Care instructions for stainless steel products
Stainless steel is the best standard material for marine use, but it must be properly cared for to maintain its finish and durability. With polish intended for stainless steel, you easily make the boat’s stainless parts nice and protect them against weather, sun and wind for a long time. The boat is kept nice and your boating life becomes easier.
Stainless
Corrosion/discoloration that occurs on stainless steel is nothing more than a cosmetic problem and is solved by polishing the surface. Austenitic stainless steel (eg EN 1.4430/AISI316, SS2343) oxidizes on the surface when exposed to air and a chromium oxide layer forms. This layer actively stops any further oxidation of the metal in the same way that aluminum develops a layer of protective aluminum oxide. The difference is that the chromium oxide layer on stainless steel can be polished away without the steel’s surface losing its protective properties, which is not possible with aluminum - that is why aluminum must anodized. It can be said that austenitic stainless steel has its own ability to passivate oxidation.
Båtsystem for life
To maintain the fine luster and preserve this product in its finest condition for the rest of your life you must do the following things:
- Avoid metal to metal (Båtsystems products are designed to minimize that risk whole pieces of metal, plastic washers)
- Use sikaflex in brackets and screw holes.
- Polish and wash off the product after assembly to remove burrs and polish residues that can infect or oxidize quickly.
- Wash and polish the product regularly or at least 2 times a year to keep aggressive reagents away from the surfaces - exhaust gases, fallout etc. away.
Things to avoid when cleaning stainless steel and wooden surfaces on board
- Stainless steel: Do not polish with automotive chrome polish, as it is a rough cleaning agent that can scratch the surface.
- Wooden surfaces and details: Do not wash with detergent, as it can raise the wood fibers, hollow out the wood, and make the surface rough. In the worst case, it can completely destroy details.