I have a 2002 Hall Spar mast painted white. The paint is peeling from the mast and need replacing. It is an older style so it does not have the appearance of the new ones coming out of hall. How do I strip the paint from the mast and what is the proper clear coat finish to use? Thanks for any help!

G'day Tom I removed a painted emblem and name from the side of my 5.7 Taipan which is Gelcoat. In the cool of morning with no direct sunlight I soaked a rag in acetone then laid it on the paint for a while, gently used a scourer to remove a layer then repeated, for the last bit I used cut and polish. Worked perfect with no damage to the gelcoat, if its a warm day or in direct sunlight the acetone evaporates before it works on the paint.
regards

Tom, one of the current trends for paint removal is soda blasting. Essentially sand blasting, but using a version of baking soda instead. It will take the paint off without harming gelcoat. I do not know how it would react with carbon, but of it works, could be an easy way to do it. There are private contractors that do this as well as several larger boat yards.

Todd

Jeff, Todd, Thanks for the answers. I will look into soda blasting and give the acetone a try.