Maintenance of SS while cruising...

[sailone3032]

Originally Posted by SVRocinante

Good day all

Well, we’ve been out a bit over 2 months and the stainless steel on Rocinante is starting to show a bit of surface rust. Specifically, the bow pulpit, the running light fixtures, a couple of spots on the SS lifelines (not plastic coated) and quite a bit on the screws holding the hinges of the swim platform (transom).

We primarily anchor out and occasionally take a mooring; so obviously, we can’t indulge in fresh water washdowns on any kind of regular basis. To top it all off, I’ll occasionally wash down the decks with buckets of seawater.

So, how do those of you that cruise full time maintain your stainless steel?

Any tips would be greatly appreciate!

regards,

After making a Magerita I use the limes and rub them on the SS. the acid in the limes work as well as any other acid. once cleaned rince with water and apply a wax. Much less expensive!

[stormalong]

I use Brite Boy. You can buy it by the gallon from commercial cleaning suppliers for much less money than at a marine supply. Just wipe it all down with a throw away rag and be amazed.

[SV Bacchus]

Originally Posted by sailone3032

After making a Magerita I use the limes and rub them on the SS. the acid in the limes work as well as any other acid. once cleaned rince with water and apply a wax. Much less expensive!

I really like this idea because even if it doesn't work, you don't care!

[LeaseOnLife]

Most acids (Oxalic = Barkeepers Friend, Phosphoric = Ospho, Citric = spotless stainless or Wichinox) will work to clean. They all need to be rinsed off with fresh water and the SS left in the air to dry and then rebuild the protective layer, which also was attacked by the acid. Having salt water / salt spray attacking it will cause very quick corrosion again. This is where wax is helpful, but it also slows/stops the SS from 'healing'. I think best would be to rinse with fresh water, be in a protected environment without salt spray for a few days, then wax

[chouliha]

All good advice but no one has mentioned using a garden sprayer to rinse off the SS and lifelines after a passage. That will go a long way to help keep the rust at bay. It uses such a small amount of water. We can rinse the lifelines and all the SS on the boat with 1-2 gallons of water. Also works great for rinsing your feet as you come aboard.

[SVTatia]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

Whenever practical replace that Chinese SS junk with old time US stuff.
...

Are you saying US made stainless does not rust?

In my opinion, stainless rust (stain) less, but it does. The level of polishing slows or advances the time it takes to rust. No need to use expensive products such as Spotless Stainless, carry that, but leave it to clean your fittings -barkeepers friend or any hardware store metal polisher will work.

[SV Sailfish]

Originally Posted by chouliha

All good advice but no one has mentioned using a garden sprayer to rinse off the SS and lifelines after a passage. That will go a long way to help keep the rust at bay. It uses such a small amount of water. We can rinse the lifelines and all the SS on the boat with 1-2 gallons of water. Also works great for rinsing your feet as you come aboard.

+1

A 2 gallon garden sprayer is one of the best "tips" we ever got from a fellow cruiser. We spray off all stainless, lifelines, etc at least once a week followed by a quick wipe with a damp rag. It never takes more than 1-2 gallons of water as stated above.

Also great for many other uses like rinsing dive tanks, snorkel gear, etc.

Enjoy that beautiful boat of yours!

[model 10]

Some hardware is passivated and some isn't. It adds to the cost, but you start out with a clean surface. I'm using a strong mix of the citric acid in a spray bottle for regular boat upkeep too and even with a saltwater rinse it holds up for a while.

[philiosophy]

I too am a fan of Barkeepers Friend. I too do not have a watermaker and always anchor out. I do have a good quality Garden Sprayer which I use to rinse my stainless off with which uses very little fresh water. I also use it to blow the salt out of all the blocks in my running rig thus preserving them. When ever I have just run the engine I fill the sprayer with hot water which works even better.

[waterman46]

Ah, all you folks are making me feel bad about just leaving my SS alone for so long. I find that a couple beers or a gin and tonic, really makes that "rust" go away.

Seriously, if you see actual rust, which is when you can't polish it off with a fine rubbing compound, you should think about replacing that part if it is critical. A friend has a Chinese built boat and once one of his lifeline stanchions simply broke right off at the base with no real stress on it.

I have used fiberglass rubbing and waxing one-step compound on my SS. Works great, no fresh water rinse needed. Probably leaves a protective wax film.

[robregje]

To roland stockham,


Chappeau, quality over quantity. But don't forget a layer of grease, wax or whatever to stop oxygen touch your SS.


Btw; No old grumps naging about the vintage quality (looks) of rust ?

[Epicurean]

ECOS beat me to it. If there are particular areas that rust very quickly it's likely that the low rust series stainless has been contaminated and you should passivate it. I have used a commercial gel from a welding supply, although you can make your own or, perhaps, find it at a hardware store. This happens particularly around welds or where it's been machined. #304 SS screws where the head is worked are very bad rusters and the heads often fall off. After passivation it's much more resistant to rust.

Don't use hydrochloric (muriatic) acid.

[2big2small]

The cheap blue kitchen scouring pad and a bit of hot water go a really long way if you want to avoid chemicals that need rinsing.

[Cheechako]

I've found that 3M Finesse it or the Soft Scrub work great on SS, as well as fiberglass. I would not use strong liquid acid ever again as I have found it cleans well, but causes rapid corrosion/rust after. Hook up a fresh water hose and rinse off after a crossing or lumpy ride.
When acid is used for Passivation of SS, it is used at a very tight tolerance of time, temp , mix etc. A home brew will just make it worse.

[model 10]

It's such a mistake to use an acid like Muratic or any acid that has Chlorine in it. It really eats up the oxide layer on stainless steel. Phosphoric or citric acids as in a Coca Cola are the way to go.