Galvanised (Galvanized) rigging?

[andypag]

I recently saw (on a youtube channel) someone using galvanised turnbuckles to re-rig. They do look a little drab, but the cost saving is huge.



Is this a good idea compared to stainless for the less image conscious boat owner? Or is it less structurally sound? Shorter lifespan?


How about other galvanised fittings? Like galvanised compression fittings? or galvanised wire?

[Wotname]

It's structurally sound and has a much longer lifespan if maintained correctly however many feel the maintenance requirements are onerous.

Another advantage is that it's condition is obvious to the eye.

[charliehows]

yup - another supporter here. I replaced my gal rigging a few years ago, wire-by-wire while the boat was on a swing mooring. Cost peanuts compared to using ss, and micro-peanuts compared to getting a pro to do it (the pro who did it last time left his signature by re-using a number of truly abject split pins on the assumption no owner would ever get far enough up the mast to see his handiwork...). There are arguments about clagging and swaddling gal rigging to make it last forever but the labour is not worth it when the wire can be replaced so cheaply.

[gmakhs]

What about rust on deck?

[shorebird]

I'm sometimes a little surprised at how well hot dipped galvanized metal stands up to the elements. Galvanized steel fuel tanks can last many, many years. The problem isn't with the material per se, but the components themselves must be weight rated to within the proper specifications.
If you aren't sure of the load ratings for any of these components, or the load requirements of the application, run, don't walk from them.

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by gmakhs

What about rust on deck?

It isn't an issue. If you have rust on deck its long past time to replace it. Decent quality galvanising is self healing to a small extent, this largely stops rust from spreading until the zinc coating is too far gone.

The biggest issues with galv are the problems getting decent high grade 1x19 wire, and then terminating it. If you can use 7x7 it gets very easy to do a turnback swage or a flemish eye. But its a bit bulkier than 1x19 and is nore likely to chafe sails.

Quality of the modern wire is another issue but standards for galvanising do exist, it should be Class A galvanizing and certified. With a high grade of steel, ideally G1770 or G2070, both are stronger and have less stretch than the equivalent stainless wire.

The real issue with stainless seems to be stress corrosion cracking. The material is just not really very suitable for high loads in salt water environments.

[Wotname]

^^ wot Snow. said +1

[boden36]

I have had gal rigging screws look like new after more than 20 years. Wrap them in denso tape. Then wrap the denso in aluminum foil, and then wrap that in a good quality plastic or fabric adhesive tape.

You have to replace the top layer every year or so but that is easy enough.


Regards,
Richard.

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by boden36

I have had gal rigging screws look like new after more than 20 years. Wrap them in denso tape. Then wrap the denso in aluminum foil, and then wrap that in a good quality plastic or fabric adhesive tape.

You have to replace the top layer every year or so but that is easy enough.


Regards,
Richard.

Clever! Ive used denso, very messy but good but not aluminum foil.

On the square riggers we used to sew canvas covers over them and paint them. Tidy but lots of work and hard to inspect or adjust. .

On Snowpetrel I just put firehouse over the whole bottlescrew and denso mess. Easy to lift it up and inspect. Maybe aluminum or plastic pipe might also work as a hardwearing cover that can slide up the shroud for inspection.

[RaymondR]

If you can get hold of it the galvanized wire used to guy electric and telephone poles is very robust and usually has fairly heavy hot dipped galvanizing.

They are a bit bulky but zinc sockets provide a neat termination with 100% wire strength rating.

[Benz]

For version 1 of my boat's rig I used domestic galvanized turnbuckles--had to look around to find domestic, often on the same rack with really cheap-looking Chinese ones. I did not treat them in any other way than to put Lanocote on the threads. I think the major mistake I made was to allow galvi steel to touch bronze chainplates--galvi and bronze do not get along! Luckily bronze wins, but I had to cut some of the pins off with a hacksaw.
Not sure if it was due to electrolysis, but further up, the threads corroded and seized, rendering some of the turnbuckles immovable. This was after two+ years in warm tropical waters.
So be careful about mixing metals ( I would say, NEVER put galv. and bronze together), and make sure you lube the turnbuckles regular, or cover them like others have suggested.
As to wire, I can only ask: why bother? There are at least three different brands of pre-stretched Dyneema out there that I know of that are great for shrouds: Marlow's DM20 MAX; Dynice DUX; and New England's HSR. You can also get polyester covered Vectran pretty cheap, though I'm told it doesn't last (five years + on my mast so far, though...watching it with interest).

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

If you can get hold of it the galvanized wire used to guy electric and telephone poles is very robust and usually has fairly heavy hot dipped galvanizing.

They are a bit bulky but zinc sockets provide a neat termination with 100% wire strength rating.

Yes the telegraph pole wires are very well galvanised. Only issues are getting something with the right grade. Often its only 1200mpa stuff. The 1x7 strand is particularly appealing with heavy galvanizing and big solid wires, also easy to do a very strong flemish eye. Unfortunately in Australia at least it is all low tensile stuff around 1300 mpa. I suspect the thick strands can't be drawn and tempered as well as the smaller wires can. But when 7x7 regularly gets 2070 mpa wires it makes for a huge strength difference, though 1x19 is only availible in 1570 so maybe it's not a big worry.

Those zinc or resin spelter sockets are very good. 100% strength rating, though a turnback swage is 95%. They are expensive and heavy but they make a very secure eye. The manufacturers don't overly recommend them for 1x19 without testing due to the reduced wire count, but I have seen them used before without issues on big yacht rigs.

https://www.riggingwarehouse.com/pro...&CurrentPage=2

01 - wire r ope & strand - Bullivants
PDFwww.bullivants.com › assets › publication

[SVTatia]

Just wondering - can the mechanical terminals (stay-lok, norseman, hi-mod, etc) be used with galvanized wire?

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by SVTatia

Just wondering - can the mechanical terminals (stay-lok, norseman, hi-mod, etc) be used with galvanized wire?

It's a very good question. Instinctively I'd think the stainless would eat the galvanizing away pretty quickly, but I have seen some odd things and it might be that if you packed it well with something like duralac or tefgel, or even lanolin it might last OK. There are some galvanised fittings made by electroline, but they didn't reccomend them for marine use when I emailed them. .

[SVTatia]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

It's a very good question. Instinctively I'd think the stainless would eat the galvanizing away pretty quickly, but I have seen some odd things and it might be that if you packed it well with something like duralac or tefgel, or even lanolin it might last OK. There are some galvanised fittings made by electroline, but they didn't reccomend them for marine use when I emailed them. .

Yes, agreed. Keeping the water out of the fitting would prevent it, but not 100% guaranteed specially for the lower ones, and with stainless, bronze (the rings) and zinc all in contact would be risky.

In any case I was just curious... I don't think it makes sense to spend big bucks for those fittings (they are pricey!) then save on the wire... kinda defeating the purpose...