal-shopping) I looked at before I got my 36, that had been painted, including my "new" 36, had ugly spots under the paint, crumbling or not. A 39 had the keel-stepped mast blistered and bubbled all the way to the keel under its paint. I tried to find a replacement extrusion for it (in Texas) so I could sail it home to Calif. but got no response from several companies there. A lot of those antenna masts that you see on roofs are actually steel with aluminum fins. We are removing the paint on the 36 and waxing it when we take it down this summer. I actually think that the paint product may allow moisture to wick through and become trapped under the paint against the aluminum when salt is present. rinsing spars with fresh water occasionally is a good practice. nothing is perfect..Helen From: Gerald Sobel <so… [at] yahoo.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Fri, April 8, 2011 6:34:57 PM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] why paint a mast I painted mine with grey rustoleum water based primer, and it came out pretty good. The bad thing is I used some etch and I dont think I washed it off real good beforehand (the same green stuff that's supposed to convert steel so it won't rust (I think maybe it's a bunch of crap! Ditto maybe for the West Systems aluminum pre-etch) and I have some corrosion burting thru like pimples in some places. I wished I just washed the darn thing with some soapy water and rinsed it off good before painting it. I was going to top coat it with one of the fancy one part urethanes, but I wasn't sure how long I'd have to let the primer cure before doing that. Now I may have to remove all the corroded areas and start over. Yecch. And double yech. What about the fact that aluminum seems to pit and corrode when exposed to sea water, like my aluminum ladder on my truck, or worse, the aluminum TV antenna that corrode and crumble that I see on roofs? Or, my orginal spreaders that corroded, especially on the inside?? Or, my friends boom on his Columbia Challanger? Why do folks replace masts if the salt and air don't git 'em? Jerry --- On Fri, 4/8/11, r good <my… [at] hotmail.com> wrote: >From: r good <my… [at] hotmail.com> >Subject: [Cal_Boats] why paint a mast >To: ca… [at] yahoogroups.com >Date: Friday, April 8, 2011, 1:20 PM > > > >I asked a professional rigger. He says yes there is, if you are getting ready >to sell it. othewise, never. Eye appeal. > >Reggie > > To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com >From: pw… [at] aol.com >Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2011 14:39:33 -0400 >Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] mast (Reggie) > > >Is there really any reason to paint an aluminum mast other than looks? > >Just curious as the PO of my boat painted our with Rustoleum that he brushed >on. Yeah, you read right. Looks pretty crappy at the moment and I'd just >prefer to strip it and leave it raw alumimum. > >Paul West >'80 Cal 39 >Adventure Kwest > > >

I don't think you can make paint stick to bare aluminum as the aluminum rusts too quickly. I needed to put a fiberglass patch on a whisker pole and was told there were two ways. One was to put the West System on first, then sand while it was still set. Yuk! The second was to alodine it. I went that way and the patch held for the couple of years until it was retired after sticking the pole in the water and bending it. The patch held even after that. I got the alodine for my car, which is aluminum, but didn't realize the importance of using it and didn't. The paint is lifting in spots. Too bad. Allen On Fri, Apr 8, 2011 at 7:15 PM, Helen Horn <he… [at] sbcglobal.net> wrote: > > > If you use "ospho" on steel, it doesn't make it so it doesn't rust, it > makes it into a primer product so you can then paint...but every crumb of > rust must be removed first by wirebrushing/and sanding. I have done that on > my dinghy trailer for the wheel covers and frame, good for 10 years. They > use it on commercial vessels after brushing off rust also. Smiths makes one, > we used that on another really rusty trailer after grinding off the rust, > let it dry, ospho"d (if it's the same chemical as ospho) then rustoleum > primer, THEN the rustoleum paint in white, spray cans. Used the trailer in > SF bay and it looked good till we sold it??? We washed and scrubbed our > unpainted cal 29 mast, untouched for 30 plus years, and turtle waxed it, > which streaked a little, still looks good 2 years later. However, every cal > (i only was cal-shopping) I looked at before I got my 36, that had been > painted, including my "new" 36, had ugly spots under