Stainless or galvanised for deck hardware ?

[sarabande]

I am about to make up (or more likely, have someone else make up) a stern pulpit to incorporate solar panels, radar, anchor rack, towing cleats, wind vane fairleads, various MOB gear, etc. Plus other hardware in future, e.g. double forestay fitting with two anchor rollers. Presently I have a stainless pulpit and pushpit.

My stainless welding skills are minimal, and though I have a decent stock of stainless tubing, bar and rod, I am more confident with cutting and bending mild steel. Galvanising is a matter of coming to an arrangement with our local agricultural fabricators who have done good galvanising for me in the past. I can bend mild steel in the present yard, to the shapes required with my own bender. (all a bit empirical !).

I am trying to work out why there is apparently some prejudice against galvanised fittings. My boat is not a super sleek modern yacht where stainless understandably seems de rigeur, and I am easy with the non-shiny finish of galvanised and even find the 'rough' surface of a beefy pair of galvanised cleats handy for good control in surging mooring lines, etc.

Is strength or weight an issue ? Does stainless set really hard and need reheating if bent deliberately, or damaged ? What would the aesthetics of galvanised say about the boat and perhaps me ? Any issues with increased corrosion (especially thinking about stainless wire rigging connecting to a beefy galvanised steel forestay fitting, and having an aluminium contingency anchor lashed tightly to the galvanised pulpit) ?

Anything else I need to consider please ? And feel free to comment

 

[PCUK]

Having had the pleasure of meeting you on several occasions I think galvanised would suit you very well. (Make of that what you will)! If you do go down the stainless route we'll have a look at what you want.

 

[NormanS]

Absolutely nothing wrong with galvanised mild steel. I made all the many articles of metal work on my previous boat from mild steel, subsequently galvanised, but I was starting from scratch. On my present boat, where all the existing metalwork is stainless, anything that I have added or modified has been done in stainless. Do what you are most comfortable with.

 

[Daverw]

The only issue apart from more weight I would see is in future if you wanted drill additional fixings you would damage the galvanising and then it would start to rust

 

[Daydream believer]

I would not like galvanised cleats. I have had galvanised pushpits & pullpits on my last 2 boats. The galvanising on the last boat had sharp bits which would play havoc with ropes. I have just been refurbishing our club tractor & the framework & new mudguards have the same issues.
I know that one does not normally tie stuff to pushpits, but you may want to lash the dinghy etc in a hurry & a rope could easily fail if it chaffes on a "gritty" surface.
As for stainless, it depends how one works or drills it. I recently drilled a lot of holes in SS. I selected the right speed & did not mess about allowing the bit to rub. I made it work, so the metal had no time to work harden.
I used to bend SS in my joinery shop for handrail work & I used to have patterns & do the bend precisely with the right formers, in one go, so the issue of hardening did not arise. Welding SS is just a selection of the right rod & current etc. Get it wrong & no amount of polishing will help. Get it right & SS looks so much better.
However, on an old gaffer, galvanised or bronze fittings somehow look right. So if you are Brent Swain in another guise then go ahead.

 

[Praxinoscope]

Hello Sarabande, hope the Bic 245 is serving well, it’s not an aesthetic thing as far as I’m concerned, but personally I would rather use Stainless, galvanised is fine in a salt water atmosphere until the galvanising wears (especially when used as a mooring cleator is damage, then the ‘rust-bug ‘ starts to become active.

 

[DownWest]

While I have made bits for boats in steel, then galved them. I would not now. If you have a MIG welder, then quite easy. If only stick, then welding SS at over 3mm is not a problem.
I like the idea of galve stuff, but the minimum price, along with the trek to and back to the galvanizers tends to negate it. SS is actually cheaper most of the time.
For an arch, the tube can be bent with simple stuff if 20 or 25mm and welded with stick, if you are very carefull.. Mig makes it quite easy.
DW

 

[waynes world]

I would always go with SS, for long lasting, its as good to work with as mild steel aslong as you know what to do, slow speeds when drilling and use cutting fluid. Also more pleasing when job is done and looks better. It doesnt work harden, well enough to make any difference for what you need if making rails cleats etc. It bends easy enough, no a great deal different toward mils steel. i made a few rails and bent 20mm thin wall by hand.
Galv i would maybe if i was skint, ha ha, i am always skint. Just doesnt look as nice on a good boat. spolis the looks to much for me.

 

[Plum]

I am about to make up (or more likely, have someone else make up) a stern pulpit to incorporate solar panels, radar, anchor rack, towing cleats, wind vane fairleads, various MOB gear, etc. Plus other hardware in future, e.g. double forestay fitting with two anchor rollers. Presently I have a stainless pulpit and pushpit.

My stainless welding skills are minimal, and though I have a decent stock of stainless tubing, bar and rod, I am more confident with cutting and bending mild steel. Galvanising is a matter of coming to an arrangement with our local agricultural fabricators who have done good galvanising for me in the past. I can bend mild steel in the present yard, to the shapes required with my own bender. (all a bit empirical !).

I am trying to work out why there is apparently some prejudice against galvanised fittings. My boat is not a super sleek modern yacht where stainless understandably seems de rigeur, and I am easy with the non-shiny finish of galvanised and even find the 'rough' surface of a beefy pair of galvanised cleats handy for good control in surging mooring lines, etc.

Is strength or weight an issue ? Does stainless set really hard and need reheating if bent deliberately, or damaged ? What would the aesthetics of galvanised say about the boat and perhaps me ? Any issues with increased corrosion (especially thinking about stainless wire rigging connecting to a beefy galvanised steel forestay fitting, and having an aluminium contingency anchor lashed tightly to the galvanised pulpit) ?

Anything else I need to consider please ? And feel free to comment

Most of my deck hardware is hot dipped galvanised steel and if the appearance is to your liking then I would recommend. You are likely to get 25 years life before needing re-galvanising.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[Laminar Flow]

I doubt that stainless would be any more expensive than mild steel once you factor in the galvanizing. Stainless welds beautifully, just requires pickling after and a good polish. It is no lighter or heavier than mild steel.

 

[dgadee]

I doubt that stainless would be any more expensive than mild steel once you factor in the galvanizing. Stainless welds beautifully, just requires pickling after and a good polish. It is no lighter of heavier than mild steel.

Buy quickly! Nickel prices will hit the roof given how much comes from Russia.

 

[thinwater]

I doubt that stainless would be any more expensive than mild steel once you factor in the galvanizing. Stainless welds beautifully, just requires pickling after and a good polish. It is no lighter or heavier than mild steel.

This. 316 SS welds just as easily as carbon steel. And you don't have to TIG weld it; a lot of refinery stainless pipe is stick welded. But...

• Respirator. The fumes contain Cr VI.
• The finish won't be pretty without some cleanup.
• You can passive with citric acid. It is now once the standard ASME/ASTM methods.

That said, railings are thin, so you need to be good on thin metal, which is easier with MIG or TIG than stick. But if you can weld below 25 amps with a 1/16 rod, you'll be fine.