Hardware staining and rust

[A-K]

This is a 2016 2320. So obviously the staining is very premature IMO. I keep my boat stored in a shop during the winters. Per Parker’s website it’s reportedly 316 stainless steel. I work in Naval ship repair, so I’ve seen stainless steel be problematic but typically 316 is good unless it’s low grade/lowest bidder crap.

I’m curious if anyone else has had this problem?

Not all the hardware looks this bad but this is the worst of it. It’s pretty embarrassing to have my fishing boat looking this. I keep my boat and gear top notch.

I thought the deck cleat might be dried grease stains. But you’ll see the fuel fill and the hardware on my second station look the same.

If parker boats is reading I’d really like some new hardware. Not holding my breath.

 

[Antidote]

Yup same (not as bad) on my 2019 2520XLD. Use a little FSR on it. it cleans up; but, does come back.

 

[Andy]

This is a 2016 2320. So obviously the staining is very premature IMO. I keep my boat stored in a shop during the winters. Per Parker’s website it’s reportedly 316 stainless steel. I work in Naval ship repair, so I’ve seen stainless steel be problematic but typically 316 is good unless it’s low grade/lowest bidder crap.

I’m curious if anyone else has had this problem?

Not all the hardware looks this bad but this is the worst of it. It’s pretty embarrassing to have my fishing boat looking this. I keep my boat and gear top notch.

I thought the deck cleat might be dried grease stains. But you’ll see the fuel fill and the hardware on my second station look the same.

If parker boats is reading I’d really like some new hardware. Not holding my breath.

When we first got our 2013 2520 XLD, about four years ago, it had no rust on the parts shown in your pictures, but it did have some rust around one of the tank-vents on the port side of the hull, and around both of the stern 'tow-rings'. It came off relatively easily and with a once-a-year application of MDR Metal Polish, the rust has not returned. On a previous boat we had for 28 years, there was zero rust on any of the SS. I don't know if it was the MDR, or just better SS, from a 1986-era boat.... That boat, to this day has zero rust on any of the SS; I'm guessing, as the years have gone by, quality SS is getting harder to find. (In case someone asks; MDR is no longer available; I'm lucky that I have about a 7-year supply left).

 

[Puck-n-Fish]

Any chance your on well water? I'm on a well and I get the orange colored staining as the season goes on from the repeated washings. As water is left to evaporate, the small amounts of iron in the well water end up rusting wherever it pools. Just a thought...

 

[A-K]

Any chance your on well water? I'm on a well and I get the orange colored staining as the season goes on from the repeated washings. As water is left to evaporate, the small amounts of iron in the well water end up rusting wherever it pools. Just a thought...

Interesting I haven't considered that yet but I am on a well however this was happening prior to living at the house on the well.

 

[A-K]

Yup same (not as bad) on my 2019 2520XLD. Use a little FSR on it. it cleans up; but, does come back.

Thanks for the reply.

Could you please explain what FSR stands for?

 

[Andy]

Interesting I haven't considered that yet but I am on a well however this was happening prior to living at the house on the well.

Good points on the well-water and iron. (Or for that matter, any water system that might have a lot of emulsified iron).... We have 'county'/municipal water for the house, but the shop and three boat docks are all fed by a well, and my well water has a lot (a lot!) of emulsified iron... The first time I washed the boat with the well water (back in 1994), the boat had puddles of orange/rust stains on it. Because of that, I can not/do-not/ will not wash the boat with the well water, and can not/do not/ will not flush the engine with the well water; I run a separate hose from the house (the 'good' water) to the boat dock..... A simple test to see how much (if any) emulsified iron is in your well water; Fill a white sheet-rock bucket (duh, any white bucket) with the well water. Let it sit overnight. If there is 'a problem-amount' of emulsified iron in the water, there will be an orange-ish slime laying in the bottom of the bucket the next day.

 

[Fishaddict]

My best SS fittings were from 1990 1800. Around 2000s Parker started using Chinese made steel I was told.

 

[Puck-n-Fish]

I work in a stainless steel shop and i can tell you that its probably not the stainless steel. Any rust spots that you see on the backside or outside of the fittings is most likely iron that was in the water that settled beneath the fitting. This should easily be removed with a little light scrubbing. The surfaces of the fill cap and the cleat itself have no embedded rust. Its not that there aren't inferior products out there but if the metal was inferior, you would see it consistently throughout the entire piece.

 

[Andy]

My best SS fittings were from 1990 1800. Around 2000s Parker started using Chinese made steel I was told.

Yes, agree. Many of my older boats didn't have the SS rust issue. And also agree that a lot of junk SS is coming out of China; and a lot of boat companies are choosing to use it; certainly cost is the issue... An interesting (at least to me! ☺) side-note; The 1986 35' CT Sundeck cruiser/trawler that we owned for 28 years (and that I mentioned 'above'), and that had zero SS rust, and to this day has zero SS rust, was "Built In China" ! (well actually, Taiwan; that was very-much-more-so Chinese in 1986!)

