The previous owner of my boat really abused the mast. It's not bent or anything serious it's just got lots of abrasions and some random goop he used to seal it up. Any suggestions on what to do with that gunk? I've been toying with the idea of sanding it down but I don't want to damage the structural integrity. Though if anything is to be sanded what really needs it are a few rough spots on the sail track where I think I might be getting hung. I also don't want to make it so shiny that it blinds me when I'm sailing. Any suggestions pertaining to how to beautify an old beat up mast?
without knowing what that 'goop' is, it's hard to say how to remove it. can you give us a description/color/ hard/flexible, etc please?
aluminum masts are not bare, raw aluminum, they are 'anodized' to keep the finish from oxidizing and chalking as it ages. this process is used on building storefronts which hold the glazing. you've probably seen anodizing in dark brown (called bronze anodizing) but what we have on masts is 'clear anodizing'. any attempt to sand it will remove the anodized layer and expose the raw aluminum and although you might get it to shine initially, it will begin to oxidize and look worse than ever.
i have used automotive chrome polish (turtle wax) on masts which is a super-fine abrasive and it makes the mast darker and more like the original finish from an angle without removing the anodizing. but it takes a fair amount of elbow grease.
i don't know of anything that will repair the look of a gouge, scrape etc since that has penetrated the surface. maybe someone else here has tried to repair gouges..........
j
I know what the goop on mine is. Lets just say I'm not the most skill applier when sealing my mast. The silicone si pretty on mine but at least I know the mast will not likely fill up with water.
Definitely file any burrs/galling on the sail track. Otherwise, stick that thing in the air, hoist a sail up it, and get it on the water. Nothing prettier than that!
In the spring I wax mine with some stuff for cars that comes in colours. You'd like black. It looks great and shiny for a while and then sort of oxidizes and gets grey. But by then it's up and you only care about the bottom four feet or so. Might be called Colour Renew or something like that. Doesn't hurt anything.
along the lines of this discussion........does anyone have a good solution to filling holes left by pop rivets that have been removed? i'm looking for something that will dry hard and can be made flush with the surface and grey in color to match the aluminum.
there are products called 'liquid steel' and 'BLUE MAGIC Aluminum Epoxy Putty' that i have seen but have not tried. i don't want silicone, even though that plugs the hole. i'm looking for something to blend with the aluminum.
anyone have a good solution?
thanks!!
j
Edited by arch on Mar 11, 2012 - 07:05 PM.
personally i'd just pop a new alum rivet in there and seal with some silicone.
the holes i would like to fill are on the front and rear crossbeams so they don't need to be sealed against water infiltration like the mast. the pattern of holes is so random that i think rivets would make it more obvious, not less, which is my goal.
j
arch wrote: along the lines of this discussion........does anyone have a good solution to filling holes left by pop rivets that have been removed? i'm looking for something that will dry hard and can be made flush with the surface and grey in color to match the aluminum.
there are products called 'liquid steel' and 'BLUE MAGIC Aluminum Epoxy Putty' that i have seen but have not tried. i don't want silicone, even though that plugs the hole. i'm looking for something to blend with the aluminum.
anyone have a good solution?
thanks!!
jEdited by arch on Mar 11, 2012 - 07:05 PM.
JB Weld (epoxy) or Formula 27 (polyester). The Formula 27 starts out whitish but greys over time.