> No significant leaks in the three-four hardshells I've owned. No rust, > either. If your bolts are stainless, they should not rust. Might be time > to take a look at the condition of the bolts and replace them if needed. > > In lieu of marine sealants, I've been using small, close-fitting O-rings on > my through-hull bolts. No leaks. Honestly, the sealant that I've suggested - so far I didn't bother with it either :-) ... Rubber o-rings are there, and they do the job. No leaks. Stainless screws and other stainless items apparently are not all created equal. I've seen traces of rust around different stainless fasteners in sea environment many times (not to mention my River Shorty knife, - allegedly stainless too). *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
alex wrote: > Stainless screws and other stainless items apparently are not all > created equal. I've seen traces of rust around different stainless > fasteners in sea environment many times (not to mention my River Shorty > knife, - allegedly stainless too). Too true; Alex speaks from a wealth of experience. Wikipedia has a good summary / comparison of the myriad grades of "stainless" steel, right here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_steel#Types_of_stainless_steel An excerpt, denoting the two most common grades: 304 (not so good) and 316 (better; aka "marine grade stainless": > Type 304the most common grade; the classic 18/8 stainless steel. [snip] > Type 316the second most common grade (after 304); for food and > surgical stainless steel uses; [snip] It is also known as "marine > grade" stainless steel due to its increased resistance to chloride > corrosion compared to type 304 In my experience, 316 shows no rust even after long use on sea kayaks; 304 shows rust within weeks of regular exposure to salt water; neither is a real safety hazard in our use, most likely. Take a gander at the "crevice corrosion" section in the Wikipedia reference above to see what the real concern is for stainless in a marine environment. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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