Wissensertes über Edelstahl

Stainless steel care

It's not just cars that need to be washed regularly to keep them looking good. Our boats and especially the fittings also need a regular fresh water treatment to prevent salts and other deposits from causing corrosion.

The corrosion resistance of stainless steels is based on the fact that they form a thin skin with the oxygen in the air, which has an electropositive potential. Experts call this Cr-passive, where Cr stands for chromium. However, chromium is negative in the galvanic voltage series and is somewhat ‘less noble’ than iron. If the thin protective skin is destroyed, the stainless steel becomes Cr-active and therefore somewhat ‘less noble’ than pure chromium. Corrosion can begin.

Who hasn't been annoyed by the brownish stains? They are caused by rust film or iron scale, which flies through the air in abundance in all harbours close to the city. As soon as the rust film settles on the protective skin of the stainless steel, it destroys the Cr passivity very aggressively and quickly.

Stainless steel will only stay shiny for a long time if it is regularly maintained. When rinsing the boat with fresh water, make it a habit to also thoroughly wash the railing supports, bow and stern pulpit and all stainless steel fittings.

Fresh water washes away salts, soot and freshly deposited rust film, the protective coating is ‘aerated’ and can continue to fulfil its function.

If you already have brownish discolouration, almost all commercially available metal cleaning agents are suitable for cleaning the stainless steel fittings on the boat, e.g. normal polish as used for the hull.

Of course, even the best care is useless if the fittings are not made of the right material in the first place or if the stainless steel has not been treated properly. For example, ask at the time of purchase whether the fitting has been electrolytically polished.

With a fitting from Niro-Petersen, you can be sure that only the best quality stainless steel has been used and, of course, all our fittings are electrolytically polished.

This gives you the best basis for enjoying your fitting for a long time, but even a Niro-Petersen fitting needs a little care.

We hope you enjoy our product - made with heart and soul by water sports enthusiasts for water sports enthusiasts.

The Niro-Petersen crew

Anchor weights

This recommendation is based on anchor types whose high holding force has been proven (e.g. ploughshare anchors/CQR or stirrup anchors etc.).

Ship weight in to.	Anchor weight in kg	Chain Ø in mm
at 0,2	3
at 0,5	5
at 1,0	7,5
at 2,0	11	6
at 5	14	8
at 6	16	8
at 8	18	8
at 12	21	8
at 17	25	10
at 23	29	10
at 29	35	10

Why you should commission a certified specialist welding company...

Here you can see what welds that are anything but professionally executed look like:

...and that with such an important component as a cleat.

We are a certified specialised welding company. Each of our welders must pass a welding test every 6 months. All welding consumables must be individually stamped and the documentation must be complete.

Of course, this costs a little more, but you can rely on us for every weld seam. That's a good feeling, especially when it gets uncomfortable outside.

Going on a long distance trip?

Nice that you are going on a long voyage. During this time, your ship and its fittings will be subjected to more stress than usual and probably more than a shipyard has planned for. You should take this into account.

Here are a few examples:

Chain Plates

A thorough check is absolutely essential. Check the weld seams and also look below deck to ensure that the fittings are secure and tight.

Sprayhood, Bimini & Co:

Are these fittings strong enough to withstand a roll if necessary? Even if we hope that you do not experience this, the fittings should be able to withstand it. Even a strong storm can put a lot of strain on fittings such as sprayhoods and bimini, and solar panels are like sails on a fitting and can put a lot of strain on them.

Brackets on the steering position:

It is also often used to pick yourself up... but is the bracket also intended for this and is the fastening correspondingly good?

Radar antenna masts:

Is the antenna mast supported or is it more or less free standing on deck? Here, too, it is worth taking a closer look because anything coming from above can cause more than just minor damage.

Wind generator mast:

Is the mast insulated so that the noise of the wind generator does not go through the whole ship?

Padeyes for the lifeline:

Are there enough Padeyes mounted in the cockpit and on deck for seamless pickling? How are these fittings attached? Just wood screws in the GRP or wood are not enough.

Mast steps:

But are they also non-slip and of a nature that you can't damage your sail?

Railing:

What is the strength of the railing feet and supports? Are the railing supports in the railing foot secured against slipping out? Are all railing feet firm and do they have a sufficiently large base plate?

Life raft:

How can the life raft be brought into the water in an emergency? Can all crew members, even the weakest, move the island or bring it into the water? Alternatively, we recommend a bracket that is attached to the pushpit and ensures that the island falls into the water by itself with a light handle.

Check that sufficiently large washers/plates have been used everywhere so that annoying hairline cracks do not occur at some point.

And finally: with everything you buy, make sure it is A4 quality stainless steel. This helps to prevent too much rust, as stainless steel also likes to be freed from salt water. However, as this is sometimes not possible for a long time, you should at least buy the best possible quality.

You have particularly good protection if the fittings have been electrolytically polished. It is also worth paying attention to this, as you want to go on a long trip and not a ‘long cleaning trip’.

stainless steel

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