# Galvanized wire rope on a boat??



## SailingWebGuy (May 5, 2010)

Hello!

How badly will galvanized wire rope corrode on a boat? 

I was strolling through a steel yard today and found tons of galvanized wire rope in all sizes for extremely cheap!

Any concerns about using it for lifelines??


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## SlowButSteady (Feb 17, 2010)

SailingWebGuy said:


> Hello!
> 
> How badly will galvanized wire rope corrode on a boat?
> 
> ...


A generation (or two or three) ago, it wasn't too uncommon to see galvanized rigging. If you look at some older editions of boat maintenance and/or surveying books you'll see it mentioned quite frequently. Commercial fishing gear is often (usually?) galvanized, and that takes a real beating. However, they lose stuff all the time, so investing in pricey stainless gear may just not be worth it. In some ways it's easier to deal with galvanized wire rope, since you can use hand tools (Nicopress, etc.) to fasten it. And, as you have seen, it is a lot cheaper. However, it's not as nice looking as stainless, and it needs to be replaced much more often. Also, as I recall, the strength to weight ratio of stainless is quite a bit better.


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## mitiempo (Sep 19, 2008)

I wouldn't use galvanized wire for lifelines. I'd look at synthetics, probably Dynex Dux which is also a great choice to replace rigging wire. Turnbuckles are not needed as lashings are used instead. If using wire use stainless without the plastic cover. Here's a link to Dynex. Home


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## nickmerc (Nov 2, 2008)

If you really mean wire rope (galvanized wire with a natural fiber core) then stay away. It really sucks and is no longer in use for a good reason. If you mean galvanized wire (several strands of wire twisted together that looks like rope) then you can consider it. It is stronger than stainless. However, it is much more maintenance intensive since it has relatively poor corrosion resistance compared to stainless. It is much cheaper (even new). Check the alloy of steel being used under the galvanized coating to know the actual tensile strength of the wire to be sure and size it correctly.


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## casioqv (Jun 15, 2009)

SlowButSteady said:


> However, it's not as nice looking as stainless, and it needs to be replaced much more often.


My understanding is galvanized rigging needs replacement much less often than stainless if it's maintained (rinsed with freshwater and oiled) regularly.

Stainless is subject to crevice corrosion, and can fail suddenly without warning if not replaced regularly, whereas galvanized wire won't fail until it's visibly rusted through, which takes a very long time when it's maintained properly.

As for strength- stainless and galvanized are virtually identical and can be sized the same for the same applications.

The downsides of galvanized wire as I see them are increased chafe on sheets and sails which touch them due to the rough surface, and rust stains on sheets, sails, and deck. But it's just as strong, cheaper, and longer lived.

IF you use galvanized wire, and learn how to do your own wire eyesplices it's possible to totally re-rig a large sailboat for well under $100.

I think it's an okay choice for rigging, but I can't see using it for lifelines due to rust staining and abrasion/chafe issues.


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## svHyLyte (Nov 13, 2008)

Galvanized wire was the rule until the late '60's and even through the mid-'70's on boats owned by "old salts". Generally galvanized wire rope that is well cared for and routinely "dressed" with boiled linseed oil will far outlast stainless. That said, the maintenance is the issue but if you are prepared for it, at least annually, it is a good inexpensive alternative for rigging, particularly if you learn how to splice it around a thimble, which isn't difficult but takes strong hands and fingers. A rigger that was capable of splicing wire rope never lacked for work when I was a boy.

FWIW...


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## SailingWebGuy (May 5, 2010)

Thank you everyone! 

Here's my plan.. My current lifelines are shot. They're brown, cracked, and gross. The pelican clips are all bent. I stripped the PVC coating (real pain in the ass) and all of the stainless was completely covered in corrosion. There were a few breaks also but not too bad.

I'm gonna go with a galvanized/home brewed set up for a season and see how it works. 

I was browsing around my dad's shop (he builds elevators) and noticed a bunch of 25' lengths of clear PVC (i think) tubing. They use it as a drip tube to collect hydraulic oil that may leak from the piston head.

Anyways, my thought was to oil the galvanized wire rope and then slip the tubing over it in an effort to protect it and reduce risk of chafing. Hopefully, I won't run into much discoloration in the tubing...we'll see.