 

[A-K]

I’m considering applying a light coat of bottom paint to the underside of hardware.

any thoughts? Good or bad idea?

 

[Andy]

I work in a stainless steel shop and i can tell you that its probably not the stainless steel. Any rust spots that you see on the backside or outside of the fittings is most likely iron that was in the water that settled beneath the fitting. This should easily be removed with a little light scrubbing. The surfaces of the fill cap and the cleat itself have no embedded rust. Its not that there aren't inferior products out there but if the metal was inferior, you would see it consistently throughout the entire piece.

Hi Puck-n-Fish, thank you for your insight; what you say makes sense.... Does the SS shop you work access your materials from different vendors/sources? Do you have a favorite supplier for quality SS fasteners? one available to the average consumer?
I tried to find a post in the archives, that I'll mention here, but so far have not;...
There was a recent (last few months? 4? 5?) (And this is to the best of my memory) post here on CP where someone had a relatively new Parker, (I think just a year or so old). The boat had a lot of badly rusted screws/fasteners. The person who posted, (and after communicating with the dealer and the Parker factory), provided quotes/comments from the people at Parker who in essence said they were sorry, but there was nothing they could do as the were forced to use substandard/Chinese fasteners, because it was all they could get .... If I can find the post, I'll reference it here...

 

[Antidote]

Thanks for the reply.

Could you please explain what FSR stands for?

it is Fiberglass Stain Remover.

https://www.amazon.com/Davis-Fsr-Fi...berglass+stain+remover&qid=1615462511&sr=8-16

 

[sydngoose]

The problem is simple guys. Parker Marine does a very poor job bedding their hardware. You can’t have metal on fiberglass . All those hardware pieces need to come out be cleaned and properly rebedded. That will eliminate the problem in the future.

 

[DanLovingood]

Stainless steels are stain less, not stain proof. Both 304 and 316 stainless can show evidence of rusting, but 316 is more resistant to corrosion from chlorides so it is the favored marine service stainless grade. Both grades work by means of a passive layer that develops on the surface of the part and protects them from corrosion (rust). Exposure to hard water, acids, or carbon steel tooling (pads wire brushes, etc.) or mechanical disruption can affect the passive layer allowing rust to form. Crevices are especially problematic allowing fluids containing contaminants to remain stagnant and in contact with the stainless part promoting a reduction of the passive layer and crevice corrosion results. In all of A-K's photos above, the staining is present in the contact surface where a small crevice is present which allows contaminated fluid to remain and become stagnant. Properly bedding or gasketing stainless hardware in marine environments will go along way towards preventing this. It does not appear that Parker does anything but install the part (zero bedding). I usually use silicon sealant to form a gasket between stainless hardware and the fiberglas substrate it is being installed on to help with this. Also, avoidance of exposure to hard water, iron bearing tooling or materials (including well water) and strong acid cleaners (oxalic acid in instant hull cleaners) plus flushing any exposed surfaces with clean fresh water and drying off after exposure will help as well.

Cap'n Dan

 

[Puck-n-Fish]

The person who posted, (and after communicating with the dealer and the Parker factory), provided quotes/comments from the people at Parker who in essence said they were sorry, but there was nothing they could do as the were forced to use substandard/Chinese fasteners, because it was all they could get

Yes, this is the case with fasteners. There are very few options for stainless steel fasteners made in the US. The problem in my industry is compounded by the fact that most of the federally funded municipal projects in the US require a substantial amount of USA made materials. Fasteners is the toughest part, and if you can source them they are $$$. For the average consumer, you would be hard pressed to find USA made hardware in the sizes you typically need...especially screws. You would probably recoil in horror as you found out the price too. I wouldn't let imported hardware keep you up at night. Just take care of it as stated above by Cap"n Dan. Everything above is 100% spot on!

 

[DanLovingood]

A-K,

Where do you work? I retired from SUPSHIP Newport News.

Cap'n Dan

 

[sydngoose]

Gemlux imports their stainless from China. They are the best in marine hardware hands down. Agreed with the “stain less” mentality.
China can make good stainless... but you have to pay fir it as Gemlux does. But truly, it’s all about the bedding.

 

[Lucky John]

I have a 2015 and think I have replaced just about every screw/bolt in the boat that had the white coating on top. Haven't had any issues with cleats or rod holders etc, just those darn screws

 

[Truesdell]

For incidental staining, I use Barkeeper’s Friend. Hose down the area, sprinkle on some Barkeeper’s Friend, scrub it with a brush, rinse well. Rinse again.

Barkeeper’s Friend will also remove the color from your clothes so either wash your boat while naked or wear clothes that you don’t care if they look spotted with bleach.