Are there any windsurf harnesses around that actually do not corrode? I've used few different brands such as Mystic, DaKine, Prolimit and despite the use of "stainless" steel (wish they stated which compound/quality) they all seem to start corroding as soon as months for some.

I gave up rinsing in fresh water after each use as it doesn't seem to make a noticeable difference. I still hang it out for drying immediately after sailing.

I'm in the water multiple times a week so it doesn't have much chance to fully dry but I feel that there should be better quality products out there that last for many years without rusting. Now I have to replace a harness or bar just because it has rusted and I can't risk it breaking when out on the water.

Keen to hear if you have a harness that doesn't rust as quickly.

Below is after 6 months only, crazy!

Yes they rust at the welds. Sometimes like behind the bar at the base of the hook it can break. Have you had any cracks develop?

I used to crack the bar there and blamed it on using it as a rigging tool. I use a screwdriver now and had the same bar for many years.

I broke one at a rusted weld in a decent catapult which was probably good. The rest I have replaced before it got too worse so no cracks. Maybe it still lasts for some time but I just can't live with the idea of heavily corroded critical parts when sailing in locations where it can result in a dangerous situation.

regularly cleaning the steel with vinegar will remove the rust and prolong the life of the item. Then try silicone spray to protect it

That doesn't seem practical and don't like the idea of greasy silicone spray on my harness hook

If anyone has or knows a harness that is made from better quality steel or has welds that don't corrode as quickly then please let me know.

I think there are titanium bars as well. Wonder if they last longer in addition to weight benefits.

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Manuel7 said..as a rigging tool. I use a screwdriver now and had the same bar for many years.

please don't. if you slip or the handle breaks off (likely) it ends up in your guts. bleeding to death in the car park is uncool.

ah yes molybdenum to the rescue, even the marine grades will corrode, only slower pitting.
Slight tangent but some downhaul blocks need a little inspection from time to time too. Especially the ones with the "inox" hex bolt through on the upper connection

I haven't had one that rusted at all.
2 Flying Objects and 2 Dakines.
Having said that, I always rinse my gear after use.

I use dakine and the bars have never seemed to rust. I don't rinse it but do hang it up by the hook to dry. Old harnesses rip and wear out but the bars seem OK.

Yeah me too, FO for ages and I have only ever had very insignificant rust spot at welds that would never cause a structural issue

minor rust can happen with 304 like in many of our fittings so maybe the issue is a 316 part assembled with welding using 304 wire ?

In case of severe rust-allergy: NP has full alu spreaders (good & light, have one) and ion full composite

These days I use a cheap $5 bucket from Bunnings for all my wet gear (wetsuit, harness, hat etc). I fill it with freshwater after each session to rinse everything before hanging it up to dry properly. I also started rinsing my mast base and extensions.

So far no longer had issues with rust on the spreader bar after 4 seasons of use.

Yeah I did that for years but it didn't seem to make a difference so I consider that a waste of time and water now

I still rinse my extension but should probably stop doing that as it's also corroded heavily. I think Severne changed something as the older extensions did not rust.

See below the old red extension, many years old and the newer grey Cyclops, only a year old. Both rinsed and dried after each session. The old one still in good nick (rust wise, has a crack in plastic), the new one pretty terrible.

Sounds like the suppliers are skipping or really skimping on the passivation step - required for stainless parts to prevent surface rust from machining and welding! That kind of surface rust shouldn't be happening, even on a low-grade stainless part.

www.carpentertechnology.com/blog/how-to-passivate-stainless-steel-parts

Possible to do at home, but better off searching for "[your town] passivation" and call up a shop to get them to throw your hook into one of their batches.

Electropolish would work too, but involves some material removal that might not be ideal for the smaller pieces like the clip shown in the prior post.

Rust at the welds on stainless is normally due to chromium depletion in the heat affected zone. Frequently the result of choosing a non-optimum filler rod.

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ptsf1111 said..
Yeah I did that for years but it didn't seem to make a difference so I consider that a waste of time and water now

I still rinse my extension but should probably stop doing that as it's also corroded heavily. I think Severne changed something as the older extensions did not rust.

See below the old red extension, many years old and the newer grey Cyclops, only a year old. Both rinsed and dried after each session. The old one still in good nick (rust wise, has a crack in plastic), the new one pretty terrible.

Not cool. I would send that photo to Severne, would be interesting to hear their response.

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dedekam said..

Not cool. I would send that photo to Severne, would be interesting to hear their response.

Yes, will show this next time I'm at their loft. They're probably aware and I expect they have replacement parts. Will update here later.

