Re-surfacing Carbon Fiber Spin Pole

When someone suggests "West System" they're usually advising to put a coat of their epoxy on it. While this is a great water proof barrier, it doesn't stand up to UV too well and tends to yellow and eventually crack.

Krylon/Rustolium would probably hold up OK for a quick and easy finish and be really easy to touch up later (you will probably need to).

Awlgrip is probably the best ... a good paint like Dupont Imron would do well too. I believe both of these paints are two part paints that you mix with a catalyst - they do not air dry, rather they cure like epoxy or polyester resin.

take it one step further and figure out what is causing it to lose its finish.

I know on our spin pole, where it passes through the bridle ring theres quite a bit of chafage. We always wrap it up with yeller duc(k)t-tape before we put the pole on to protect it at that point of contact.

You want your fix to last!

Easiest: sand and paint.

If the surface is really rough, you may want to primer with a high-solids epoxy which will 'fair' the surface.

Best paints are Imron and Awlgrip, which I believe are both two-part polyurethanes. Well I know for sure that Awlgrip is, not so sure what Imron is.

Consider also the low-budget option of COMPLETELY prepping your spar (including taping fittings) and bringing it to your friendly neighborhood paint house where when they do another car or whatever they can go ahead and hit your spar while they're at it.

Carbon is awfully pretty, though, and you could clearcoat with Awlgrip in clear.

And, although the other guy is right, and epoxy will craze and yellow in UV, you can add graphite powder to it which will act as a lubricant and keep off the uv.

Sea ya
tami

Oh...so I'm just the "other guy" now?

Personally, I would coat the pole with an epoxy primer and spray it with auto paint

On things like spin poles that see a lot of wear, I have become a fan of auto paint. It comes in a spray can, it's cheap, easy to touch-up each year and if it doesn't work replace it with IMRON something like it. I get paint from NAPA. It's a self catalyzing acrylic lacquer.

I would also recommend paint, not uncoated epoxy. Epoxy will suffer from UV exposure. The 2 part paints are best. However, Imron and Alwgrip are nasty, chemical, smelly. You wouldnt want to breath it, plus you are limited to areas with good ventilation and heat. That makes it tough to use those kind of products.

Check out System Three, its water based, doesnt smell and you can work with it inside, I use it on parts in my basement. No smell, no fuss, drys quick. Its a very strong 2 part water based poly marine paint.

Sand with 100 grit, and apply to your pole, go with more/thin coats as opposed to fewer/heavy coats. I use a foam brush, so I just toss it when I'm done. You can spray it, but the paint doesnt go as far.

One quart will do a doz spin poles. $25 bucks a quart.

http://www.systemthree.com/p_wr_lpu.asp

One other idea would be to wet sand it with #400, then find a local body shop that uses quality auto paint. No Earl Schieb's. Take the pole down and have them spray it with urethane clear with the flex additive. The modern clears are very durable with the flex added.

Had the same problem, I was tired of wearing leather gloves when handling my mast. So...I did some research on this last Winter and found that most OEM's use Awlgrip. I don't know if there's a "better" way, but Alwgrip comes in a satin finish as well as gloss.

Changing the subject

Is the crosslinker required to cure or just there to make the paint harder?

I saw that too and dove deeper...somewhere on the System Three website they said that the paint would cure without the cross linker but that it would not be as durable.

The paint cures without the crosslinker.

The crosslinker is easy to add, I use it every time. It comes in a little bottle, like an eye dropper.

Hey Bill, as the guy that suggested WEST System, I thought I'd clarify so people don't think you were talking to an idiot, they have a UV inhibitor additive that keeps it from yellowing, but if you are not worried about clear coating so as to see the carbon, any of the above would work...I would be careful about sanding though, you don't want to srcatch the fibers and create stress risers...

P.s. Whats up with moving out to Santa Barbara?

Matt the S.B. Cats guy

Matt,
You are right, West 207 Hardener does contain UV inhibitors, but 205 (Fast) 206 (Slow) and 209 (Extra slow) Hardeners do not contain UV inhibitors.

So if you do use epoxy only make sure to use the 207 hardener.

I still think the System Three LPU is the way to go on carbon for clear coating.

I'm not moving to Santa Barbara. You got me mixed up with some other guy.

While I've not had any direct experience, I got the impression from the West System website that even the 207 hardner does not make the epoxy REALLY stable with UV. However, for the limited exposure a spin pole probably gets, it would probably be fine.

No, I meant Bill Nieuwkirk, the guy who started the post. He came out from back East, and we got a sail in on his business trip...

Thanks everyone - great feedback. I think I'm leaning towards repainting rather than clearcoat. System Three sounds pretty good since I'll be painting in the basement and the ventilation isn't the best.

Now I just have to choose a color.......

Bill

Matt,

Thanks for all your help. To answer your question, better than even odds that we'll be moving out towards your direction.

Also, for anyone traveling out to LA,there's a place to rent cats (Santa Barbara Catamarans) right on the beach. They have a great selection which includes a Hobie Wave, H16, two Nacra 5.2, Nacra 6.0 and a Prindle 19. They're all in great shape. I took out the Prindle with Matt, and learned a thing or two (or three).

Santa Barabra is a slice of paradise and the sailing is spectacular. I'd highly recomend it.

Also Matt, I bought Bethwaite's book on High Performace Sailing and its a real eye-opener. Great reading for anyone on this forum.

Thanks again Matt!!!

Bill