Is International 2 pot polyurethane still the varnish of choice?

Might not be faster to sell when the time comes!

I would not be too sure of that at all ... scruffy varnished verses pristine paint (cos it lasts so much longer).  And they are faster of course.  Mainly just 'cold climate' buyers and carbon virgins (ie many UK dinghy types)  think varnish on carbon is the bees knees.  It is like black cars - look great in the showroom of course... and then you silly people take them outside, leave them to cook for months on end,  and occasionally for some reason use them...

Forget being cool unless you are millennial inclined ... but do remember they ARE faster !

White paint on a spar which was sold varnished would suggest a poor repair covered up.

If  I were buying the boat, I'd rather see the carbon and see the epoxy hasn't been trashed.

So, it will be a clear coating.

Originally posted by Sam.Spoons Good point but given that I usually keep my kit for ages (10 years so far for the Spice and no plans to move it on) I'd probably still paint it white.....

Maybe 'll do the 400 mast white, what's the best primer for aluminium?  :-)

Hmmmm, I'm confused now, but I'll still paint my carbon mast (if I can ever afford one) white when the time comes..... 

With paint you will have to prime first then flat before paint and UV laquer, so more stages than laquer / varnish. Most masts are made male on mandrels so would look gash painted unless faired - more work.

I've had reasonable success with durepox clear on carbon, rolled and tipped. Always goes best with a flat back and a glamour coat, but if sprayed in dust free environment its 2 coats job done

Thanks for that.

I've used perfection in the past and it's lasted well.

I was hoping to avoid buying £45 worth just to do one mast.

I think the debate about the merits of white are moot as the class rules are closed and permit only re-varnishing.So, re-varnished it will be.

I'm not a huge fan of carbon on show, it was 'modern' when my 1992 motorbike was new.

Well, as I see it varnished carbon masts are the quickest honest to goodness way of providing visually acceptable UV protection on a male moulded carbon spar. Not the same as a halfords wheel arch trim on a saxo and all that sillyness.

£45 is peanuts when compared to doing it professionally, although most of the cost is in the prep.

Perfection Varnish £46 and a few shillings from my local chandler, debate over.

The bits on the bike have lasted OK due to being smothered in chain lube and living in the garage. FWIW.

Had a quote of a couple of hundred notes for a prof respray, most of that was prep and they said there would likely be a discount of several of us got together.

Interesting thought, but the job is done now, I've progressed from 'carbon mast needs varnishing , badly', to 'carbon mast, varnished, badly'.

Most of the runs and stray bristles are above eye level when the boat's upright, so we'll live with it.

A poorly timed rain shower means I still need to put a second coat on the pointy end of a bowsprit.

Quicker and cheaper to do the job than take it elsewhere. It 's a shame so many people seem to let carbon masts get in a sordid state.

It's easier than working on boats in the winter, but suddenly we're dodging showers after 2 months of watching the lawn shrivel?