Well I've had my 1992 Prindle 18-2 on the beach for 6 months now and my stays and trapeze wires are pretty rusty. What is the best replacement (hopefully ones that don't rust as quikly) wire for cats? Is there something I can put on them to slow the rust process?
<br> Last Wed. was a great day in Newport about 20 knt winds with 30+ gusts. Unusuall for this area. A little scary single handing (130lbs) I had the main out all the way on a reach with both bows dipping dangerously. Managed not to pitch it. I was sailing with a 29er, I had them beat up wind and on a reach but once we turned away and they popped the shoot I was left in the water. ( I guess its time to get that spinnaker).
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<br>Mark Talla
<br>Prindle 18-2 (Newport Beach CA)
<br>Hobie 17 (parked in the barn for the last 8 years)<br><br>

Not an answer to your question, but it struck me that "Rusty Stays" might be a good screen name for a hapless sailor!<br><br>Keith, Annapolis, Md.
<br>H-18
<br>Northstar 500 (monoslug)
<br>www.wrcra.org

First off, you didn't say if the length of the stay was rusty or if just at the swaged ends. If the whole lenght is rusty then you didn't have stainless steel wire. If the swaged ends are rusted where the wire goes into the swage then you have corrosion from salt water getting into the swage. Solutions: 1.) get stainless steel stays. (if you buy from a good source then possibly get better grade but not guarranteed) 2.) try to rinse with plain water as much as possible to get the salt off. 3.) pray
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<br>Good luck, I hope this helps.
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<br>Clayton<br><br>

First you didn't say how old the rigging is but it is probably a good idea to replace all standing rigging at least every 3 years.
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<br>If you have a rigging shop make a replacement set, they can make the new set out of 316 SS rather than the normal 304 SS.The 316 is more corrosion resistant<br><br>

Murrey's makes good hydralically swaged stays you can buy. Spray with fresh water will help them last longer. If you want to really help you can wipe vasaline around and in the swage which will help keep them from corroding. If you see strands breaking around the swage replace them immediately.
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<br>Mike Hill
<br>H20 #791
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Thanks for all you info. The rig is the original but the boat was stored inside (Arizona) for all its life, up to the last 6 months. The entire wire is rusty and the main is suffering from this. I guess I will be ordering some new wires this winter. Why would have Performance Catamarans not used stainless stays???? For what these boats cost I would tnink (HOPE) I would get stainless stays? I wash the boat down with fresh water after every sail (two to three days a week). Thanks again
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<br>Mark Talla
<br>Prindle 18-2 <br><br>

Hi Mark - All shrouds are made with stainless, but they can still discolor after exposure to salt water. You especially need to watch for broken strands near the swages at both top and bottom of the shrouds. Boats stored mast-up are especially prone to broken wires due to the fatigue from wind rocking, etc. while the boat is stored. My boats have been stored mast-up at Mission Bay in San Diego, and I have often found broken strands of wire (sometimes several!) after only 1 year on new stays. Keep checking them regularly, and plan to replace as often as anually, never less than each 3 years.
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<br>It is possible your stays were made with a bad batch of wire, or cheap wire sold as high-grade wire. They could even be home-made using the wrong wire type for salt-water boats. I am on my 3'rd Performance Catamaran's boat (P16=>P19->I20) and have not had any problems with factory shrouds I have purchased for the past 7 years.
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<br>Sail fast and have fun,
<br>Alan Thompson
<br>I20 - San Diego
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Remember that it's a bit of a misconception that stainless steel doesn't rust and corrode. It does. It just doesn't do it at the same rate as normal steel, and different grades of stainless will rust at different rates as well. Without looking at it I can't say for sure, but I'll bet your stays are stainless. The new stays I got for my boat had a surface rust discoloration on them in short order - they're ok, but that film probably would have left a stain on sails or whatever if left in contact.<br><br>Keith, Annapolis, Md.
<br>H-18
<br>Northstar 500 (monoslug)
<br>www.wrcra.org