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Care of galvanized wire rigging
Q. I am rigging a traditional sailing vessel of 28 feet and would like to use galvanized wire rope for standing rigging. This vessel is one I built from a hull in the US and currently we are living aboard her while our son pursues his career in hockey here in Canada.
My question is this, how can galvanized wire and turnbuckles be best cared for to inhibit corrosion. I heard that a mixture of bees wax ⇦ on eBay or Amazon [affil links] and castor oil can be warmed and worked into the wire. I also read that the old timers used to use tallow or in some cases anhydrous lanolin. Are there any newer rust inhibitors that have been proven or is there a good traditional recipe I could use.
Scott Strangboat builder/rigger - Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
2004
A. What comes to mind is Cosmoline. It is variously described as; 1)A combination of grease, shellac and beeswax with copper sulphate ⇦ on eBay or Amazon [affil links] added as a corrosion inhibitor. It is initially heated and thinned with alcohol during the mixing state, then is allowed to cool and set up; 2)A stiffer version of petrolatum, or petroleum jelly, made up of the higher order paraffins.
Tom Gallant- Long Beach, California, USA
2004
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