To re paint the mast or strip it bare
 

I have a 1978 Endeavour sloop and I am looking at the original paint on the mast having 34 years of halyards slapping against it and general wear. I was looking at stripping it and repainting it next summer. Then someone suggested I strip it and leave it bare. I assume that it was a milled finish originally. Can this be done? or should I just repaint?

paint or not to paint...
 

Strip it, or sandblast it, spray it with nyalic and go sailing...:D

Oh and with the money you've saved by not painting it you can change out the wire halyards, that would've damaged the paint, for rope..... And then go sailing:)
Cheers.

http://www.nyalic.co.nz/