Mast Cleaning and supporting - Centaur

[tarik]

Evening all


Just got back from another wet weekend !

The mast is now down, it looks a mess, what would be the best way to clean it without damaging the anodised protective coat. If that is not an option is there a paint I could use to spruce it up?

Also whilst it is down I intend to replace the standing rigging with 8mm stays. I will also fit an additional forward stay, what would be the best way to fix the mast support - rivet or screw.


Many thanks for all replies.


David

 

[Tranona]

Wash it down with soap and water plus something such as CIF if there is staining.

Why do you want to use 8mm stays? The standard size is smaller than that - 5 and 6mm from memory. No benefit in going up to 8mm. Your attachment point for an inner forestay would normally be riveted on with monel rivets. You should consult a rigger before adding one as the position will depend on what you want to use it for. Difficult to have a permanent inner stay as you already have a baby stay, but may be value in having a detachable forestay to take a storm jib.

 

[pvb]

Despite having tried almost every substance under the sun, I've never found anything which will effectively clean an anodised mast or boom.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

For cleaning: Baby Oil applied vigorously with a piece of old towelling gives quite a bit of improvement.

On a mast that was way beyond mere cleaning I applied Hammerite directly to the aluminium and it is still in a reasonable condition, sixteen years after I sold the boat to a friend. (He is still a friend BTW )
If in doubt, try it first on the boom.

 

[pvb]

For cleaning: Baby Oil applied vigorously with a piece of old towelling gives quite a bit of improvement.

Might make it look better for a few weeks, but it doesn't clean it as such.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Despite having tried almost every substance under the sun, I've never found anything which will effectively clean an anodised mast or boom.

Somewhere I have a bottle of special anodised spar cleaner made by International at least 25 and possibly thirty or more years ago. It's a milky fluid which you rub on and then polish off.

It doesn't work.

 

[pvb]

Somewhere I have a bottle of special anodised spar cleaner made by International at least 25 and possibly thirty or more years ago. It's a milky fluid which you rub on and then polish off.

It doesn't work.

Sadly, none of them do.

 

[merlin3688]

If fitting an inner Forestay then fit within 3' from the top, as has been mentioned, why go bigger on the rigging, all Centaur have have 5mm or 6mm wire which for a boat of this size is correct, also the pin size for 8mm is bigger meaning that your tangs on the mast will be to small and the chain plates also with wrong size pin holes.

 

[30boat]

There's no point in going up in size on the rigging except perhaps on the forestay where one size up is advisable.Make sure it is properly toggled top and bottom.It's surprising how many boats don't have toggles on the forestay.

 

[johnphilip]

I agree with the others that increasing stay size is without merit. I am afraid that there is also an issue with an additional forestay. We had a removable inner stay on a Fulmar and once tensioned and with a smaller jib on the inner stay the rolled genoa was no longer under tension and flopped around horribly when beating into a sea. It seemed a good option on a breezy day to fit a separate, properly cut jib instead of a baggy part rolled furler but only in smooth water for that reason.

 

[[2574]]

I have recently discovered that if the mast/boom is washed clean (with a mild cleaning agent which is sympathetic to GRP wax and the marine environment) to remove grease and dirt and thereafter one applies a wax to the dry anodised surface the result is a lustre which does improve the appearance and seems to have some longevity. I'm pretty sure it is a twice a year job though. And because the wax makes the water run off I presume that dirt will be less likely to adhere to the surface too...it has worked for us and we judge it worth the effort.

 

[30boat]

I agree with the others that increasing stay size is without merit. I am afraid that there is also an issue with an additional forestay. We had a removable inner stay on a Fulmar and once tensioned and with a smaller jib on the inner stay the rolled genoa was no longer under tension and flopped around horribly when beating into a sea. It seemed a good option on a breezy day to fit a separate, properly cut jib instead of a baggy part rolled furler but only in smooth water for that reason.

That's what happens to mine but not to a horrible extent.I prefer a decent jib to a terrible partially furled genoa.