In my experience, escpecially here in the tropics, rust is a cancer which must be completely cut away; a surface claening and a cover-up will generally not suffice. i would also doubt the quality of the galvanising on the wire, if indeed it is showing that much staining after a single season.
Others on this forum will likely know better than i, but my own suspicion is that the quality/availability of properly galvanized wire for marine duty cannot be as good as it once was, what with the current demand for such now so low.
i have patched service on 20-yr-old galvanized rigging aboard several traditional boats, and been consistantly surprised at the excellent condition of the underlaying wire. Likewise, i have also been shocked at how quickly such wire degrades if left exposed, especially where close to deck level.
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