Cleaning and protecting spreaders

[Skylark]

Paid my winter, monthly visit to boat during the week and noted that my spreaders are looking very grubby. My yard stands next to a busy road and the boat suffers as a consequence.

Hence cleaning mast, radar, spreaders etc is a job added to the To Do list for once she is afloat.

After cleaning (with soapy water and jif, probably), is it worth applying protection, eg wax?

All suggestions welcome. Thanks.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Paid my winter, monthly visit to boat during the week and noted that my spreaders are looking very grubby. My yard stands next to a busy road and the boat suffers as a consequence.

Hence cleaning mast, radar, spreaders etc is a job added to the To Do list for once she is afloat.

After cleaning (with soapy water and jif, probably), is it worth applying protection, eg wax?

All suggestions welcome. Thanks.

I would countenance against using any abrasive no matter how mild on aluminium just a bit of elbow grease and neutral detergent to get the muck off. Rather than wax which could soften ( yes I know you sail in the remote and cold northern wilderness) and attract and hold any muck or dirt floating about. Why not one of the car "ceramic treatments".

 

[johnalison]

I normally go up the mast with a bucket of boat wash and a sponge and clean the mast, spreaders and shrouds as best I can. Given time and energy, I would like to have gone up again and waxed the anodised surfaces to match the boom which I can at least reach easily. Some very house-proud sailing friends waxed their mast and I have always assumed that it would preserve the appearance, even if not essential in engineering terms. I would use a plain wax rather than a polish.

 

[chris-s]

Hempel Alu-protect is a light oil like liquid that is designed to be wiped over things like anodised spars.