restoring a CD27: paint spars with awlgrip?

[nick_twa]

Anybody painted their spars?

I just received this new-old CD 27. It has been sitting on dock 8 years exposed with little or no maintenance. Was in South Carolina, now in Virginia. Extremely well cared for prior and in untouched, single-owner original condition. While mast is still unstepped from the transit....

I have substantial surface (thru the anodization) corrosion on mast and boom. I am being advised to paint mast and boom with awlgrip, rather than attempting to re-anodize. I understand the plusses and minuses of reanodizing. I am not familiar with ramifications of painting though.

I am told it will hold up 15 years or so. $ Quote is pretty heavy at 70 - 80 bucks a foot. This includes removing all hardware, gooseneck etc. (Heavy corrosion on goose neck, and all fittings.)
Reconditioning or replacing hardware as needed is extra. I am replacing all rigging.

What alternatives are there? Is there some other way to handle the finish? Has anybody painted their spars for similar reasons? Satisfied? It's a big decison in the restorative process currently going on. (not just financial but a fundamental change to the original vessel) If I go this way I plan to paint aluminum satin color so that id does not look painted. I have seen awlgrip on fiberglass- looks great. Don't know about alum. Maybe I should go Imron? I am familiar with Imron for painting of aircraft.

Even thinking about just re-rigging and sailing her while I talk to others for a season, with mast and boom work next season. But I will have to clean up all the fittings. Can I just wire brush these and repaint? Or do they have to be dipped in something? I do not know if I can just wire brush it all and slowly clean it up. (I believe they plan to do some kind of dip for the hardware to remove corrosion, or replace if "not worth the time".) And then reconsider awlgrip on mast and boom next year. Or maybe makes better sense to just get it all done now?

At least the sailmaker says the sails (all original vector dacron) are in remarkable shape!

[Neil Gordon]

Quote is pretty heavy at 70 - 80 bucks a foot.

Just curious. How much does a new mast and boom cost?

[Ron M.]

Nick,
I painted my spars a few years ago ........used "Perfection" by Interlux. A two part polyurethane, similar to Awlgrip but easier to work with.
They came out excellent and look brand new still. I think the cost was maybe $300.------of course I work for free. If you follow the directions TO THE LETTER you will get good results.
You need to remove all hardware,wash down w/solvent, sand w/100grit, solvent wash again. Use Vinal wash aluminum etching primer (Interlux).
Within 24 hrs prime w/ Interlux epoxy prime coat- at least 2 coats. Sand lightly when dry, wash w/ solvent, topcoat with Perfection, I gave it 3 coats.
I sprayed the coatings on but with the right reducer you will get good results with the "roll & tip method". A good weather window of 2 or 3 days is needed after prep to apply the coatings. good luck
________
Quint

[Boyd]

I painted the mast of my old Hunter with Rustoleum Aluminum Gutter and Downspout paint. Cost about $50 if you dont include my labor. It looked great, stuck on for the next few years till I sold the boat. It did chaulk a bit but an annual waxing took care of that.

Boyd
s/v Tern
CD30 MkII
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

[Joe Myerson]

Before I bought my 25D, I owned a Marshall catboat, which had painted spars. When I could no longer find the paint known as "Spar Buff," I started using Rustoleum--the same stuff that Boyd used.

FWIW, it worked well, especially if I applied Rustoleum primer first.

--Joe