Mast coating advice sought please.
ni...@albion-manufacturing.com
I have a 2 piece 460 Exel mast that I acquired second hand.
I have been using it a while now and have noticed that it is wearing
on the area where the boom clamps in place.
It is not getting to the stage where fibres are exposed yet but it
will soon.
Can I coat it with epoxy gelcoat to extend its life or is this not
flexible enough?
Is there another coating product I can use?
Any advice gratefully received!
Thanks,
Nick
Dan Weiss
Hi Nick: You can use a gelcoat to add a fraction of thickness to the
mast. It may not adhere especially well without really good
preparation, but should act as a sacrificial layer.
On the other hand, if your mast is black in color like many masts, it
very likely has been painted at the factory. Be sure that the where
is not merely the boom head having rubbed through the paint.
-Dan
ni...@albion-manufacturing.com
Best wishes,
Nick
(PeteCresswell)
>I have been using it a while now and have noticed that it is wearing
>on the area where the boom clamps in place.
>
>It is not getting to the stage where fibres are exposed yet but it
>will soon.
Don't ignore this.
Back when I was using cambered sails where the cam was loaded
against the mast by batten tension I noticed something similar.
Those That Knew advised that it was no big deal.
About six months later, fully-would under a 7.5, it became a very
big deal indeed. You have to be there to fully appreciate a
mast suddenly breaking in half under load.
--
PeteCresswell
Bob T
something to worry about, however if it is even close to the fibers,
it probably a good idea to protect the fibers by coating with some
epoxy. I recommend you get a West Systems 101 Handy Repair Pack and
coat the wear area with epoxy. (note: gelcoat is a polyester or
vinylester product which usually won't harden if exposed to air during
the curing process. Works great in boat molds, but not so good in
open air curing situations).
Mask off the area you want to coat, mix up part of the epoxy then
"paint" the epoxy on the mast with a 1" wide FOAM brush. It should
wind up looking like a freshly varnished finish. Apply 2-3 coats
somewhat thin coats then remove the masking tape and let harden. Don't
try to go too thick otherwise it could sag and run during the
hardening process. Once hardened (24-48 hours) use some light
sandpaper to smooth any roughness in the finish.
s m
be thickend so it doesn't sag. I've also used Marine Tex (an epoxy
based putty) applied using a plastic spreader. Just lightly scuff the
effected area and clean with aceton or rubbing alchol before
applying. Actually if you do a somewhat sloppy job, it adds a little
texture to prevent the boom from slipping. Either method has no
effect on the mast bend.
sm
On Dec 3, 8:05 am, n...@albion-manufacturing.com wrote:
ni...@albion-manufacturing.com
Excellent advice as usual!
Best wishes,
Nick
Waterat Pat
that broke at the boom like matchsticks.
First lightly sand about a 12-14" section of the mast where the boom
attaches. Coat the area with Epoxy resin no filler required. While
still wet take a roll of 2" fiberglass tape and wrap the area starting
at the top. Overlap your wraps about an inch and cover the entire boom
attachment area. Let cure and you are done.
It is important to start at the top because the "seams" will help
keep the boom from slipping since they will be oriented upwards.
I do this to all of my masts after the warranty expires works like a
charm.
Cheers Pat
wave2sail
Good thinking water rat... I might add, wrap the wetted glass with
white nylon. Nylon will not stick to epoxy very easily. Wrap packing
tape over the nylon. The tape holds the epoxy down and makes it form a
very thin sheet over the nylon. This makes it much easier to unwrap
the nylon. When it all dries, unwrap the nylon and you will have a
textured surface. Actually, here in my shop we do this most every day
to many mast...
Don