Outrigger finish

[finatic]

Anyone have any suggestions on cleaning up/refinishing some outrigger poles?

 

[luckydave215]

I've tried everything.
Nothing lasts more than a couple weeks.
If you find something that actually works, let me know.

 

[SEVEN]

A good 2 part urethane works and will last for years. Don’t go with the cheap one component products they don’t work. Good luck.

 

[bobk]

You might try the outboard motor spray paint. It has held up for 10 years on some aluminum parts on my sundeck roof but the parts are under the dink so never see sun.

Bobk

 

[oceanjake]

fiberglass or aluminum outriggers?

When the fiberglass starts to look poor and fray, mix up epoxy and paint it on with a brush and paint with LP (or buy new...they're not that expensive).

When aluminum gets pitted there's no good way to do it. You would need to remove, sand, prime with etching primer, fill any pits, and paint with a quality 2 part paint. You're better off buying new, even though they're likely to be expensive. As an alternative I suppose you could just buy new anodized tube and replace those parts and reuse the spreader bars.

 

[Cricket]

Was about to get a new set of Rupps to replace ours from 1987 3 or 4 years ago. They had been coated with a ceramic coating that turned milky. Somehow we stumbled onto Everbrite, the procedure is to clean the metal, polish with Maas, and then use a foam brush to apply their Protectaclear product onto the metal. The riggers were probably a 4 out of 10 pre-application and after a 9plus out of 10. We just reapply a coating in the fall before we store the riggers inside so they're ready for the spring. The original process was 2 guys on each rigger for probably 4-5 hours, couldn't believe how well they turned out, now coat all of the aluminum twice a year so we don't have to wax it.

https://www.everbritecoatings.com/cart/protectaclear-kits-with-cleaners-c-13.html

 

[Tim Powell]

Was about to get a new set of Rupps to replace ours from 1987 3 or 4 years ago. They had been coated with a ceramic coating that turned milky. Somehow we stumbled onto Everbrite, the procedure is to clean the metal, polish with Maas, and then use a foam brush to apply their Protectaclear product onto the metal. The riggers were probably a 4 out of 10 pre-application and after a 9plus out of 10. We just reapply a coating in the fall before we store the riggers inside so they're ready for the spring. The original process was 2 guys on each rigger for probably 4-5 hours, couldn't believe how well they turned out, now coat all of the aluminum twice a year so we don't have to wax it.

https://www.everbritecoatings.com/cart/protectaclear-kits-with-cleaners-c-13.html

Remember those things got a finish on them when its gone its gone . Cricket may have the right idear. I use colonite cleaner with brass wool. follow with the colonite wax. about a season is all you get out of it... ( i use the #2 brass wool.)Little by little it will bring it back but it is a lot of elbo grease

 

[luckydave215]

When I said nothing works for long, I wasn't considering painting them.
That is unlikely to work for long, once the aluminum has chloride ion penetration due to exposure to saltwater there is no was to un-do it and paint will soon bubble due to corrosion underneath the paint.
As far as taking them down to give them a regular polish and wax - sure, that will work. But mine are 48', it takes three guys and hour to get them off the boat and two to reinstall..
I recently rebuilt mine (all new wires etc) and polished them in the process. They looked like I hadn't touched them a month later.

 

[Cricket]

Was about to get a new set of Rupps to replace ours from 1987 3 or 4 years ago. They had been coated with a ceramic coating that turned milky. Somehow we stumbled onto Everbrite, the procedure is to clean the metal, polish with Maas, and then use a foam brush to apply their Protectaclear product onto the metal. The riggers were probably a 4 out of 10 pre-application and after a 9plus out of 10. We just reapply a coating in the fall before we store the riggers inside so they're ready for the spring. The original process was 2 guys on each rigger for probably 4-5 hours, couldn't believe how well they turned out, now coat all of the aluminum twice a year so we don't have to wax it.

https://www.everbritecoatings.com/cart/protectaclear-kits-with-cleaners-c-13.html

Think we cleaned them with barkeepers soft scrub (or similar) using the 3m white Scotchbrite pads with lots of water before the polishing step. We didn't really have any pitting, but there were some spots where the anodizing was gone and were close to pitting. The polishing part is what took all the time and hard work. Apply the finish was insanely easy, additional coats can just be reapplied when dry. The ceramic coating that was hazing was only left on the top 1/3, think they're 36 feet long, which was hard to get off.

