greg klein
hotsprings, arkansas
Boat Name: elena
Model/Year: 1977 c27
Hull No. 3477
Hailing Port: brady mountain marina,lake ouacita |
 06/04/2006 1:22 PM Pacific Time
i have heard that if the anodized finish wears off on older masts it can cause the aluminum to weaken from the elements. my mast is original, 30 years old and i was told to paint it to protect it since the finish looks to be worn off. has anyone else heard of this and painted their masts. |
Dick King
Melbourne, FL
Boat Name: Twilight Zone
Model/Year: Sport/2005
Hull No. 15546
Hailing Port: Melbourne, FL |
06/05/2006 5:49 AM Pacific Time
Hi Greg - Thirty-year-old masts are not uncommon in older Catalina 22s. Unless you have severe corrosion where the anodizing has been worn through, I wouldn't worry about it. I would be more concerned with when the rigging (shrouds, stays and turnbuckles were last replaced. They are the weak point in the system. If they are older than 5 to 7 years, inspect them very carefully and consider replacing them. |
greg klein
hotsprings, arkansas
Boat Name: elena
Model/Year: 1977 c27
Hull No. 3477
Hailing Port: brady mountain marina,lake ouacita |
06/05/2006 7:20 PM Pacific Time
dick, thanks for the info. i replaced all the stays, spreaders and brackets, mast step and sheaves when i got the boat 2 seasons ago with cd parts so i should be ok. i havent seen ant type of corrosion anywhereas of yet and my mast seems to be good and sound |
Doug Montgomery
Dallas TX
Boat Name: BlueByYou
Model/Year: 1979/22
Hull No. 8821
Hailing Port: Lake Ray Hubbard, TX |
12/21/2007 11:49 AM Pacific Time
Call this crazy. I bought a new Main and did not want the gray from the loss in the anodization rubbing off on my new sail. I talked to every one that knew anything about, sailing, aluminum, paint and the like. I finally spoke to a guy whose anodization business was for much smaller parts. His answer was to use a water based clear sealer. I told my wife I would just have to paint over the old gray when she suggested using Comet and the green abrasive pad she used to use on her old aluminum cookware. Voila! It comes back like new! After cleaning, sealing and replacing the hardware my boom looks brand new. Careful. Comet contains chlorine and aluminum and chlorine do not mix well. Rinse thoroughly before you seal. Minwax makes a water based clear sealer you can spray on. |