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## vintageray (Oct 1, 2010)

I read a discussion on another forum about galvanized rigging with about the same consensus. The only issue that popped up was in regard to the appearance being not as nice as stainless. One of the posters said that they coat their galvanized rigging with a 50/50 mix of "silver" paint and fish oil and it looks great. I'm thinking of going with galvanized to replace the rigging on a Mariner 40 ketch and having a little trouble finding info on what wire I need to buy and what fittings to use. I understand that there are many manufacturers of galvanized stranded wire and differences in quality and need a steer toward a suitable grade at the most reasonable price, preferably in the U.S., because of shipping costs.


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## SailingWebGuy (May 5, 2010)

vintageray said:


> I read a discussion on another forum about galvanized rigging with about the same consensus. The only issue that popped up was in regard to the appearance being not as nice as stainless. One of the posters said that they coat their galvanized rigging with a 50/50 mix of "silver" paint and fish oil and it looks great. I'm thinking of going with galvanized to replace the rigging on a Mariner 40 ketch and having a little trouble finding info on what wire I need to buy and what fittings to use. I understand that there are many manufacturers of galvanized stranded wire and differences in quality and need a steer toward a suitable grade at the most reasonable price, preferably in the U.S., because of shipping costs.


You could probably contact US Rigging with questions. Here is a link to some of their galvanized rope WIRE ROPE :: STAINLESS STEEL WIRE ROPE :: GALVAIZED STEEL WIRE ROPE : STAINLESS STEEL COATED WIRE ROPE


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## mike dryver (May 13, 2006)

sailingwebguy i think putting the covers over the galv. wire is a mistake. i think water will get in and puddle keeping the wire saturated which will cause the galv to fail sooner than later i believe. if you look at thimbles and shackles left under water(salt) the zinc starts to change color in about 2-3 days and then slowly in about a yr you can spot tell-tale signs of rust coming thru. at least in my experience in the N.E.


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## SailingWebGuy (May 5, 2010)

Hey Mike! Yeah, I think you may be right. I'm gonna leave it exposed. It will be a temporary solution anyways. I'll probably just upgrade to SS in a season or two.


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## vintageray (Oct 1, 2010)

Okay, I'm trying to learn here, so please bear with me if I seem ignorant about changing to galvanized standing rigging. From what I've read, it's better than stainless for a lot of reasons and is about 1/5th the cost for the stranded wire. I'm still a little befuddled about fittings though. Lots of mechanical and swage type fittings for stainless, but when I look for attachments for galvanized, I find instructions for splicing to thimbles. Also references to something called a rigger's vise which I suspect might not be necessary for the smaller sized wire rope used for sailboat rigging. If (I still don't know) hand made splices are necessary instead of mechanical or swaged fittings as with stainless, does the cost of the splicing by the rigger offset the savings on the wire rope? I could learn to do the splices myself. I do have all of the old stainless rigging and might be able to lay it out and copy it in galvanized and then hire a rigger to put it up and tune it. Any help?


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

1x19 stainless steel wire isn't generally flexible enough to use with thimbles or splice. That's why it is generally used with either mechanical or swaged terminals. 

The main reason most people have gone to stainless steel wire for rigging is very simple—it's a lot less work to maintain. You don't have to oil it or worm, parcel and serve it like you generally have to do with galvanized rigging.


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## 75R20 (Jun 20, 2008)

Lets not forget that galvanized wire stretches and must be "pre-stretched" before it is put on or under load. (at least in the application that we used it for) We always prep'd the wire by soaking in diesel/ATF for several days, and then draining for a day, or four. Metal pans hold the wire/diesel/ATF mix for both soaking and draining. Then it was wound onto the drum and stretched by applying a 4K load to the wire for 48 hours or more.
Best of luck.
Kary S/V Mariah
#49080


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## rmlarson1098 (Jun 15, 2018)

Hi: look for a rigger's vice; used would be fine. Once upon a time we made up wire rope chokers on the job*, (1/2" and up) and I can't imagine it without the vice! 
Moitessier sailed 'Joshua' around the world more than one and a half times (non-stop and solo) with galvanized wire rope for standing rigging - and with cable clamps to make up the eyes! He never had a failure, most of that sailing was in the roaring 40's, and included rounding Cape Horn.
He also used telephone poles for the masts on his ketch...
We normally used Crosby brand 'buttons' (cable clamps) on our rigging jobs, (ashore) and I never saw a properly made eye fail. We rarely (never) used thimbles - but if you should use S.S. I think you have to. Plus with stainless your eye's must be MUCH larger.
I'm seriously thinking of rigging out my boat as described - including 'buttons' rather than splicing. Why not? (really, I'm asking on this point) As I recall a properly made 'eye' provides about 80% of the strength of the wire rope. I don't know offhand the SWL of say 1/2" galvanized cable, but for 'conventional' wire rope (factory) chokers it's 4400 lbs. With a safety factor of about 5. 
Buttons are cheap - carry a bucket of them. Check them every few days for tightness. Unlike swaged fittings, it's all right there in front of you and you can see EXACTLY what you've got. Plus you can learn how to properly make up an 'eye' - spacing and tightening sequence - in about 5 minutes.
IMHO.
Cheers, Robert,
*Construction boilermaker