 

[Tim Powell]

Anyone have any suggestions on cleaning up/refinishing some outrigger poles?

Ok MERRY CHRISTMAS GUYS as most of you know we have a small marina kinda run with friendship and Geroge Dickle

YOU GUYS GET YOUR WISH LIST UP FOR RUPP TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT I WILL PUT A ORDER IN IN
THE MARINERS MANE. THE GUY THAT RAN THE MARINER BEFORE ME HAD A OEM ACCOUNT WITH RUPP.
I WILL PLACE A ORDER FOR FOR A SET THAT SOOTS YOU. If you look on the rigger pole there is a number that tell rupp what it is
length number of spreders and so forth. Give me your name and the rupp number I will call rupp they always give a quote befor finalizing the order i will send you the quote
you can make up your mind after receiving the quote.

I want a new set there is one

BEST I CAN DO LITS PUT A DEADLINE ON THIS SAY BY 1/10/2018 MY E MAIL IS TPW184@AOL.COM

 

[finatic]

When I said nothing works for long, I wasn't considering painting them.
That is unlikely to work for long, once the aluminum has chloride ion penetration due to exposure to saltwater there is no was to un-do it and paint will soon bubble due to corrosion underneath the paint.
As far as taking them down to give them a regular polish and wax - sure, that will work. But mine are 48', it takes three guys and hour to get them off the boat and two to reinstall..
I recently rebuilt mine (all new wires etc) and polished them in the process. They looked like I hadn't touched them a month later.

I have a similar situation: They are triple spreader and maybe 39' so very difficult to get at to regularly keep them polished. They are "Pipe Welders" as well as the tuna tower and are not pitted, just dull. She's on the hard now and I will be painting the hull from the rub rails down and would like to do something to the outriggers while I'm at it. I'd like to paint them but worried what the flexing will do to the paint. EMC makes a spray 2 part (mixed during the delivery from the can - weird!). I'll be using their Quantum 99 on the hull.

Thanks for all the great suggestions!
Merry Christmas!!
FINATIC

 

[Cricket]

Wouldn't paint them, there's a ton more labor in painting than refinishing the way we did it. Going to be really hard to keep the paint on between aluminum not painting well, expansion and contraction, constant flexing, nicks and abrasion outriggers take. Also, once you go down the paint route it's forever.
Did see a pair that were taken apart and then sent to be " re-anodized ". Wasn't impressed with the final result, especially for what it cost them.

 

[Bob Bradley]

You guys must have an enormous amount of time on your hands. With the possible exception of Lucky Dave and his abnormally clean and well maintained boat, I have a difficult time believing that you all have your boats so ship shape that you are now worried about how shiny your outriggers are.

Side note: The tuna don't care; trust me I know. Besides, tarnish is far easier to maintain than shine.

 

[ageless]

You guys must have an enormous amount of time on your hands. With the possible exception of Lucky Dave and his abnormally clean and well maintained boat, I have a difficult time believing that you all have your boats so ship shape that you are now worried about how shiny your outriggers are.

Side note: The tuna don't care; trust me I know. Besides, tarnish is far easier to maintain than shine.

LOL--- when I started reading this I thought, "man,I wonder if I'll ever be to the point I can polish my outriggers?" So far down the priority list

 

[34Hatt]

My Riggers are pretty new and in good shape I just wax them each year.
But I think that everbrite protectant would work nice on my polished aluminium engine beds

So Bob are you going to pick on me if I do that

 

[Cricket]

Some people a polishing their beat up riggers and then using a 2 part clear ceramic coating, not sure if it's sprayed on or brushed. We had our riggers professionally coated with a ceramic coating and they turned milky after a few years, not sure if freezing temperature had something to do with it or not, it was hard to get it off when we re-finshed them.

 

[krush]

If I ever have a new top made, I'm getting it made from stainless. Don't care how much more it costs.

 

[Bob Bradley]

So Bob are you going to pick on me if I do that

Or if you don't, for that matter.

 

[Tinman]

Rupp Aluma Guard or Sheila Shine. If salt free and dry just wipe down. Easy and protects metal.

 

[Bob Bradley]

Seriously, Mothers aluminum polish does a great job.