rigging replacement - stainless or galvanised ? Advice pls

[sarabande]

In a bid to assuage a surveyor's lust for putting insurance conditions in his report, I may have to replace the rigging on my second-hand mast.

Stainless 1x19 seems the norm, but is pretty difficult for an amateur to cut cleanly, and clever terminals are expensive.

Galvanised 1x19 is 1/4 of the cost, a little bit stronger, and I think I can just about remember how to splice it round an eye and serve it. (There are no sophisticated ball or T tangs, just swaged terminals.)

The boat is about 40 years old, and I do not think galvanised would look out of place. Does stainless have any significant advantages which I should consider please?

TIA

 

[prv]

I thought galvanised was weaker than stainless? Not too much of a problem as you can just go up a size and it still works out cheaper.

I think the main advantage of stainless is a clean, sleek appearance. Where I've used galvanised (on square riggers) it's either been parcelled and served its full length (so basically embalmed in grease and never sees the weather) or regularly treated with wire rope dressing (Rocol) and hence mucky for clothes and sails. There are other preparations used on gaffers which are less messy than Rocol, but I think all rub off to some degree.

On the plus side, it's more obvious when galvanised is worn out - stainless prepares to fail in secret hence the precautionary replacement, whereas galvanised goes obviously rusty.

Pete

 

[paul.norton]

Will you lose the galvanising quickly if using a hanked-on foresail?

Paul

PS. When rigging a conversion, I managed to borrow a purpose-made crimping machine - it was a easy. Is it possible to hire such equipment?

 

[prv]

Will you lose the galvanising quickly if using a hanked-on foresail?

Good point that I was going to mention but forgot

Supposedly the jib hanks will knock off the galvanising; the solution is to regularly run a greasy rag up and down the stay with the halyard and a downhaul.

Pete

 

[vyv_cox]

Makes sails very dirty, especially on the mainsail downwind.

 

[prv]

Makes sails very dirty, especially on the mainsail downwind.

Yep - see this picture of Stavros:

The inverted V shapes on the fore upper topsail and topgallant are where they touch the stays when braced sharp up.

Could be OK aesthetically on a traditional style yacht with tan sails.

Pete

 

[Gordonmc]

My previous boat came with galvanised standing rigging although the forestay was stainless as roller reefing had been fitted before I got the boat.
The main reason for replacing the galv was the mast was a replacement. With the exception of the forestay all stays were short and lengths of chain had used to get the right length. It was a mess.
I got the 6mm galv wire rope from a Fraserborough fishing net maker buckshee and borrowed a hydraulic press to put eyes onto the ends. Total cost of the project was the cost of the ferrules. I did have a go at hand-splicing, serving and parcelling but the thought of doing 14 put me off.
I used the boat for about 12 years and dressed the stays twice in that period with the mast down for other resons. A mix of Stockholm tar, old paint and boiled linseed oil. The paint, or varnish is there to help everything go off.
When I sold the boat there was not a spot of rust anywhere on the rigging.

 

[sideshowbob]

You will need to remove your standing rigging every couple of years and soak in an oil mixture, also be prepared to run an oily cloth over it every so often, if you are prepared to do all that then shouldn't be a problem

check here for more info

http://www.briontoss.com/spartalk/

 

[ridgy]

You'll pay for stainless on resale so you might as well get the benefit.