Ratios
Hello,
The ratio of surface area to volume is a big factor in the strength of galvanized wire. The surface varies with the square of the diameter, as I recall, and the volume with the cube. So the weakening caused by galvanizing hits the smaller diameters harder.
Having said that, I believe we've skipped past your motivation, which is to, "... avoid surprise failure and easily see the condition of the rigging..." I don't see how that connects to the use of stainless vs. galvanized. The boat's needs trump yours, in this case. Run the numbers to determine the right size, for both masts. Do what the boat needs you to do.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss
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