{"id":58642,"date":"2025-03-13T18:03:20","date_gmt":"2025-03-13T22:03:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/?p=58642"},"modified":"2025-03-13T18:03:22","modified_gmt":"2025-03-13T22:03:22","slug":"crevice-corrosion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/how-to\/crevice-corrosion\/","title":{"rendered":"Crevice Corrosion: The Hidden Threat in Your Rigging"},"content":{"rendered":"\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/070924_009-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image disable-lazyload\" alt=\"Stainless steel with corrosion\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/070924_009-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/070924_009-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/070924_009-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/070924_009-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/070924_009.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Stainless steel is remarkably resistant to corrosion, provided it has a continuous supply of oxygen. Trouble can brew, however, when water gets trapped in crevices and under fastener heads.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Steve D&#8217;Antonio<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>Rigging and spars live a hard life. They are fully exposed to rain, salt, and ultraviolet rays for years on end, along with extreme cyclical compression and tension loads. Considering the poor condition of many rigs I inspect, it\u2019s a miracle that so few fail catastrophically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe id=\"gkstfcayky\" src=\"https:\/\/cruisingworld.dragonforms.com\/gkstfcayky\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"width:100%;height:165px;border:none;overflow:hidden;\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s even more astonishing when you add the opportunities for corrosion that are peculiar to a primary alloy used in rigging and spars: stainless steel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stainless steel\u2014as robust, durable and indispensable as it is\u2014is not without its weaknesses. Superman\u2019s nemesis is kryptonite. Stainless steel\u2019s nemesis is far more common. It\u2019s stagnant water. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stainless steel\u2019s largest alloying element is iron, but it achieves its legendary corrosion resistance thanks to the addition of several other metals, which vary depending on the alloy. They can include nickel, chrome and molybdenum, in varying percentages, among others. The more exotic the stainless alloy, the more elements it usually contains. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This metallurgical cocktail lets stainless steel form a tough, clear oxide coating as it is exposed to air. The coating is maintained as long as that exposure continues. In most cases, even the oxygen dissolved in moving water\u2014fresh and salt\u2014is adequate for stainless steel to maintain its corrosion resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/102424_056-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Sailboat mast\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/102424_056-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/102424_056-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/102424_056-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/102424_056-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/102424_056.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Out of sight because of their elevation, corrosion issues on rigs often go unnoticed. <\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Steve D&#8217;Antonio<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>Why, then, are instances of corroded and failed stainless steel so common with everything from fasteners and rigging wire to turnbuckles and plumbing components? The answer is air. Deprive stainless steel of its constant exposure to air, and things go awry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once starved of oxygen, stainless steel goes from a \u00adpassive to an active state. In other words, it begins to corrode. That\u2019s why stagnant water is such a threat. The scenario can be as simple as trapping water against a fastener that passes through a deck or hull. Give it air, and stainless steel will survive. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Prevention is the best cure, and in the case of crevice corrosion, that means avoiding water \u00adentrapment. Make certain that all \u00adstainless-\u00ad\u00adsteel-flanged hardware is fully bedded, not just the fasteners in polyurethane or polysulfide sealant. Avoid wrapping or covering stainless wire rigging or other hardware with plastic, rubber, or other materials that can retain water. Where this is unavoidable, the wraps or coverings should be periodically removed so that the area can be dried, cleaned and inspected.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stainless-steel fasteners that pass through hulls and decks, like those used for chainplates and padeyes, are particularly susceptible to crevice corrosion. Water can migrate into the hole that the fastener passes through. The fastener\u2019s shank\u2014the part that is not visible\u2014is where the corrosion occurs. Make certain these fasteners are fully bedded, and\u00a0remember that bedding and sealant have a finite life. After five to seven years, even the best product will need to be renewed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/102424_422-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Steel cable with corrosion\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/102424_422-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/102424_422-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/102424_422-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/102424_422-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/102424_422.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Carry out at least annual inspections to look for signs of crevice corrosion.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Steve D&#8217;Antonio<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>One common error \u00adinvolves the act of\u00ad \u00adbedding internal hardware, nuts, washers, and backing plates. This practice, while seemingly intuitive, will in fact facilitate the entrapment of&nbsp;water. Leaving these areas \u00adunsealed is preferable because if and when they leak, you know it\u2019s time to rebed this hardware. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is especially true of chainplates. The external portions and their fasteners should be fully bedded, including where they pass through the deck; however, internal backing plates or other support structures should not be \u00adbedded. Avoid applying fiberglass fabric and resin to stainless steel because this too&nbsp;acts as a water-trapping wet&nbsp;blanket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The telltale sign that stainless steel has gone from passive to active is the formation of brown streaks, often called \u201ctea staining.\u201d If you see these stains, it\u2019s a clarion call for action. Delay could lead to a rig or other hardware failure. <em>\u2014Steve D\u2019Antonio&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Steve D\u2019Antonio offers services for boat owners and buyers through <a href=\"https:\/\/stevedmarineconsulting.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Steve D\u2019Antonio Marine Consulting<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trapped water can make stainless steel vulnerable. Learn how to prevent crevice corrosion before it leads to failure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":58644,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"BS_author_type":"BS_author_is_guest","BS_guest_author_name":"Steve D'Antonio","BS_guest_author_url":"","hydra_display_date":"","hydra_display_updated":false,"arc_story_id":"","arc_website_url":"","arc_subtype":"","arc_exclude_from_feeds":false,"sponsored":false,"sponsored_label":"Sponsored Content","sponsored_display_label":false,"post_right_rail":true,"post_right_rail_ad_1":true,"post_right_rail_ad_2":true,"post_right_rail_ad_3":false,"post_right_rail_ad_4":false,"post_right_rail_recirc":true,"fixed_anchor_ad":true,"post_top_ad":true,"post_off_ramp":true,"post_taboola":false,"labels":true,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":"","ad_settings_ads_on_this_page":true,"ad_settings_automatic_ad_injection_into_the_content":true,"ad_targeting":"","alternate_title_newsletter":"","alternate_content_newsletter":"","sponsored_image":false,"sponsored_url":"","social_share":true},"categories":[164],"tags":[1225,183,319,2084,395],"class_list":["post-58642","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to","tag-hands-on-sailor","tag-how-to","tag-maintenance","tag-print-march-2025","tag-sails-rigging"],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58642","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58642"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58642\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58644"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58642"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58642"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58642"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}