Best Source in USA for Stainless Rigging Hardware?

[CatBuilder]

Does anyone know what the best possible place to buy stainless rigging hardware is in the USA?

I need some 316 closed loop eye bolts, 1/2", with about a 4" length on the thread. Also need a huge washer and nut, all 316 and NOT of Chinese origin... no Chinese products and no products made from Chinese steel.

Anyone know a reputable source for this kind of stuff?

Thanks.

[PAR]

Call Race Lite. They're a mom and pop (okay now son and daughter) USA outfit and though specialize in small boat hardware, they can custom weld up what you need. They aren't the cheapest, but they do good work in Ohio. > racelitehardware.com < 216/581-4600

[Eric Sponberg]

You might try Loos & Co., they may have everything you need.

Loos & Co.: http://www.loosco.com/

Or Macwhyte:

Macwhyte: http://www.macwhyte.com/

For smaller boats with rigging up to 1/4" dia., readers can try Dwyer Aluminum Mast for complete components of sailboat stayed rigs.

Dwyer Aluminum Mast Co.: http://www.dwyermast.com/

Eric

[michael pierzga]

Wichard makes forged ss eye bolts up to 12mm

http://www.wichard.com/fiche-A%7CWIC...000000-ME.html

[CatBuilder]

Thanks a bunch guys! I'm sure everyone reading will find this advice as useful as I have. Great info.

[Grace]

Hi buddy, it's global economy, alllll rightttt?

[CatBuilder]

Originally Posted by Grace

Hi buddy, it's global economy, alllll rightttt?

Hi buddy,

Steel imported from your country is impure, it has voids in it, it rots out in less than a year and is not worth buying.

I bought a china diesel generator once too.

It ran for less than 10 hours before it threw a rod. Since there are no parts available, it was garbage after that.

I then bought a Yanmar powered Italian made generator, which I put nearly 1000 hours on without any problem.

So yeah, it's a global market, but you have to buy from the right people. Europeans, Canadians, Americans (if you can find any), etc, if you want to build a quality boat.

You also have to check the supply chain to be sure the important materials in a product are not of Chinese origin. Recently got my rudder posts: 316L stainless, made in Pennsylvania, from Skandvik brand steel mined in Sweden. The supply chain was documented. That is a rudder post you can trust.

[PAR]

I have to agree with most of that. China has a really serious quality reputation problem to over come, if they ever expect to be a real player in the world economy. Currently, your volume of low cost, cheaply made, less then very durable products, is the only real thing keeping your country in the game. The lack of product innovation and serious quality control issues, means you'll take a back seat for some years to come. Lastly, it's only a world economy if you play by the same set of rules. China's economy is artificially propped up, not market driven like the rest of the world, which makes your products cheaper then everyone else's. This has the terrible side affect, of making you an untrustworthy business partner, except in very limited scope projects. In other words, it's one thing to take advantage of low labor costs, cheap materials and the absolute lack of environment and social regulations, by opening manufacturing facility in your country. It's another thing entirely to expect anyone to ask for your guidance in international monetarily efforts, business ethics, world social advances, etc.

China is in a great position to step up and be a world leader in a number of areas, but so far it has elected to just take the profit, aggressively dominate it's people and insure a huge set of social divisions internally. There are a lot of things going on in the world that could use the help of China, but your country doesn't want to or isn't capable of taking on any of these issues, again content at flooding the markets with cheap, high profit margin products. This is a very near sighted vision for your country. I hope with all the emphasis you've placed on education in recent years, the next few generations will recognize the flaw in this approach to your role in the world and make the appropriate adjustments.

[Grace]

Yeah, we have quality problem, but we've been trying to face it and make the change. Every country has problems in development. it's the problems that drive us to make progress.
As for the diesel generator, CatBuilder, I think you should have returned it for a new one, anyway, not all products are perfectly qualified, maybe you were just the luckiest for the unqualified one.

PS, Why so serious? ！

[PAR]

Originally Posted by Grace

. . . PS, Why so serious? ！

I order plywood in 100 sheet lots. Imagine my level of discontent when a shipment of BS-1088 comes in that delaminates at the mere mentioning of moisture contact. There has been an ongoing market flood of these "mis-marked" sheets in recent years from your country. When I have customers or clients waiting on a product, certified with the best quality stamp available and the shipment turns out to be literally worthless . . . Guess who has to eat the shipping charges and how this must make me feel.

[CatBuilder]

...and, I'm serious because my life's savings and many years of unearned income is going into the boat we are building. I will also have paying passengers aboard. Can you imagine how I would feel if an inferior piece of rigging broke, dismasting the boat and killing one of my customers?

Boats aren't a joke. They are serious, life threatening things. All precautions must be taken in both their construction and operation.

[rberrey]

I,ve tried to be carefull as well not to buy China products to go into my boat. Most construction workers will chunk a schackle or rigging made in China into the dumster. My boat may not be built by a pro , but the products that go into it will be. Like PAR I think China can, and one day will be a great world leader. I think the people of China will one day demand quality among other things . Rick

[CatBuilder]

Originally Posted by rberrey

My boat may not be built by a pro , but the products that go into it will be.

The more you see how "pro" productions boats are built, the happier you'll be that you don't have a boat being built by a "pro."

There are very few production catamarans out there that can rival the quality of a good one off, unless of course, you are in the $700K-$1M price range for some new Chris White form SA, or a Gunboat or something like that.

[rberrey]

I have a cousin that played a year of pro football, if I can get a days work out of him I,ll say the boat was pro built. I bought two winches from rigging only, lowest price I could find on the web untill I went to craigslist. I dont know if you will need any #10 winches Cat but I got a good deal on 6 (new but old ) Andersen #10 winches and 7 handles. I,ve bought new winches three times off craigslist , each time I have been a little nervous. But the winches were delivered and after emails from the sellers I feel good about them not being hot. I do feel bad that the sellers never got to build their projects. Anyway if you need any standard # 10s or handles let me know, I,ll let you have a couple for what I paid for them. Rick

[michael pierzga]

A good source of stainless pulpits, blocks, masts, winches...are boat breakers.

They just broke up a one year old 40 ft Bavaria charter sloop. The boat drug anchor and was smashed against the rocks...beyond repair.

Seek these boat breakers out

10 cents on the dollar is the normal price for salvaged gear.