Painting Edson Binnacles

[Bob Ohler]

Cape Dory Sailors all: Our binnacle needs attention and a complete painting in order. Edson has excellent instructions on their site for the process using Interlux Perfection or Brightside.

http://www.edsonmarine.com/support/eb95345.php

I am sure there are some that have follwed these instructions to the letter and others have done it their way. Would you please comment with your experiences and the results?

Thanks,

[M. R. Bober]

Bob,

When we bought STARVIEW there was a bit of blistered paint on the base of the pedestal. I sanded the area, masked the sole, primed with Rust-Oleum metal primer, and finished with Rust-Oleum Semi-gloss White. I should have used Gloss White to better match the "column" of the pedestal, but color is a good match and the job looks good. One of these days I will respray with the Gloss.

It has been less than a year since I did the work so I can't speak to the durability of finish, but I have had success with Rust-Oleum in the past. If Edson didn't think their method was better, they would not have offered it. So I'll keep an eye on the pedestal.

Mitchell Bober
Sunny Lancaster, (where it is hard to stay on a pedestal) VA

[Alasdair]

I did my pedestal/binnacle two years ago. The original paint was badly chipped all around the base. I decided to paint it rather than try and remove the unit and have it re powder coated, due to the difficulty of getting it off the cockpit floor. I removed all the paint with a wire brush and sandpaper. Then followed the instructions, finally painting it with Perfection. It came out very nicely and has remained in good condition since, with no sign of deterioration. The downside of that instruction route is the cost of all the etchers, washes, primers and paint. It added up to not much change from $300 as I recall. If I did it again I might use a flattening agent in the Perfection as it is extremely glossy.
A lot of skill is not required, just don't overload the brush when applying the perfection and it will come out looking great and really smarten up the cockpit overall. They also suggest a single part epoxy paint which would be a more economic solution but might not wear as well ... maybe.

[Como No Cruising]

We painted ours in 2003. Stipped all the original paint with a stripper wheel on an electric drill, sanded smooth, etched with West System's aluminum etching kit and sprayed two coats of Zinc Chromate primer. Then sprayed several coats of white appliance Expoxy enamel. All spray can applied. Altho the paint has held up well to the elements in approximately 25,000 miles of voyaging and 8 years the finish is now dull. I would likely only sand very lightly and respray with a few more coats of the same paint.

As with any paint job, surface prep is the key.

Will

[Matt Cawthorne]

Despite everything, the spot where the tube goes into the base is beginning to blister a bit. I could be happier. Edson should have used better aluminum.

Matt

[Russell]

Will,

I have the west system acid etch kit sitting here on my boat that I bought specificly to repaint the binacle, 2 years ago... the whole aluminium thing has been making me put the project off though. Your mention of "white appliance Epoxy enamel" that you sprayed on with cans has me very curious though, can you give specifics?

[Como No Cruising]

Russell: The paint I used was purchased at Home Depot. Standard Spray can labelled appliance paint. It looked great and as I said, it held up well. I believe that the prep with the complete stripping, acid etch and Zinc Chromate primer is the key.
I delivered the boat to the new owner last week but will be still boating, doing deliveries and boat work for others.
Happy sailing.
Will

[Larry DeMers]

I was looking at our binnacle today, and decided that I want to repair the paint problem at the base also.

Now a question. The loss of paint seems to be concentrated around the screw holes that hold the binnacle to the cockpit floor. Looking closer, I see that on my boat, stainless screws were used, making contact with the aluminum of the binnacle at two of the four screw holes. On the other two screw holes, bedding compound seems to have prevented the screw head from contacting the aluminum, and at these sites I have no loss of paint.
The question is...could we be seeing galvanic corrosion between the stainless screw and the aluminum binnacle?
All that would be needed is a little water, the saltier the better -but even fresh water will work if it is dirty enough
-and there will be a battery set up at that location, which may do the same kind of corrosion that occurs on our masts when a s.s. screw is inserted without a corrosion inhibitor applied to it.

Or so goes my little theory. What think yee??

[M. R. Bober]

I was looking at our binnacle today, and decided that I want to repair the paint problem at the base also.

Now a question. The loss of paint seems to be concentrated around the screw holes that hold the binnacle to the cockpit floor. Looking closer, I see that on my boat, stainless screws were used, making contact with the aluminum of the binnacle at two of the four screw holes. On the other two screw holes, bedding compound seems to have prevented the screw head from contacting the aluminum, and at these sites I have no loss of paint.
The question is...could we be seeing galvanic corrosion between the stainless screw and the aluminum binnacle?
All that would be needed is a little water, the saltier the better -but even fresh water will work if it is dirty enough
-and there will be a battery set up at that location, which may do the same kind of corrosion that occurs on our masts when a s.s. screw is inserted without a corrosion inhibitor applied to it.

Or so goes my little theory. What think yee??

I think your scenario is more likely than aluminum termites.

Mitchell Bober
sunny Lancaster, (Where the fish and the bugs bite.) VA