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

I was a real fan of galvanized wire for the rigging on my old gaffer. As a matter of fact, shortly after I completely re-rigged the boat in NZ with galvanized wire, we encountered a hurricane at sea. 3 times we were capsized and not one wire broke!
However, I have never once considered galvanized wire for lifelines. It would cost around $500.00 to replace my lifelines w/SS wire and it should last around 10 years. I doubt that you'll get that kind of maintenance free economy out of galvanized wire.


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## rmlarson1098 (Jun 15, 2018)

capta said:


> I was a real fan of galvanized wire for the rigging on my old gaffer. As a matter of fact, shortly after I completely re-rigged the boat in NZ with galvanized wire, we encountered a hurricane at sea. 3 times we were capsized and not one wire broke!
> However, I have never once considered galvanized wire for lifelines. It would cost around $500.00 to replace my lifelines w/SS wire and it should last around 10 years. I doubt that you'll get that kind of maintenance free economy out of galvanized wire.


Good to hear it! I missed the part of the thread that discussed lifelines - but when I replace ours it's gonna be with Dyneema. no more wire.


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## MastUndSchotbruch (Nov 26, 2010)

rmlarson1098 said:


> good to hear it! I missed the part of the thread that discussed lifelines - but when i replace ours it's gonna be with dyneema. No more wire.


uv?


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## rmlarson1098 (Jun 15, 2018)

MastUndSchotbruch said:


> uv?


UV. Well, I'm expecting to use heavier Dyneema and expect the added circumference will be sacrificial. That's the theory, anyway. Still won't last as long as wire rope, (6 or 7 years compared to 15+?) but my experience with wire rope lifelines has been less than positive and I thought I'd try something new! Too new yet to have much in the way of real-life reviews, so if you've heard anything of interest would you be so kind a s to let me know? 
Regards.


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## JimsCAL (May 23, 2007)

And another 8-year old thread gets revived from the ashes by a newbie.

As to dyneema lifelines, they are far from new. Read this thread.
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance/284530-new-dyneema-want-make-lifelines.html


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## rmlarson1098 (Jun 15, 2018)

JimsCAL said:


> And another 8-year old thread gets revived from the ashes by a newbie.
> 
> As to dyneema lifelines, they are far from new. Read this thread.
> http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance/284530-new-dyneema-want-make-lifelines.html


Oh dear. I'm so sorry! Didn't mean to clutter up YOUR forum with my stupid questions and useless ideas.
See 'ya.


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## MastUndSchotbruch (Nov 26, 2010)

rmlarson1098 said:


> Oh dear. I'm so sorry! Didn't mean to clutter up YOUR forum with my stupid questions and useless ideas.
> See 'ya.


IMHO JimsCal's posting was uncalled for. I don't see why one should not continue discussing a topic because it has not been discussed in N years. I for one hadn't seen this 8 years ago (and yes I was on SN) and found it interesting. Thanks for resurrecting it.

And disparaging some poster who asks a genuine question or makes a pertinent contribution only because he or she has less than X postings in the holy halls of SN is infantile.


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## overbored (Oct 8, 2010)

To say a topic is old is ridiculous. someone brings up an old thread because they have something to ask or say about the topic is why the old threads are still on the forum. After all how many years have past since the first sail boat was sailed? why are people still discussing Sailing after all these years? someone is new to the forum does not mean they are new to sailing. If we want the forum to continue to be successful we need to gain new members not scare them away.


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## SailingMango (Jun 16, 2018)

And what else is there to do early in the morning while drinking coffee?


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## JimsCAL (May 23, 2007)

Sorry if I came off as disparaging.

And if rml is really serious about going with dyneema lifelines, he will find a wealth of information on the subject in that thread I linked to.


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## vpo3 (Aug 22, 2006)

I'm glad that was resolved.


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