Can a Talurit swage be used under water?

[TQA]

I have a swing keel and need to replace the fitting on the end of the wire. Is a Talurit [Nicopress] swage suitable for this. It is going to be submerged in seawater, warm Caribbean seawater.

I was somewhat appalled to see 3 small [SS ?] hose clamps being used to clamp the cable when I dropped the keel out for maintenance.

If the swage is not recommended what should I use.

 

[sarabande]

Talurit makes ferrules in copper, aluminium, stainless steel, and carbon steel.

What is the lifting wire ? Galvanised, stainless...

 

[truscott]

Current strop on our Limbo is 5mm Stainless with a Talurit swage (think it is copper or bronze or brass as it isn't silver coloured). Has been in service for 3 years and still appears ok. I've a spare on board for when it does fail (and it surely will at some point). For most of the year the keel remains in the swung down position, so it will most likely go when I'm trying to wind it up.

Previous strop was stainless with alloy Taurit swage and that only lasted less than a year (the swage corroded away) Prior to that we had stainless and bulldog clamps but they eventually corroded away as well.

The bang when it lets go is a bit of scare.

Boat is in the warm extremely salty waters of Bahrain (Persian Gulf).

PT.

 

[neil_s]

Yes

The two keel lift wires on my Seal 28 are flexible stainless steel wire with copper talurit swages. They are about seven years old, now, and show no signs of corrosion or deterioration, but they are above the water line when the keel is up. I give them a good smearing with underwater grease every year.

Neil

 

[TQA]

Flexible stainless steel wire and I was thinking about a copper talurit swage. Depends what the chandlery / riggers have here in Trinidad.

Here is what was holding it up before. Weighs in the region of 400 - 500 lbs.

 

[William_H]

Swage

I would think that if you can find it a stainless steel swage would be best on SS wire under water. If you end up with copper swage I would check it often for corrosion.
I have a lot of SS in my swing mooring gear and it is showing no signs of failure or wear. It is grossly over sized of course. I don't know much about this crevis corrosion however. good luck olewill

 

[ProDave]

My lifting keel wire is SS with Talurit swages, but I can't recall what material the swages are made of.

But mine is a good deal thicker than 5mm, more like 8mm, so I would question if yours is thick enough? My lifting keel weighs about 500lbs

I don't know the age of mine, but the keel is lifted when not sailing so most of the time the entire wire and fittings are dry.

I will probably be replacing mine this winter, as on the last inspection I found 1 strand has broken, so as a temporary measure I have reversed it so the broken strand is at the cabin end so I can keep an eye on it in case another one goes.

 

[penfold]

I would think that if you can find it a stainless steel swage would be best on SS wire under water. If you end up with copper swage I would check it often for corrosion.
I have a lot of SS in my swing mooring gear and it is showing no signs of failure or wear. It is grossly over sized of course. I don't know much about this crevis corrosion however. good luck olewill

While the SS requires watching, it's any plain steel or galvanised steel attached to it which needs frequent inspection as it will waste away anodically much faster than would happen with no SS present. To a significant extent the SS is protected as it will be exposed to flowing oxygenated water, reducing the danger of crevicing.

 

[mocruising]

Only use copper for underwater applications on fswr or SS on SS wire. That is what is recommended in the offshore diving and oil and gas industry.

 

[TQA]

Looks like it might be stainless steel bulldog clamps then.

 

[Iliade]

How about a wire splice - free, readily available anywhere and no issues with dissimilar materials...

 

[oldharry]

Wot an 'orrible botch! Good you found it before disaster!

Solutions:
Best: Eye splice with thimble on the end of the wire.
Good: Talurit with copper ferule and thimble
Acceptable: Three correctly sized bulldog clamps again with a thimble to de-stress the wire on the bend

Check the flexible wire throughout its length for any sign of failure - this will be in the form of individual wire strand ends sticking out. DONT run the wire through your hand to find them - they can cause a nasty deep penetrating/tearing wound.

Any sign of individual strands breaking means the wire is work hardening prior to failure, and has had it.