Galvanized vs. Stainless Rigging

[cruiserdave]

I need to redo the standing rigging on our O'day 35. The rigger we feel comfortable with has suggested using galvanized over stainless. Any thoughts on this?

[SVCarolena]

I've never heard of using galvanized for rigging. Is it really that much less expensive than stainless? I see that your signature says you are in DC, are you on a fresh water portion of the Potomac? Personally, I'd go stainless. Our boat is on the Occoquan where the water is primiarily fresh, but I still wouldn't feel comfortable with galvanized.

[Faster]

I've never seen galvanized standing rigging on a boat like that... can't imagine why you'd want to do so.....

[camaraderie]

I've seen plenty of galvanized on old schooners etc. but never on a modern production boat. Spend the money for the reliabiity and long life of stainless.

[Maine Sail]

On a schooner maybe? On a 35 footer I've never even seen it for sale?? Pay now or pay later... I'd opt for 304 or 316 stainless and my rigger only sells 316 these days but 95% of his work is on salt water..

[sailingdog]

Go with 316 Stainless... it is a bit weaker than 304 stainless, but far more corrosion resistant and not subject to the chloride ion stress cracking that 304 can suffer from.

[GaryHLucas]

Everything at your dock is held together with galvanized hardware, where it is always exposed to water. All the power line guying all around the marina, and everywhere else in your state are all galvanized. Galvanized guy strand is all high tensile alloy steel, typically 50% stronger than the same size stainless guy strand. Galvanized steel doesn't suffer from crevice corrosion, which is why it is used underwater, and stainless isn't. Stainless fails from metal fatigue much faster that galvanized steel. Galvanized rigging costs much less. If your rigger is competent then he's probably giving you good advice.

[chris_gee]

Yes as above. Plus any deterioration can be seen whereas with stainless it can't always. It is an idea I have heard before but not often done because most people assume stainless is better.

[cruiserdave]

The boat is on the Chesapeake and we are re-fitting for a year's cruise. We've had the boat ten years and love it. GaryHLucas and Chris gee, you have hit the nail on the head as far as my rigger is concerned. I've always used 316 stainless on sailboats, in areas that tend to stay wet I've noticed rust. I always thought it had to do with inferior or mislabled stainless but my rigger says it has to do with a chemical reaction to oxygen, or lack of it. Pevious to this boat we had a Catalina 27, purchased new, and owned it for 18 years. After 15 years the mast came down during an exciting sail. The cause was found to be a fatigude (sp) turbuckle, probably didn't dry out well because of those plastic boots. Stainless does look better but..... Interested in what others have to say.

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by GaryHLucas

Galvanized guy strand is all high tensile alloy steel, typically 50% stronger than the same size stainless guy strand.

Really? That's very interesting because Loos Co. shows the minimum breaking strength of 1X19 stainless and 1X19 galvanized are identical at 8200 Lbs for 1/4" dia... 316 stainless is much more corrosion resistant but about 10% weaker than 302/304 which is comparable to galvy. I still can't for the life of me figure out where you pulled the

typically 50% stronger than the same size stainless guy strand

from???

Loos Co. Type 304 1/4" 1X19 8200 Lbs. (Link)

Loos Co. Galvanized 1/4" 1X19 8200 Lbs. (Link)

Do you ever get the feeling some folks just type before actually doing 30 seconds worth of simple research??

P.S. I grew up sailing on a 50 foot Bud Macintosh designed wooden schooner with galvy rigging. It dripped so much rust they finally replaced it with stainless. The galvy looked better on that boat but what a mess on deck! Too bad they didn't make bronze 1X19 that would have looked great...