New Rigging

[JD-MDR]

Will someone please advise me on these wires. Will they be ok? They are only a couple months old. Do I need to do something to protect them? Thanks in Advance.

[Frenchy]

You're right to be concerned. Stainless needs air to be somewhat corrosion-free, but it looks like you've got
some kind of clear plastic tubing or coating around the turnbuckle. If you do, remove it. I'd clean
it up with some scotchbrite and spray with a protectorant like boeshield for now. You can also rinse with
fresh water once in a while. Good luck, Jean

[JD-MDR]

Thanks Jean. That must be an optical illusion .There is no shield only that tape covering the cotter pin. I will get the stuff you mentioned.

[Jim Walsh]

I find that "Magica" rust remover works well. "Nevr Dull" is another product which has worked well for me. What you have is easily removed surface corrosion, in my opinion.

[John Stone]

Magica SS Cleaning Gell should remove the staining very effectively.

I think you are right to be concerned, though no one can tell you for sure from a picture.

I recommend you remove the tape from the turnbuckles. Do not cover SS with anything that restricts the flow of air. SS needs air to inhibit rust. You also need to be able to see it to routinely inspect it. You also need to look for hairline cracks on the turnbuckles where the tape was and also the swages, especially along the top edges where the wire enters the sewage.

The bigger issue is why is there rust? Who did the rigging? I'd sure talk to them. Where was the wire manufactured (Cue Roberto here). There should be no rust there or minimal barely noticeable. Keep it washed down with fresh water and I'd wax the swages and turn buckles.

There is lots of info available on inspecting wire rigging and associated hardware. Though he isn't the only source, I have learned a lot from Brion Toss' book, "The Riggers Apprentice."

[Frenchy]

All the comments you've received are good advice, J.D. To my crooked, uncalibrated eye, it still looks like there's
some kind of sleeve between the turnbuckle and wire, mostly because of the extrordinary length between the
threaded part of the swaged terminal and the wire - but maybe on the west coast a different type of terminal is
more common. In any case, that surface rust is unusual - my rigging is probably decades old and looks nothing
like that.
I think John's implied thought about suspect materials is relevant if there's nothing else causing this.
Good luck with this and your many other projects - I have a few percolating myself right now - Jean

[tjr818]

Is that really rust, or is it some dried residue from a lubricant that has collected dirt ?

[JD-MDR]

Hi Tim, You might be right. It could be residue from the horrible fire. The ash was everywhere. San Francisco Boatworks is world class. I don't believe they would do anything substandard. I don't have the experience to know better but I trust them.

[John Stone]

As I looked at the picture I was wondering the same thing--but I dismissed it. I thought you would have seen it on other places on the boat. But, I didn't think about what Tim suggested--could it be adhered to some post swagging/rigging lubricant. Good thinking. I'll ask a silly question...have you tried rubbing it off? Is it anywhere else on your boat.

The rigging service must have had calls if it was fire/Santa Anna dust related...but then again. There is a lot of bad wire out there. I had a rusty harken block that saw almost no exposure to salt water. I think they got some bad SS. Even the big boys get duped occasionally and their QC dept can miss it till the consumers tell them.

Let us know what you find out. There is always something new to learn.

[John Stone]

I’m sorry. I can’t stop looking at that picture. What is it? It’s weird that the discoloration is limited to the area about an inche above the top of the swage and does not extend into the threaded area of the rigging screws.

Could it be rusted metal detritus as a result of the swaging machine or some other device? Is it some kind of material on the wire that rusted? Is it even rust?

I grew up in south FL and well water, over time, would discolor anything it came into contact. I know that is not what it is but the color is similar. Just kind of thinking out loud I guess.

Very weird.

[JD-MDR]

I'll try to wipe it with a dry rag to see if it comes off then I'll use one one of those cleaners recommended. And I'll ask around the other boats if theirs is the same.. I'm at the boat now. I got a small job here in the area. I might not have time tomorrow but Saturday for sure.

[Steve Laume]

I think John hit on something. If this is new rigging and you are only getting staining at the swedged joint, then I would suspect it is due to the process. If it was bad wire, you would expect to see staining everywhere. I would imagine the cutting tools are carbon steel and could have left some residue on the ends of the wires. Even a file that might have been used to de-burr the wire end could have caused this. Once those ends are swedged into the terminal ends, water can enter and mix with the carbon to produce rust which will only exit the fitting at the top. It looks like it wicked up a bit and ran down the fitting.

It is amazing how much rust staining will occur with a tiny amount of steel and some salt water. I drilled through my mast support for a wire run and thought I did a pretty good job of cleaning up all the filings but still had stains all over the deck.

I would rinse the area and clean off the staining then keep a good eye on those fitting with a magnifing glass just to be sure there wasn't any real problem, Steve.

[JD-MDR]

I think you guys are right. I cleaned them with some stuff I found on the boat "Brite Boy". I'll keep an eye on them. I was gonna order new sails this month but I think I will finish the chain plates. Two forward mizzen shrouds and two backstays. They look much easier to access than the forward ones. Thanks everyone for the help.