Catalina 36 Owner's Manual page 13

3.0 MAINTENANCE GUIDE (CONTD)
REQUIRED IN MOST RACING BOATS ALSO INDUCES STRESS IN THE
RIGGING SYSTEM*
MANY OF US HAVE TO DEAL WITH AT LEAST ONE OF THESE CONDITIONS
AND SHOULD CONSIDER REPLACING STANDING RIGGING NEARER THE FIVE
YEAR LIMIT.
UNLIKE RUNNING RIGGING WIRE ROPE, WHICH GIVES US CLEAR SIGNS
THAT IT IS DETERIORATING BY BROKEN STRANDS AND "MEAT HOOKS",
STANDING RIGGING MAY GIVE NO SIGN THAT FAILURE IS IMMINENT.
THE USUAL POINT OF FAILURE OF STAY OR SHROUD IS APPROXIFATELY
1/4" INSIDE THE BOTTOM SWEDGED THREADED STUD FITTING WHICH
THREADS INTO THE TURNBUCKLE BARREL.
ALTHOUGH THE STUD IS COMPRESSED AROUND THE WIRE DURING THE
SWEDGING PROCESS, SALT WATER AND POLLUTANTS WORK DOWN INTO
THE TINE CAVITIES BETWEEN THE WIRE STRANDS AND THE INEVITABLE
CORROSIVE PROCESS STARTS IN THE CREVICE THE FIRST TIME THF
RIGGING BECOMES WET WITH SALT WATER.
A COMMON METHOD OF VISUALLY MONITORING SWEDGE FITTING CONDITIONS
EMPLOYED BY DISTANT RACERS AND CRUISERS IS TO DAB A SMALL RING
OF ENAMEL PAINT AROUND THE JOINT BETWEEN THE WIRE AND THE SWEDGE
FITTING. THIS WILL HELP PROVIDE A MEANS TO SEE IF THE WIRE IS
PULLING OUT OF THE FITTING.
ANOTHER TECHNIQUE USED TO CHECK THE CONDITION OF SWEDGE FITTINGS
IS A "DIE PENETRANT" TEST. THIS SIMPLE TEST WILL DETECT ANY
CRACKS WHICH MAY DEVELOP IN THE FITTINGS DUE TO INTERNAL PRESSURE
FROM THE CORROSIVE PROCESS. INEXPENSIVE DIE TEST KITS USUALLY
ARE AVAILABLE AT MOST WELDING SUPPLY STORES. DIE TESTS USUALLY
ARE NOT REQUIRED BY WEEKEND SAILORS, BUT MAY RE DONE BEFORE AN
EXTENDED CRUISE OR OCEAN PASSAGE IF ANY DOUBT ABOUT TFE INTEGRITY
OF THE RIGGING EXISTS.
ALL STAINLESS STEEL WIRE ROPE RIGGING WILL DEVELOP SOME RUST FILM
WHEN NEW.THIS IS NORMAL.
THE RUST IS CAUSED BY TWO FACTORS. WHEN WIRE ROPE IS MANUFACTURED,
THE WIRE STRANDS ARE FED OVER STEEL ROLLERS DURING TEE PROCFSS
OF TWISTING OF LAYING THE WIRE. TRACE AMOUNTS OF THE-FEmQUS
STEEL FROM THE ROLLERS AND DIES ARE TRAPJSFERRED TO THE WIRE
STRANDS. AS THIS SMALL AMOUNT OF STEEL RUSTS IT CAUSES A FILM
ON THE NEW WIRE.
THE SECOND CAUSE OF THE RUST FILM ON NEW WIRE ROPE IS TEE
MICROSCOPIC VEINS OF FERROUS MATERIAL WHICH EXIST IN ALL STAIN-
LESS STEEL. AFTER A PERIOD OF TTFIE, AS TEE SURFACE MATERIAL
VEINS ARE DEPLETED, AND THE STAINLESS STEEL HAS BEEN CLEANED
SEVERAL TIMES, NEW RUST FILM DEVELOPMENT F?ILL SLOW TO A MINIMUM.
FOR THE AVERAGE SAILOR, THE BEST INSURANCE AGAINST A RIGGING
FAILURE IS A PERIODIC ( E W R Y SIX MONTHS IS RECOMMENDED) INSPECTION
OF ALL RIGGING PARTS, INCLUDING TURNBUCKLES, AND REPLACEMENT OF
STANDING RIGGING AS REQUIRED.