Luff groove

[Michael4]

I've taken apart the wooden top section of a Firefly's Reynolds mast so that I can re-glue it, it had split along the glued join.

The luff groove looks as though it has never been varnished or painted, OK so it is hard to tell but I think it is bare wood.

Is it 'good practice' to varnish or paint the inside of the luff groove prior to reassembly or is it best left bare to avoid sticking etc??

Michael

[Ed]

Good question...

I don't know, but personally would suspect that it was originally given a light coat or two of varnish, but the varnish in the groove would of been rubbed off by the sail being pulled up and down the groove.

If the mast was apart, I would use something very thin and hard, like UCP, Eposeal, Epoxy clear primer or even thinned G4 and give the groove a few coats, and then sand it down, just enough to seal the grain, but not enough to give any depth of coating.

But in the end, I don't know....that's just my thoughts

eib

[Michael4]

Ta,

Just noticed the clock on the forum hasn't moved forward to British Summertime...well it hasn't on my Mac anyway!

[neil]

It's CVRDA time, always approximate.

[chris]

I think it is likely they were bare but I've usually put something on to seal it. if you do it before assembly it isessential not to get any on the about-to-be-glued joint. Ive done it after gluing with dilute varnish and a cloth worked into the groove. Get the cloth or sponge into the groove and then drip a little varnish in and work it up and down.