All the Stainless Wire Rigging is Rusting on One Strand?

[teneicm]

OK, rigging experts:

So was just on a cat over the weekend that had reportedly pretty new (2 year old) standing rigging made up of stainless wire. All the rigging had a faint "candy stripe" (or barber pole) appearance to them where a reddish stain followed one of the individual strands down the shrouds. I couldn't see any actual corrosion, and the reddish stain wiped off when rubbed, but it sure seemed like a rust stain.

Does this indicate that one of the strands was created with a lower grade steel? Does this put all the rigging into doubt, since all the shrouds are exhibiting this?

Cheers- Matt

[aluijten]

I've seen new rigging looking awful with surface rust after a season. On this boat we cleaned the rigging with some stainless steel cleaner and it basically never returned.
My theory is that new rigging still has some surface pollution, maybe from the die that was used to create it.

[teneicm]

Thanks aluijten- good to know it may not be a huge issue.

[Hannah on 'Rita T']

Or it might be. We were completely re-rigged three years ago. Everything rusted. Cheap stainless wire from China that isn't stainless. Our manufacturer replaced the wire last year and it hasn't rusted. Another boat we know was told by another manufacturer "too bad, we're not in the wire business any more, so sue, but you'll have to get in line."

First test, put a magnet on all the wire and all the fittings.

[hpeer]

I had a broken stantion I welded. Used the same grinding wheel on the ss as I had used on some mild steel. Now the weld looks all rusty. Mild metal flakes from the grinding wheel on the stantion are rusting.

OTOH, what you have would worry me. I'm surly no expert, but that would sort of indicate to me there was a problem with the wire. Especially since it is so consistent.

Once many years ago I had an incidence where some control cable had a manufacturing problem that caused it to fail if it was pulled too tight in the installation. It was a mechanical issue with the cable production machinery. I was able to convince the manufacturer that it was his issue. It was a bid dollar problem.

Pretty irrelevant to here other than stuff does happen.

[DeepFrz]

I wonder if that isn't a marker strand. You are sure it is rust and not some kind of dye?

[Cheechako]

sounds like one strand is poor chemical makeup compared with the others.... or as mentioned... contaminated with steel from a draw die.... either way.. probably not a good sign.

[Albro359]

You say its red ?...not brown ?...in my experience rust is brown not red.
I've seen red on wire that was loctite that had run out of a fitting and down the wire.
If you can wipe it off easily its unlikely to be rust.
Seems to me unlikely that one strand would be lower quality SS than the others

[KDH]

We rerigged last year by a "reputible" rigger in Deale, Maryland. Were assured that the rigging wire from China was just as good as the European which I requested (yes, we have the certificates). We ended up with a mix of the last of the US wire produced and some Chinese wire. We have already had to have one shroud repaired. We also have "candy striping" on some of the wire. Had the rig inspected in St. Martin who said the forestay was in "fair" condition (about 7 months old). The rigger who repaired the shroud in the Azores suggested that the entire job should be redone in the near future and that the striping was lower quality wire mixed in with the good. None of the swages were sealed and they have started to corrode inside. Check to make sure if you have swages that they have sealant at the top to keep the water out. We have decided that we will replace the rig as soon as we can and in the meantime, carry the fittings to make repairs (if we can find them in Portugal or Spain).

[Shanaly]

i cleaned up with phosphoric acid and washed off. nice and shiny now.

[teneicm]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

I wonder if that isn't a marker strand. You are sure it is rust and not some kind of dye?

What's a marker strand?

The color was dark reddish brown- although it was just a faint stain, but definitely noticeable. It looked like a rust stain, but I didn't get a chance to inspect carefully.

[teneicm]

Originally Posted by KDH

We rerigged last year by a "reputible" rigger in Deale, Maryland. Were assured that the rigging wire from China was just as good as the European which I requested (yes, we have the certificates). We ended up with a mix of the last of the US wire produced and some Chinese wire. We have already had to have one shroud repaired. We also have "candy striping" on some of the wire. Had the rig inspected in St. Martin who said the forestay was in "fair" condition (about 7 months old). The rigger who repaired the shroud in the Azores suggested that the entire job should be redone in the near future and that the striping was lower quality wire mixed in with the good. None of the swages were sealed and they have started to corrode inside. Check to make sure if you have swages that they have sealant at the top to keep the water out. We have decided that we will replace the rig as soon as we can and in the meantime, carry the fittings to make repairs (if we can find them in Portugal or Spain).

Hmmmm.... sounds pretty similar. Not promising.

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by Shanaly

i cleaned up with phosphoric acid and washed off. nice and shiny now.

I hope cleaning it did no harm to the wire. I also had light rust showing on my 10 year old rigging (half that time in storage) and I only used soap and water. Still looks a little dusted in rust.

[ringydingydo]

I have the same problem of 1 rusty strand. I rerigged with a well respected rigger in May 2012. The uppers have NO rust. All 4 lowers of a different diameter (different spool/lot) started showing rust accumulation by July. Rigger has just 'cleaned' the lowers and we will watch it. The wire is Korean which is capable in making good stuff. My rigger sent my pictures to vendor but no feedback to me. I'll be interested to hear from anyone on this thread if their rust returns after 'cleaning'.

[Kalinka1]

Could it be 304 wire instead of 316? 304 stronger but not so stain resistant in the tropics. I re rigged this spring with the 304 it discoloured quicker than the 316 in the salt water.