New standing rigging rusting

[RedneckRedcoat]

I have a question for all those who do rigging out there. We had our standing rigging replaced mid October. With final installment on October 21st. We sailed down to Florida from North Carolina. When we got to Charleston (Nov 11th) I noticed a rust residue on the bottom of the wire at the fittings. Contact the installer who contacted the manufacture and was told it just needed cleaning and brushing. If it came back then repeat process the rust should eventually go away. I cleaned the infected parts and we sailed onto St Augustine. Today I noticed that the rust is back but not only at the fittings but the entire length of the shroud. Having to clean the wires up and down the mast every few days doesn’t seem reasonable to me. Has anyone else experienced this with new rigging ???

[Sailmonkey]

To be honest, I don’t see any rust on the wire or fitting.

Wire when new has containimants on it from the manufacturing process. These will show up as candy striping on the wires and will also run down and pool on the fittings.

It’ll get better, don’t drive yourself nuts.

[thomm225]

Agreed, no rust and I grew up 4 miles from the Atlantic Ocean and 5 from Chesapeake Bay.

My rigging is between 15-20 years old also so chill out......

also my boat sat by salt water for 5 years on the hard after being cruised to Florida and the Bahamas in 2004-2006 from Massachusetts..

Never met the PO and I bought the boat in 2011 and plan to replace the rigging in 2023 or 2024.

[RedneckRedcoat]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

To be honest, I don’t see any rust on the wire or fitting.

Wire when new has containimants on it from the manufacturing process. These will show up as candy striping on the wires and will also run down and pool on the fittings.

It’ll get better, don’t drive yourself nuts.

Good to know thanks

[JC Reefer]

What are you cleaning the wire with?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

To be honest, I don’t see any rust on the wire or fitting.

SOME lower gradeWire when new has containimants on it from the manufacturing process. These will show up as candy striping on the wires and will also run down and pool on the fittings.

It’ll get better, maybe don’t drive yourself nuts.

Really, good wire is free of surface contaminants and stays shiny for a long time. I've used both DieForm and Hamma compact strand wire for decades and never had a bit of surface rust or discoloration.

I would not be happy with what the OP is experiencing, and would gripe to the vendor who supplied his wire.

Jim

PS To be completely honest, we did get some staining once... anchored downwind from the volcano on Ambryn island in Vanuatu... on rigging and on all s/s hardware on deck. So, if the OP is located downwind from an active volcano it could explain things!

[RedneckRedcoat]

Originally Posted by JC Reefer

What are you cleaning the wire with?

Freshwater and dawn dish soap

[RedneckRedcoat]

We are in Florida no volcanoes here

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Really, good wire is free of surface contaminants and stays shiny for a long time. I've used both DieForm and Hamma compact strand wire for decades and never had a bit of surface rust or discoloration.



I would not be happy with what the OP is experiencing, and would gripe to the vendor who supplied his wire.



Jim



PS To be completely honest, we did get some staining once... anchored downwind from the volcano on Ambryn island in Vanuatu... on rigging and on all s/s hardware on deck. So, if the OP is located downwind from an active volcano it could explain things!

Both times I re-rigged I used 316 wire from rigging only. Both times there was mild candy striping that went away after a few months.

Now mind this was in Houston where with the right wind direction there was all sorts of other stuff on the wire other than clean rain water.

[thomm225]

I've only had one shroud that actually broke in half, but it was very rusty and had a couple strands/wires broken on it.

I used it a few months like this before it parted and the mast fell.

It looked pretty funny when it fell over suddenly in light wind. I think the wave motion caused it.

So I gathered up the rest of the rigging and tied the mast on then had my son on the other boat tow my crew and I in on the other Hobie 16.

Luckily, we were only 3 miles or so out .......

[Ken Z]

As with a lot of products today quality is compromised at times. There are a few grades of s/s. I only use 316 s/s, 306 especially if made outside france sweden ger. Usa, tend to rust more easier than old s/s. I would be careful to research the supplier of all stainless for marine use.

[roverhi]

Replaced my backstay new 316 wire. A few months later had to have a rigging inspection for insurance. The surveyor called out the new backstay for rust staining while saying nothing about the rest of the unknown age wire. Forming the wire is done by steel dies and minute amounts of the ferrous metal gets to the wire. Looks unsightly but will go away with time.

[Rohan]

All metals used on boats rust, or more accurately, oxidize. It's normal. Stainless steel resists rusting, but it's not immune to it. Look at any navy ship contructed of steel and you will see small rust patches everywhere. There are a few metals that don't oxidize: Ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, and iridium, but for various reasons they are either not good for boats or prohibitively expensive.

[Sailing August]

Do you have the material certs for the wire you were provided. 316 stainless will not rust however, 304 stainless will rust. Confirm the material grade and certification. If the wire came from China then the material grade can be in question. The Chinese manufacturers fake certifications all the time.
Your rigger should be able to provide copies of the material certs and source without problem.
You can passivate the rust with "Navel Jelly' from Lowes or Home Depot. Use a stainless steel tig brush. Do not use a carbon steel brush as this will cause more rust. Your 316 wire should not be rusting.

[more]

This is not for ss wire must be 316. Must be KOS - Stainless Steel Wire
Korean company excellent quality