Re: [Paddlewise] Stainless hardware (and aluminum)

----- Original Message -----
From: Evan Dallas
So just one quick question on the mixing of stainless and aluminum.  When I
last replaced my worn-out rudder cables, I used stainless cable, but
connected it to my rudder using little aluminum sleeves that you loop the
cable through, then crimp to hold the cable tight.  Is this kind of
connection likely to fail prematurely?

Evan,

As water chemist, I can assure you that any time you put dissimilar metals
in contact with a conductive medium, you will have corrosion ocurring. The
salt water is very conductive by the way.

The only thing you can do to prevent this is to not let 2 or more dissimilar
metals be in close contact with each in the water. Additionally, high levels
of chloride attack stainless steel. This results in intergrannular stress
corrosion. So if you are stressing the metal (crimping?), you will actually
increase the corrosion rates.

Hope this helps,

Steve Holtzman


***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed
here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire
responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author.
Submissions:     PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net
Subscriptions:   PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************