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Don't let this happen to you!

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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/19/2007 : 20:58:44

I need to share this with you all so you never have to experience what I just went through. I’ll start at the beginning. A few months ago I posted in the C250 forum about a helmsman seat that I built. Here is a photo of the seat:

Here is a close-up of the aft port corner. See how beautiful the stainless steel looks? Look at the shaft collar at the upper right. I was so proud.

Well, imagine my shock when decommissioning the Nauti Duck for the winter when I found that very shaft collar had turned to this!

Yes, it was rusted. I was beside myself. Fortunately the Admiral was home and able to calm me down. I don’t know what I would have done without her.

I immediately removed the shaft collar and three others like it. I found a site online that sells genuine stainless steel collars. Here they are:

Anyway, I’m OK now. Please learn from my mistake. If only one person avoids rust then this will have been worth it.

Oh, sorry about the picture quality. I was getting a lot of flash reflection off our stainless steel kitchen counter.

We cannot direct the winds but we can adjust our sails.

Edited by - on

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 10/19/2007 : 21:50:20

A tragedy I must say! Hope you recuperate from this grand emotional stress before next summer's cruise in the San Juans.

Stainless steel does rust you know, its a question of quality, but it does corode.

Edited by - Steve Blackburn on 10/19/2007 21:50:44

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 10/19/2007 : 23:09:43

Randy,

I'm sure you're feeling traumatized now but this too shall pass. Remember, there's no shame in seeking out professional help at trying times like these.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2007 : 02:13:31

I thought I felt a tremor in the forcer earlier, this explains it.

Seriously, SS will corrode, especially if it doesn't have a free flow of air. Those new ones you just bought might share their brethren's fate.

Edited by - on

Chris Z
Captain

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452 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2007 : 10:37:34

Randy,
I can't believe that sucha a thing found it's way onto your boat. I am guessing the boat is tainted and you should get rid of it ASAP. LOL

Edited by - on

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 10/21/2007 : 00:10:36

Randy, before you throw away the boat have you checked if they make these collars in some type of plastic?

Let's not be too hard on Randy, he's been making great efforts lately to the lenght of considering a gin pole made out of aluminium.

Edited by - on

Happy D
Admiral

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921 Posts

Response Posted - 10/21/2007 : 06:03:59

See what happens when there's no teak on the boat? If you had teak on the boat, you'd have never seen the rust. You'd have been too busy taking care of thet teak.

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 10/21/2007 : 07:23:20

Over it yet?
Ok, now, about that great seat!
Did you fashion the tubing and the hinge?

Perhaps bigfoot breathed on the collar, I think I see him standing in your cockpit when you took the pics?

Paul

Edited by - on

bigelowp
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1761 Posts

Response Posted - 10/21/2007 : 08:32:08

Randy:

In April I purchased a new balanced rudder from CD. I received it in early may and put it on my boat, whcih was still on the hard. within two weeks the pintals were corroding/rusting -- during the two weeks their was only one rain event and the boat was still on the hard and not splashed. As frustrating as it seems, it all boils down to the quality of the stainless (BTW my old 26 year old rudder pintals look like new). I called the people who made the rudder -- Idasailor -- and they said "that sometimes happens". I didn't bother calling CD as they always say "you must have done something . . . " I also have a 17 ft center console outboard that is only a few years old -- the stainless requires constant attention so it does not turn brown - again, they just don't make things like they used to! Keep awatchfull eye on newer metal parts, keep them polished and your seat will continue to get rave reviews for years!

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3429 Posts

Response Posted - 10/21/2007 : 09:06:26

When picking up SS bolts, nuts and washers from the bins at Home Depot or even at West Marine, sometimes people put them back in the wrong bins and it is very easy to get the wrong combo of materials installed.

Then there is the concern over just what SS was used. In most instances, the SS is of 18/8 (18% Chromium and about 8% Nickel). Generally, if you are getting 18/8 SS components, it will be okay in a marine environment. Components start using a SS designation with chromium contents of just 10% but that is not sufficient for marine environments. I would think components bought at a marine store and if in the right bins would be of an 18/8 composition. Even better would be if it was specificed as 304L or 316L which indicates "L" for low carbon content. But 304 and 316 are 18/8 SS even if not with the "L" and chances are would be fine. A high chrome SS works well in marine environmants because the chrome forms a passive film layer over the part but something made out of a lower chrome SS will not form that barrier.

Stainless Steel also does not like stagnant seawater conditions. I have seen a number of instances where SS became pitted being exposed to those conditions. This would nortmally happen in crevices in which saltwater collects and touches a SS component.

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 10/21/2007 : 19:02:28

I feel the love in this forum.

Since I am surrounded by love I can admit what brought me such shame and guilt - I suspected the shaft collars were not stainless when I bought them.

Please, I am being tough enough on myself for this. Somehow I thought they would not rust. Wrong. The new stainless ones should fix the problems.

Don't get me going on teak!

One of the best things about the C250 is no exterior teak. Still, I admit that well cared for teak, on someone else's boat, is a treat to look at.

Finally, as far as aluminum goes, it is indeed a fine marine material so long as it is not permanently affixed to the hull. Mast - OK. Boom - OK. Gin Pole - OK. That's basically the approved use of aluminum on a boat.

Paul, here is the project posting re the seat:

[url="http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=15877"]Nauti Duck Helmsman Seat[/url]

Edited by - Nautiduck on 10/21/2007 20:34:03

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3429 Posts

Response Posted - 10/21/2007 : 21:58:40

Okay...you had to bring up aluminum....

Well...anodized aluminum is fine. But if not anodized then the aluminum does not exactly corrode but oxidizes which is just as bad. I ran into this issue when I was installing my solar panel. I was making the support brackets myself and deicded to order flat SS and flat Aluminum stcok from a materials website. The SS material would have been best to use but I felt it would be too hard for me to work with - I needed to put a 90 degree bend in it and then drill some holes. I found the Aluminum (not really a surprise) easier to work with but I had not ordered anodized aluminum. So, I used a premium grade Rustoleum primer (2 costs) and enamel (2 coats). Then thought of another issue regarding the SS studs and nut that were to fit into the aluminum channels of the solar panel and also used on the support bracket. Galvanically, Aluminum and SS are on opposite ends of the galvanic chart and the aluminum solar panel channel may corrode where the SS stud/nut touches the channel - So I treated the stud and nuts to primer and enamel as well. So far (almost 2 years), those brackets and the panel channels show no signs of deterioration.

Edited by - on

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