White Masthead

[Bobcat]

I know it's traditional, but what's the reason for having the top of the mast painted whit? How much of the mast head get the white treatment? I am refinishing my bright mast and the thought of painting the end white is flitting through my brain....

[bott]

Its for sealing the end-grain of the spar, coming from when they were generally solid, grown timbers and the rest would be coated with a slush and/or oil. The white paint would be the simplest form of protection from the elements, starting where the shaped taper of the mast starts with the most significant grain runout.

[boylesboats]

Its for sealing the end-grain of the spar, coming from when they were generally solid, grown timbers and the rest would be coated with a slush and/or oil. The white paint would be the simplest form of protection from the elements, starting where the shaped taper of the mast starts with the most significant grain runout.

That make senses, I think it look attractive on catboat masts..

[Pernicious Atavist]

And it makes it easier to see how close it is to the water at night....

[Bobcat]

Makes perfect sense. I had a small schooner years ago with white tipped masts and the rest of the spars were oiled. I suspect that the tradition of using white tips on bright masts is just a carry over.

[Brian Palmer]

The white paint also keeps your flags from getting soiled, instead of the grease/tallow/tar/slush/whatever mix you apply to the rest of the mast to keep the mast hoops running freely up and down the mast.

Brian

[John E Hardiman]

White was actually a fairly expensive paint to make so it is not just to cover the end grain which would have been cheaper done in black. Warships painted the polemasts white to make them harder to see. Painting the polemasts white also reduces the look of "weight" aloft. It also keeps the sails cleaner as brian alluded to.

[Henning 4148]

... but, traditionally, there was more to it.

On fishing boats, the color of the masthead told, whether the boat was payed for or not. At least in the UK. Can't remember what color meant what though.

[BrianM]

I have a practical reason for painting the top section of my mast white. The halyard I'll be using to haul myself up yearly to re-varnish the stick, slides against the mast immediately below the sheave which passes through it. I'd never be able to varnish the top of the mast and not have the halyard immediately rub the wetstuff off. The first 4' of my stick is now white.

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

I did it on Tidbit just cause I like the way it looks on other catboats ;)

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m320/fosterhere/Tidbit/IMG_5767.jpg?t=1239051459

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m320/fosterhere/Tidbit/IMG_0791.jpg?t=1239051814

[David G]

I have a practical reason for painting the top section of my mast white. The halyard I'll be using to haul myself up yearly to re-varnish the stick, slides against the mast immediately below the sheave which passes through it. I'd never be able to varnish the top of the mast and not have the halyard immediately rub the wetstuff off. The first 4' of my stick is now white.

Brian,

That is one of the traditional reasons for painting the masthead white. White paint is more long-lasting (as long as it's not being abraded by mast-hoops and such). It also offers more UV-protection than even the best varnish job. The old-timers also used to varnish the tops of their spreaders - for the same reason. Some of the fishermen on the Lower Columbia still do. These two factors combine to mean a longer time between having to unstep the mast and lay it down to repair & refinish those bits that're hard/impossible to reach from the bosun's chair.

I'm sure the first guy to try it caught nothing but flack. Now we think it looks "salty."

[TimH]

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m320/fosterhere/Tidbit/IMG_5767.jpg?t=1239051459



What a great shot! You could photoshop that fender and outboard out and it would look great framed :cool:

[BarnacleGrim]

Indeed. I'm quite an admirer of Tidbit myself. Joe, you should do a bit on Tidbit's story in one of your YouTube videos!

[Bob Cleek]

And the right answer prize goes to BrianM!

Anybody who's ever hauled themselves up a stick to lay on a coat of varnish knows this.

[boylesboats]

I did it on Tidbit just cause I like the way it looks on other catboats ;)

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m320/fosterhere/Tidbit/IMG_5767.jpg?t=1239051459

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m320/fosterhere/Tidbit/IMG_0791.jpg?t=1239051814

What a great shot! You could photoshop that fender and outboard out and it would look great framed :cool:

Indeed. I'm quite an admirer of Tidbit myself. Joe, you should do a bit on Tidbit's story in one of your YouTube videos!

Damn nice shot there, Joe...

[johnw]

I always figured it was so the white would look intentional when the seagulls had been roosting there...