Barrier between aluminum and stainless steel

[CharmCityBoater]

Quick question...

I just completed painting my mast. Stripped to bare aluminum, alumiprep, alodine, Cor-spec 135 chromate primer, finish primer and top coats, all from Alexseal. Looks great! I am now putting all new hardware on the mast. From stainless rivets to winches and bearing plates, etc...

I would like to use a thin layer of UV resistant rubber, or plastic between the bearing plates, winches, etc... to help protect the dissimilar metals. A friend used the flexible plastic cover from a folder, the kind you used in school. I was thinking about this stuff:

https://www.amazon.com/Adhesive-Non-...16&sr=8-5&th=1

Of course I will use Tefgel on fasteners and other places. What other materials do people have experience with?

Thanks

[Eagle ITA]

duralac-anti-corrosion-compound.jpg

[rls8r]

I'd say it depends on whether or not you are looking for corrosion inhibition only, or thread locking only, or a combination of corrosion inhibition and thread locking. If you have dissimilar metals and want corrosion inhibition - but not thread locking - use Tefgel. If you have dissimilar metals and want corrosion inhibition - and also thread locking - use Duralac. If you have similar metals and don't need corrosion inhibition - but want thread locking - use Loctite (red or blue - depending on how strong a thread lock you want).

Those are for the threaded things. Your paint will go a long way protecting your aluminum mast from the stainless steel backing plates of winches, etc. When in "belt and suspenders" mode I usually put some butyl rubber tape between the mast and the backing plates. I don't know if that's the best thing - but it's worked for me over these past years.

[Rucksta]

Try using Monel rivets instead of Stainless for reducing the corrosion potential.
HMWPE aka 2lt milk containers make great isolation spacers.

[Scubaseas]

What Rucksta said is what I've done for years. Works fine. UHMPE like starboard works as does thin nylon sheet

[Celestialsailor]

As far as stainless pads and what not against the aluminum mast, I use simple mill tape from a local Hardware chain.