the paint, crumbling or > not. A 39 had the keel-stepped mast blistered and bubbled all the way to > the keel under its paint. I tried to find a replacement extrusion for it (in > Texas) so I could sail it home to Calif. but got no response from several > companies there. A lot of those antenna masts that you see on roofs are > actually steel with aluminum fins. We are removing the paint on the 36 and > waxing it when we take it down this summer. I actually think that the paint > product may allow moisture to wick through and become trapped under the > paint against the aluminum when salt is present. rinsing spars with fresh > water occasionally is a good practice. nothing is perfect..Helen > > > ------------------------------ > *From:* Gerald Sobel <so… [at] yahoo.com> > > *To:* Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > *Sent:* Fri, April 8, 2011 6:34:57 PM > *Subject:* Re: [Cal_Boats] why paint a mast > > > > I painted mine with grey rustoleum water based primer, and it came out > pretty good. The bad thing is I used some etch and I dont think I washed it > off real good beforehand (the same green stuff that's supposed to convert > steel so it won't rust (I think maybe it's a bunch of crap! Ditto maybe for > the West Systems aluminum pre-etch) and I have some corrosion burting thru > like pimples in some places. I wished I just washed the darn thing with some > soapy water and rinsed it off good before painting it. I was going to top > coat it with one of the fancy one part urethanes, but I wasn't sure how long > I'd have to let the primer cure before doing that. Now I may have to remove > all the corroded areas and start over. Yecch. And double yech. > > What about the fact that aluminum seems to pit and corrode when exposed to > sea water, like my aluminum ladder on my truck, or worse, the aluminum TV > antenna that corrode and crumble that I see on roofs? Or, my orginal > spreaders that corroded, especially on the inside?? Or, my friends boom on > his Columbia Challanger? Why do folks replace masts if the salt and air > don't git 'em? > Jerry > > --- On *Fri, 4/8/11, r good <my… [at] hotmail.com>* wrote: > > > From: r good <my… [at] hotmail.com> > Subject: [Cal_Boats] why paint a mast > To: ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > Date: Friday, April 8, 2011, 1:20 PM > > > > I asked a professional rigger. He says yes there is, if you are getting > ready to sell it. othewise, never. Eye appeal. > Reggie > > ------------------------------ > To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > From: pw… [at] aol.com > Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2011 14:39:33 -0400 > Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] mast (Reggie) > > > Is there really any reason to paint an aluminum mast other than looks? > > Just curious as the PO of my boat painted our with Rustoleum that he > brushed on. Yeah, you read right. Looks pretty crappy at the moment and > I'd just prefer to strip it and leave it raw alumimum. > > Paul West > '80 Cal 39 > Adventure Kwest > > > > >

Allen, I wonder if the two little plastic bottles I got from West Systems is alondine? I'll have to ask their website, if it is that, or something else, or call them. I know they do something to aircraft to make the metal look pale olive green before it is painted. I don't understand, if the aluminum oxide sticks to the metal to protect it, why doesn't the paint stick to the aluminum oxide? I do remember painting aluminum with plain latex exterior house paint and it held on just fine, even in the weather, and also had aluminum professionally painted, for solar racks, and it still looks perfect after 25 years. Is a puzzlement. Jerry --- On Fri, 4/8/11, Allen Edwards <al… [at] PaloAltoPhoto.com> wrote: From: Allen Edwards <al… [at] PaloAltoPhoto.com> Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] why paint a mast To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Date: Friday, April 8, 2011, 7:33 PM I don't think you can make paint stick to bare aluminum as the aluminum rusts too quickly. I needed to put a fiberglass patch on a whisker pole and was told there were two ways. One was to put the West System on first, then sand while it was still set. Yuk! The second was to alodine it. I went that way and the patch held for the couple of years until it was retired after sticking the pole in the water and bending it. The patch held even after that. I got the alodine for my car, which is aluminum, but didn't realize the importance of using it and didn't. The paint is lifting in spots. Too bad. Allen On Fri, Apr 8, 2011 at 7:15 PM, Helen Horn <he… [at] sbcglobal.net> wrote: If you use "ospho" on steel, it doesn't make it so it doesn't rust, it makes it into a primer product so you can then paint...but every crumb of rust must be removed first by wirebrushing/and sanding. I have done that on my dinghy trailer for the wheel covers and frame, good for 10 years. They use it on commercial vessels after brushing off rust also. Smiths makes one, we used that on another really rusty trailer after grinding off the rust, let it dry, ospho"d (if it's the same chemical as ospho) then rustoleum primer, THEN the rustoleum paint in white, spray cans. Used the trailer in SF bay and it looked good till we sold it??? We washed and scrubbed our unpainted cal 29 mast, untouched for 30 plus years, and turtle waxed it, which streaked a little, still looks good 2 years later. However, every cal (i only was cal-shopping) I looked at before I got my 36, that had been painted, including my "new" 36, had ugly spots under the paint, crumbling or not. A 39 had the keel-stepped mast blistered and bubbled all the way to the keel under its paint. I tried to find a replacement extrusion for it (in Texas) so I could sail it home to Calif. but got no response from several companies there. A lot of those antenna masts that you see on roofs are actually steel with aluminum fins. We are removing the paint on the 36 and waxing it when we take it down this summer. I actually think that the paint product may allow moisture to wick through and become trapped under the paint against the aluminum when salt is present. rinsing spars with fresh water occasionally is a good practice. nothing is perfect..Helen From: Gerald Sobel <so… [at] yahoo.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Fri, April 8, 2011 6:34:57 PM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] why paint a mast I painted mine with grey rustoleum water based primer, and it came out pretty good. The bad thing is I used some etch and I dont think I washed it off real good beforehand (the same green stuff that's supposed to convert steel so it won't rust (I think maybe it's a bunch of crap! Ditto maybe for the West Systems aluminum pre-etch) and I have some corrosion burting thru like pimples in some places. I wished I just washed the darn thing with some soapy water and rinsed it off good before painting it. I was going to top coat it with one of the fancy one part urethanes, but I wasn't sure how long I'd have to let the primer cure before doing that. Now I may have to remove all the corroded areas and start over. Yecch. And double yech. What about the fact that aluminum seems to pit and corrode when exposed to sea water, like my aluminum ladder on my truck, or worse, the aluminum TV antenna that corrode and crumble that I see on roofs? Or, my orginal spreaders that corroded, especially on the inside?? Or, my friends boom on his Columbia Challanger? Why do folks replace masts if the salt and air don't git 'em? Jerry --- On Fri, 4/8/11, r good <my… [at] hotmail.com> wrote: From: r good <my… [at] hotmail.com> Subject: [Cal_Boats] why paint a mast To: ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Date: Friday, April 8, 2011, 1:20 PM I asked a professional rigger. He says yes there is, if you are getting ready to sell it. othewise, never. Eye appeal. Reggie To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com From: pw… [at] aol.com Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2011 14:39:33 -0400 Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] mast (Reggie) Is there really any reason to paint an aluminum mast other than looks? Just curious as the PO of my boat painted our with Rustoleum that he brushed on. Yeah, you read right. Looks pretty crappy at the moment and I'd just prefer to strip it and leave it raw alumimum. Paul West '80 Cal 39 Adventure Kwest

Alodine is a two bottle process and I know West Marine (is that what you meant?) sells it. I think the paint will stick to the oxide but the oxide then doesn't stick to the aluminum very well and the paint falls off with the oxide. As we all know, the oxide grows over time. Anyway, that is my guess. I have several pieces of aluminum on Papoose and they are alodine protected. Some are doing better than others so I must have done it differently. The aluminum I painted on Papoose years ago looked like hell after a few years. Salt spray and sun are difficult for paint and metal. I found this on a random web stie It provides good corrosion protection. It even protects when scratched. Alodined 2024 aluminum withstands salt spray 150-600 hours before forming white corrosion. Untreated 2024 corrodes in less