Mousing mooring shacles

[Houtrib]

My mooring bottom and intermediate chains (25mm and 19 mm) parted company recently. The 22mm shackle had unscrewed. It had been moused with a nylon cable tie which was gone. Cable ties are commonly used on moorings in the estuarine lake system on which I live because they do not corrode.
Obviously their limited life is a problem- the cable tie mousing the 22mm shackle at the top of the intermediate chain had also disappeared.
So, what to use. Choice would appear to be wire, either stainless steel, monel, copper, soft iron or galvanised (listed in order in the galvanic series). Galvanizing disappears from iron wire very quickly, so offers little advantage. Iron is probably OK for a year or so (from observation when used on the buoy chain). The other choices should all survive for a long period, based on their position in the galvanic series BUT the locals say that using them will result in corrosion of the shackle.
One person whose opinion I respect points out that the area of the mousing wire relative to that of the mooring system is trivial and that therefore corrosion should not be a problem.
Should I use copper wire, preferably single strand to reduce surface area and insulated to avoid formation of a galvanic cell?

[Wotname]

Good to see your first post after all these these years

I'd stay away from copper as I don't think you could adequately insulate it.

The local professional mooring guys here use stainless steel plus a cable tie and they seen to last long enough. At the end of the day, all components of a mooring need replacing sooner or later

[GordMay]

Greetings and belated welcome aboard the CF, Houtrib.

Definitely Monel Wire ➥ https://www.alloywire.com/products/monel-400/

[Benz]

Monel and forget it.

[Sailmonkey]

First choice monel, 2nd choice stainless.

[Houtrib]

Thanks for the replies. Stainless is readily available (MIG welding wire). If copper, I was considering using single strand PVC insulated wire so there should be no electrical contact with the mooring. I am grateful for the link to a supplier of monel wire.
Is the galvanic corrosion story more complex than just considering the galvanic series? Many people talk about current leakage but surely that would require an electrical circuit link to the metal at risk. It is also unlikely to be a problem on an isolated mooring like mine. Another suggestion that has been made to me is that in an estuarine environment with different concentrations of salt at different depths related to tidal salt tongues that a galvanic cell could be set up along the length of the mooring chain. Is this concern valid?
Anyone have reliable information?
regards Andrew

[model 10]

Nickel wire is much more easy to find than Monel and much better than stainless to work with. It's the wire that you might use for a necklace etc and sold at craft shops.

[a64pilot]

I just use .032 aircraft safety wire, it’s Stainless I believe. It is corrosion resistant and a magnet won’t stick to it.
It is also widely available in .020 and .041
I don’t think the zip tie is going to do anything in my opinion.
Normally sold in spools for about $15, but this would do. Spool stores a whole easier though
https://www.amazon.com/Pit-Posse-Sta...8-7&ref=sr_1_7

[model 10]

I don't like aircraft stainless safety wire on a boat. I want to be able to break any safety in an emergency with my knife or whatever. Soft copper would be best, but not. If I remember the safety wire you use on some jet engines is not stainless but Monel.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by Ecos

I don't like aircraft stainless safety wire on a boat. I want to be able to break any safety in an emergency with my knife or whatever. Soft copper would be best, but not. If I remember the safety wire you use on some jet engines is not stainless but Monel.

Ah, the mousing is on a mooring shackle, in the water 24/7, I doubt that you would be ever needing to break it whatever the "emergency".

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Ecos

I don't like aircraft stainless safety wire on a boat. I want to be able to break any safety in an emergency with my knife or whatever. Soft copper would be best, but not. If I remember the safety wire you use on some jet engines is not stainless but Monel.

For what reason? In an emergency you need to unscrew the anchor shackle when it’s on the roller? Or dive the mooring to release the boat?

What other moused shackles need emergency release?

[model 10]

I bet most boats have just one roll of safety wire onboard and use it for everything. .041 stainless safety wire is for aircraft propeller bolts, a pain to work with and not really needed for a shackle pin. It does make a nice splicing fid.

[billknny]

First choice: Monel
Second choice: Monel
Third Choice: Monel

Easy to get, and it lasts. No reason not to use it.

Get a 300 foot spool of monel trolling wire and you and 10 of your closest friends can have a lifetime supply of siezing wire.

[model 10]

That's funny, I thought you had to get Monel wire from Boeing or something. What diameter is the fishing wire?

[billknny]

Originally Posted by Ecos

That's funny, I thought you had to get Monel wire from Boeing or something. What diameter is the fishing wire?

The heaviest normally available is 0.040" (1.02mm). And all the way down to 0.016" For seizing, probably 0.035" or so seems a good fit.