1970's tired looking annodised rig - refurb?

[carrswood]

Hi guys
I'm looking at a 32' 1973 cruiser with the original gold annodised SPARLIGHT mast. I know the standing rigging needs replacing and will get a rigger to have a good look over the mast for any signs of damage/stress but to be honest I think these old sections were probably over built and all should be fine.

But has anyone ever done anything to smarten up a flaky looking/original annodised mast? She's not as gold looking as she used to be
cheers

 

[Anthony]

Mine was anodised black which had faded, painted it about 6 years ago with international 2 pack paint, has stood up very well, espically considering I have some wire halyards which grind against it. chipped of a little in placed but would be easy to tocuh up, but still looks good.

Ants

 

[sighmoon]

Look out for corrosion around all the fittings.

I had one (I think older than 1973) fail at the spreaders. When I bought it, there was a bit of white staining under the spreader fitting, but a crack developed quite quickly. When I took the spreader off, there was a hole underneath.

 

[jason -and the arguenauts]

I once successfully did a refurb job on the black mast of a Prout. I wouldnt recommend it for others to do but here was the method. Do this at your own risk.

Couldnt afford the black to show through any chips to the final paint and in any case the anodising needed removing to give good adhesion. So suitably protected with face mask , plastic overalls and serious gloves I removed the anodising with a hot concentrated solution of caustic soda and industrial scourer pads.

The mast was then abraded with a sander and immediately painted with a primer. I used a water based non etching primer from that firm with the funny Dutch name since my efforts with etching primers hadnt been thats good.

Paint was 2 coats of epoxy primer sprayed on the mast (and as it happens the club house windows ). Top coat was 2 coats of poly 2 pack. All the paint was from an industrial outlet who supply bridge builders, big steel fabricators etc and was Hempels in 5 litre containers. Spraying kit was a small domestic compressor.

Took a long time, was a nasty job but was totally successful. Having recently checked out the cost of a new mast, thats the way I would now go. Masts dont last foirever. They corrode. Fittings become loose. They fatigue. A 1970s mast isnt what it was when new.

 

[Salty John]

I washed and lightly sanded mine, used an etch promer and then two part International. It was looking good a couple of years later after a Caribbean cruise.