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jdfoils said..
Rust at the welds on stainless is normally due to chromium depletion in the heat affected zone. Frequently the result of choosing a non-optimum filler rod.

Agree . Also I think in the spreader bar case , It`s looks like a piss poor welding job , just got it far to hot , and also probably the shielding gas was compromised . Just my observations from looking at porous holes in the welds , and also looking at the second brace ends where it appears the steel has almost been completely melted off !!
And with mast extensions , or any other part for that matter , carbon , stainless steel , ally , are really far apart on the galvanic scale . so you`ll get corrosiveness if those materials are in contact with each other .
But with the Severne bases pictures it shows the use of different type of materials from over the years .

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ozzimark said..
Sounds like the suppliers are skipping or really skimping on the passivation step - required for stainless parts to prevent surface rust from machining and welding! That kind of surface rust shouldn't be happening, even on a low-grade stainless part.

www.carpentertechnology.com/blog/how-to-passivate-stainless-steel-parts

Possible to do at home, but better off searching for "[your town] passivation" and call up a shop to get them to throw your hook into one of their batches.

Electropolish would work too, but involves some material removal that might not be ideal for the smaller pieces like the clip shown in the prior post.

Correct, passivation & pickling reinstates the oxide film to give the surface protection. A lot of what you see it is not actually rust but "tea-staining" which you will see on a lot of handrails etc at the beach.
Rust is usually apparent where the stainless steel has come in contact with tooling during forming or machining.
In Australia you must be licenced to purchase passivating paste as it's nasty stuff that attacks the calcium in your bones through the skin.

Watch out for bases too. I had a Severne one snap off at the pin. Always washed and not all that old. Corroded from the inside out.

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ptsf1111 said..
Are there any windsurf harnesses around that actually do not corrode?

This one: x-booms.com/handmade-carbon-booms/harness

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AUS 808 said..

ozzimark said..
Sounds like the suppliers are skipping or really skimping on the passivation step - required for stainless parts to prevent surface rust from machining and welding! That kind of surface rust shouldn't be happening, even on a low-grade stainless part.

www.carpentertechnology.com/blog/how-to-passivate-stainless-steel-parts

Possible to do at home, but better off searching for "[your town] passivation" and call up a shop to get them to throw your hook into one of their batches.

Electropolish would work too, but involves some material removal that might not be ideal for the smaller pieces like the clip shown in the prior post.

Correct, passivation & pickling reinstates the oxide film to give the surface protection. A lot of what you see it is not actually rust but "tea-staining" which you will see on a lot of handrails etc at the beach.
Rust is usually apparent where the stainless steel has come in contact with tooling during forming or machining.
In Australia you must be licenced to purchase passivating paste as it's nasty stuff that attacks the calcium in your bones through the skin.

Not sure what "passivating paste" is but common stainless steels can be easily passivated using nitric acid to oxidize the surface (followed by rinsing). ... please use proper PPE if you decide to play with HNO3.

I have several Severne ones and and they don't rust after years in salt water without ever rinsing them. Also the welds are not rusting.

I just checked my two harness, both Prolimit, 9/10 year old Rambler and a 5 year old Race, no signs of Rust. Possibly an option for you?

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jdfoils said..

AUS 808 said..

ozzimark said..
Sounds like the suppliers are skipping or really skimping on the passivation step - required for stainless parts to prevent surface rust from machining and welding! That kind of surface rust shouldn't be happening, even on a low-grade stainless part.

www.carpentertechnology.com/blog/how-to-passivate-stainless-steel-parts

Possible to do at home, but better off searching for "[your town] passivation" and call up a shop to get them to throw your hook into one of their batches.

Electropolish would work too, but involves some material removal that might not be ideal for the smaller pieces like the clip shown in the prior post.

Correct, passivation & pickling reinstates the oxide film to give the surface protection. A lot of what you see it is not actually rust but "tea-staining" which you will see on a lot of handrails etc at the beach.
Rust is usually apparent where the stainless steel has come in contact with tooling during forming or machining.
In Australia you must be licenced to purchase passivating paste as it's nasty stuff that attacks the calcium in your bones through the skin.

Not sure what "passivating paste" is but common stainless steels can be easily passivated using nitric acid to oxidize the surface (followed by rinsing). ... please use proper PPE if you decide to play with HNO3.

Pretty much nitric and hydrofluoric acid suspended in a gel for application & then washed off & neutralised with a lime solution.
I know of a guy who lost eye with this stuff due to not wearing safety glasses, ideally double eye protection should be worn??