than 24 hours. I would also assume if you had aluminum professionally painted that they alodined it before applying the paint. I got my alodine from the auto parts store where I bought the automotive lacquer. It is a fairly well known process and not difficult to do. The aluminum siding you painted may also have been treated, who knows. Allen On Fri, Apr 8, 2011 at 9:50 PM, Gerald Sobel <so… [at] yahoo.com> wrote: > > > Allen, > I wonder if the two little plastic bottles I got from West Systems is > alondine? I'll have to ask their website, if it is that, or something else, > or call them. > I know they do something to aircraft to make the metal look pale olive > green before it is painted. > > I don't understand, if the aluminum oxide sticks to the metal to protect > it, why doesn't the paint stick to the aluminum oxide? I do remember > painting aluminum with plain latex exterior house paint and it held on just > fine, even in the weather, and also had aluminum professionally painted, for > solar racks, and it still looks perfect after 25 years. > > Is a puzzlement. > Jerry > > --- On *Fri, 4/8/11, Allen Edwards <al… [at] PaloAltoPhoto.com>*wrote: > > > From: Allen Edwards <al… [at] PaloAltoPhoto.com> > > Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] why paint a mast > To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > Date: Friday, April 8, 2011, 7:33 PM > > > > > I don't think you can make paint stick to bare aluminum as the aluminum > rusts too quickly. I needed to put a fiberglass patch on a whisker pole and > was told there were two ways. One was to put the West System on first, then > sand while it was still set. Yuk! The second was to alodine it. I went > that way and the patch held for the couple of years until it was retired > after sticking the pole in the water and bending it. The patch held even > after that. I got the alodine for my car, which is aluminum, but didn't > realize the importance of using it and didn't. The paint is lifting in > spots. Too bad. > > Allen > > > On Fri, Apr 8, 2011 at 7:15 PM, Helen Horn <he… [at] sbcglobal.net<http://mc/compose?to=he… [at] sbcglobal.net> > > wrote: > > > > If you use "ospho" on steel, it doesn't make it so it doesn't rust, it > makes it into a primer product so you can then paint...but every crumb of > rust must be removed first by wirebrushing/and sanding. I have done that on > my dinghy trailer for the wheel covers and frame, good for 10 years. They > use it on commercial vessels after brushing off rust also. Smiths makes one, > we used that on another really rusty trailer after grinding off the rust, > let it dry, ospho"d (if it's the same chemical as ospho) then rustoleum > primer, THEN the rustoleum paint in white, spray cans. Used the trailer in > SF bay and it looked good till we sold it??? We washed and scrubbed our > unpainted cal 29 mast, untouched for 30 plus years, and turtle waxed it, > which streaked a little, still looks good 2 years later. However, every cal > (i only was cal-shopping) I looked at before I got my 36, that had been > painted, including my "new" 36, had ugly spots under the paint, crumbling or > not. A 39 had the keel-stepped mast blistered and bubbled all the way to > the keel under its paint. I tried to find a replacement extrusion for it (in > Texas) so I could sail it home to Calif. but got no response from several > companies there. A lot of those antenna masts that you see on roofs are > actually steel with aluminum fins. We are removing the paint on the 36 and > waxing it when we take it down this summer. I actually think that the paint > product may allow moisture to wick through and become trapped under the > paint against the aluminum when salt is present. rinsing spars with fresh > water occasionally is a good practice. nothing is perfect..Helen > > > ------------------------------ > *From:* Gerald Sobel <so… [at] yahoo.com<http://mc/compose?to=so… [at] yahoo.com> > > > > *To:* Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com<http://mc/compose?to=Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> > *Sent:* Fri, April 8, 2011 6:34:57 PM > *Subject:* Re: [Cal_Boats] why paint a mast > > > > I painted mine with grey rustoleum water based primer, and it came out > pretty good. The bad thing is I used some etch and I dont think I washed it > off real good beforehand (the same green stuff that's supposed to convert > steel so it won't rust (I think maybe it's a bunch of crap! Ditto maybe for > the West Systems aluminum pre-etch) and I have some corrosion burting thru > like pimples in some places. I wished I just washed the darn thing with some > soapy water and rinsed it off good before painting it. I was going to top > coat it with one of the fancy one part urethanes, but I wasn't sure how long > I'd have to let the primer cure before doing that. Now I may have to remove > all the corroded areas and start over. Yecch. And double yech. > > What about the fact that aluminum seems to pit and corrode when exposed to > sea water, like my aluminum ladder on my truck, or worse, the aluminum TV > antenna that corrode and crumble that I see on roofs? Or, my orginal > spreaders that corroded, especially on the inside?? Or, my friends boom on > his Columbia Challanger? Why do folks replace masts if the salt and air > don't git 'em? > Jerry > > --- On *Fri, 4/8/11, r good <my… [at] hotmail.com<http://mc/compose?to=my… [at] hotmail.com> > >* wrote: > > > From: r good <my… [at] hotmail.com<http://mc/compose?to=my… [at] hotmail.com> > > > Subject: [Cal_Boats] why paint a mast > To: ca… [at] yahoogroups.com<http://mc/compose?to=ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> > Date: Friday, April 8, 2011, 1:20 PM > > > > I asked a professional rigger. He says yes there is, if you are getting > ready to sell it. othewise, never. Eye appeal. > Reggie > > ------------------------------ > To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com<http://mc/compose?to=Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> > From: pw… [at] aol.com <http://mc/compose?to=pw… [at] aol.com> > Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2011 14:39:33 -0400 > Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] mast (Reggie) > > > Is there really any reason to paint an aluminum mast other than looks? > > Just curious as the PO of my boat painted our with Rustoleum that he > brushed on. Yeah, you read right. Looks pretty crappy at the moment and > I'd just prefer to strip it and leave it raw alumimum. > > Paul West > '80 Cal 39 > Adventure Kwest > > > > > >

Allen, the aluminum I had painted , it was 6063-T6, a well known, common, aviation grade alloy, fairly corrosion resistant. It was 2", and 2-1/2" X1/8" angle and 1.5" square tube, and U shaped extrusions, which I use for my self-designed water heating solar panel racks for glazed 4X8' and 4X10' flat plates(better than anything I've seen done commercially, simpler, more installation friendly, and very strong even after 25 years). Jerry --- On Fri, 4/8/11, Allen Edwards <al… [at] PaloAltoPhoto.com> wrote: From: Allen Edwards <al… [at] PaloAltoPhoto.com> Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] why paint a mast To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Date: Friday, April 8, 2011, 11:01 PM Alodine is a two bottle process and I know West Marine (is that what you meant?) sells it. I think the paint will stick to the oxide but the oxide then doesn't stick to the aluminum very well and the paint falls off with the oxide. As we all know, the oxide grows over time. Anyway, that is my guess. I have several pieces of aluminum on Papoose and they are alodine protected. Some are doing better than others so I must have done it differently. The aluminum I painted on Papoose years ago looked like hell after a few years. Salt spray and sun are difficult for paint and metal. I found this on a random web stieIt provides good corrosion protection. It even protects when scratched. Alodined 2024 aluminum withstands salt spray 150-600 hours before forming white corrosion. Untreated 2024 corrodes in less than 24 hours. I would also assume if you had aluminum professionally painted that they alodined it before applying the paint. I got my alodine from the auto parts store where I bought the automotive lacquer. It is a fairly well known process and not difficult to do. The aluminum siding you painted may also have been treated, who knows. Allen On Fri, Apr 8, 2011 at 9:50 PM, Gerald Sobel <so… [at] yahoo.com> wrote: Allen, I wonder if the two little plastic bottles I got from West Systems is alondine? I'll have to ask their website, if it is that, or something else, or call them. I know they do something to aircraft to make the metal look pale olive green before it is painted. I don't understand, if the aluminum oxide sticks to the metal to protect it, why doesn't the paint stick to the aluminum oxide? I do remember painting aluminum with plain latex exterior house paint and it held on just fine, even in the weather, and also had aluminum professionally painted, for solar racks, and it still looks perfect after 25 years. Is a puzzlement. Jerry --- On Fri, 4/8/11, Allen Edwards <al… [at] PaloAltoPhoto.com> wrote: From: Allen Edwards <al… [at] PaloAltoPhoto.com> Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] why paint a mast To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Date: Friday, April 8, 2011, 7:33 PM I don't think you can make paint stick to bare aluminum as the aluminum rusts too quickly. I needed to put a fiberglass patch on a whisker pole and was told there were two ways. One was to put the West System on first, then sand while it was still set. Yuk! The second was to alodine it. I went that way and the patch held for the couple of years until it was retired after sticking the pole in the water and bending it. The patch held even after that. I got the alodine for my car, which is aluminum, but didn't realize the importance of using it and didn't. The paint is lifting in spots. Too bad. Allen On Fri, Apr 8, 2011 at 7:15 PM, Helen Horn <he… [at] sbcglobal.net> wrote: If you use "ospho" on steel, it doesn't make it so it doesn't rust, it makes it into a primer product so you can then paint...but every crumb of rust must be removed first by wirebrushing/and sanding. I have done that on my dinghy trailer for the wheel covers and frame, good for 10 years. They use it on commercial vessels after brushing off rust also. Smiths makes one, we used that on another really rusty trailer after grinding off the rust, let it dry, ospho"d (if it's the same chemical as ospho) then rustoleum primer, THEN the rustoleum paint in white, spray cans. Used the trailer in SF bay and it looked good till we sold it??? We washed and scrubbed our unpainted cal 29 mast, untouched for 30 plus years, and turtle waxed it, which streaked a little, still looks good 2 years later. However, every cal (i only was cal-shopping) I looked at before I got my 36, that had been painted, including my "new" 36, had ugly spots under the paint, crumbling or not. A 39 had the keel-stepped mast blistered and bubbled all the way to the keel under its paint. I tried to find a replacement extrusion for it (in Texas) so I could sail it home to Calif. but got no response from several companies there. A lot of those antenna masts that you see on roofs are actually steel with aluminum fins. We are removing the paint on the 36 and waxing it when we take it down this summer. I actually think that the paint product may allow moisture to wick through and become trapped under the paint against the aluminum when salt is present. rinsing spars with fresh water occasionally is a good practice. nothing is perfect..Helen From: Gerald Sobel <so… [at] yahoo.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Fri, April 8, 2011 6:34:57 PM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] why paint a mast I painted mine with grey rustoleum water based primer, and it came out pretty good. The bad thing is I used some etch and I dont think I washed it off real good beforehand (the same green stuff that's supposed to convert steel so it won't rust (I think maybe it's a bunch of crap! Ditto maybe for the West Systems aluminum pre-etch) and I have some corrosion burting thru like pimples in some places. I wished I just washed the darn thing with some soapy water and rinsed it off good before painting it. I was going to top coat it with one of the fancy one part urethanes, but I wasn't sure how long I'd have to let the primer cure before doing that. Now I may have to remove all the corroded areas and start over. Yecch. And double yech. What about the fact that aluminum seems to pit and corrode when exposed to sea water, like my aluminum ladder on my truck, or worse, the aluminum TV antenna that corrode and crumble that I see on roofs? Or, my orginal spreaders that corroded, especially on the inside?? Or, my friends boom on his Columbia Challanger? Why do folks replace masts if the salt and air don't git 'em? Jerry --- On Fri, 4/8/11, r good <my… [at] hotmail.com> wrote: From: r good <my… [at] hotmail.com> Subject: [Cal_Boats] why paint a mast To: ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Date: Friday, April 8, 2011, 1:20 PM I asked a professional rigger. He says yes there is, if you are getting ready to sell it. othewise, never. Eye appeal. Reggie To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com From: pw… [at] aol.com Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2011 14:39:33 -0400 Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] mast (Reggie) Is there really any reason to paint an aluminum mast other than looks? Just curious as the PO of my boat painted our with Rustoleum that he brushed on. Yeah, you read right. Looks pretty crappy at the moment and I'd just prefer to strip it and leave it raw alumimum. Paul West '80 Cal 39 Adventure Kwest