Clear coat finish for carbon bowsprit

[Lightwave395]

I'm 'refeshing' my boats carbon bowsprit - I'd like some kind of clear coat, what would be the best finish , would it be varnish or epoxy ?

Thanks

 

[Bobc]

UV varnish. I used to use SP Ultravar.

 

[Ceirwan]

Epoxy is generally not UV stable, so will yellow over time.

If its removable, I'd be tempted to see if a automotive sprayer could give it a few coats of 2k lacquer. That stuff is pretty tough and has great UV resistance.

 

[MikeBz]

I would paint it. I know it hides the bling but it will be far more UV resistant, and obvious if it gets worn or chipped.

 

[William_H]

The question might be what resin was used in carbon fibre. If polyester or vinyl ester then yes use a 2 pack clear varnish. If it is epoxy then one might imagine that a clear coat will allow UV to damage epoxy. (I may be wrong about UV getting through varnish.) I presume OP wants to show off beautiful pattern of CF and the fact that it is CF. But paint may be longer lasting. ol'will

 

[Refueler]

Personally .....

1. Never sand CF ... you can end up with micro fibres breathed in ... splinters that eye literally cannot see but waiting for your hands !
2. CF is itself basically weather proof
3. I would apply a wax based polish or other cleaner and not paint / varnish ...

 

[Lightwave395]

Personally .....

1. Never sand CF ... you can end up with micro fibres breathed in ... splinters that eye literally cannot see but waiting for your hands !
2. CF is itself basically weather proof
3. I would apply a wax based polish or other cleaner and not paint / varnish ...

Hmm, just when I was slowly drifting towards painting it white !

 

[flaming]

I'm 'refeshing' my boats carbon bowsprit - I'd like some kind of clear coat, what would be the best finish , would it be varnish or epoxy ?

Thanks

Desty's did mine last winter as part of a larger refit.

4 coats of Duropox, then rubbed down to P400 and then 4 coats of Awlcraft 3000.

It, and the other carbon bits they did the same way, look absolutely 1st class.

 

[PeterV]

For carbon masts rapidclear is about the easiest and quickest way to do it.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

I suggest using the proper stuff that is intended for CFRP and has sufficient UV-C protection, like this...

FANTOM CLEAR – High performance clear paint systems for carbon fiber

from here...

Pardon our interruption...

CF is not damaged by UV, but the resin may be. It depends if a UV-C stable resin was used in its construction, which now you will probably never know. If a resin not UV-C stabilised was used then bare CFRP is most certainly not 'basically weather proof'. Eventually sunlight will degrade the resin to the point of structural failure. Those of us with CFRP spars are very careful about this.

Standard wax based polish or other cleaners are unsuitable. They don't have the specific UV-C barrier ingredients that CFRP needs. The right stuff is expensive, but you don't need much, and much less than a new CFRP bowsprit.

 

[MikeBz]

CF parts should always have UV protection, and spars are always supplied with it in some form of clear coating. If you wander round a dinghy park you can see the colour change on those masts whose clear/varnish coating has gone and left the bare matey unprotected.

 

[Refueler]

CF parts should always have UV protection, and spars are always supplied with it in some form of clear coating. If you wander round a dinghy park you can see the colour change on those masts whose clear/varnish coating has gone and left the bare matey unprotected.

Do you not agree that ALL unprotected / uncoated materials display colour surface change - this does not automatocally mean damage.

I'm not saying that some CF items - based on the resin used - are not UV safe ...

 

[Ceirwan]

Do you not agree that ALL unprotected / uncoated materials display colour surface change - this does not automatocally mean damage.

I'm not saying that some CF items - based on the resin used - are not UV safe ...

Well that other materials will do in UV is kind of irrelevant, what's important is how the CF will react.
CF is almost invariably laid up using an epoxy resin.
So it will yellow & degrade with UV over time, plus the fact that the OP is 'refreshing' the bowsprit, suggests he wants it to look good, which suggests either paint or some kind of clear coat as described above.

Yes its more work than just leaving it raw, but if you want a finish, that's just how it is.