Shroud wire issue

My shroud wires are coated with white vinyl. This weekend I was getting the parts out of storage to assemble the boat. I noticed the white coating has black lines revolving around the shroud wire. It appears the black pattern is a mirror image of the wire on the inside.

Does this mean the wire is degrading? Is the staining an indication the shrouds need replacement? I tried cleaning with soap and water but that did nothing.

Any thoughts?

How old are the wires?

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I have owned the 1984 H18 boat for three years. I bought from a guy who did not sail it for 17 years. So I would guess they are original. I thought about replacing all the rigging this year but I don't know if I need to spend the 300 or so dollars. There are no signs of discolorization, kinks, frays, etc.

If you don't know how old they are .... I would replace them!

Keep them as spares .... maybe "Orange/Citris cleaner may clean them ... I know Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) will ... NASTY stuff, definately "hazmat" material ... be careful if you use the stuff.

Harry

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HarryMurphey
H-18 mag/ #9458
Fleet 54 Div 11

the problem with older wires is with coating is there is NO way to inspect them. I am not very good with math but it looks like the wires are at least 10 years old, about 7-8 years over there "safe" to sail age. I've seen 3 year old wires break w/o any notice they all "look good" until the break.

The staining on the coating could be heavy corrosion bleeding through.

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Brad Stephens
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I could be whistling past the graveyard here, but since I sail almost exclusively in fresh water, I do not worry all that much about replacing standing rigging on a fixed time frame unless I can see a kink, a burr, a broken strand, or corrosion at one of the swedged fittings.
If I spent more time in salt water I would be much more concerned with problems that might not be apparent to the eye.

Stephen

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If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, maybe it is time to water your own lawn.

I don't think that salt water is the biggest issue with rigging. It's the work hardening of the stainless steel. I have hardly ever seen a rigging failure from pure corrosion. I have seen rigging with marine eyes (H18 Bridles, shrouds etc.) expand and crack. It's not nececisarrily corrosion from salt water. Water washes carbon down into the fitting and it cracks.

Case in point: Monohull rigging is spec'd at lasting 7to 10 years, mostly due to the fact that it is holding a fairly static load in one direction. Once you add mast rotation and other movement into the equation it's spec'd at lasting 2 years.

Then there's the anchor pins...Did I mention before how they fail the most out of any part of the rigging?

I am painfully familiar with that particular failure as has been discussed somewhere else on this forum.

Also, I have seen marine eyes expand and crack. That is one thing I forgot to mention in my previously discussed visual inspection of rigging.

Thanks, Jeremy, for reminding me and everyone else of tht part of the inspection.

Stephen

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If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, maybe it is time to water your own lawn.

I can PERSONALLY testify to Stephen's experience at the 07'H18NA's ... I was maybe 15' away on his port side ... it made a impressive BANG ... scared the sh_t out of me .... luckily for me it was the port anchor pin that failed ... the mast fell to starboard were no one was .... cause I was definately close enough that a approximently 30' long piece of aluminum could have reached out and touched me ... and I don't think my thick/hard Irish head would have helped me much ....

I do remember that VIVIDLY, Stephen

Harry

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HarryMurphey
H-18 mag/ #9458
Fleet 54 Div 11

cheez, how many of us had this happen.

mine was a long time ago on a '79 H16, during a regatta off Sandy Hook.
funny thing, it occured during the THIRD race of the day at a point when there was very little wind and small chop. the shroud parted right at the deck end thimble... whomp! what a mess.

of course, to add insult to injury. some drunk clown drove into the mast on the trailer on the ride home.

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Chris
'88 H18SE Arís

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