Stainless steel, the dominant material in rigging today, is susceptible to its own special form of decay: crevice corrosion, also known as oxygen starvation. Stainless steel contains significant amounts of chromium. When exposed to the atmosphere the surface oxidizes slightly and a thin film of chromium oxide forms, preventing any further oxidation. If exposed to water, salt or fresh, without the presence of air, this film will not form and the metal will corrode. If the water in question is salt water, the process is accelerated.

"You risk oxygen starvation anytime you cover stainless, as when applying spreader boots, shroud rollers, or service. The trick is to exclude both water and air. When serving, some anhydrous lanolin covered with proper parceling and service works fine. Lanolin or mineral oil under shroud rollers is also good. Just rinsing stainless with fresh water whenever you can will lessen the corrosive effects of salt water.