Thanks all for the recommendations and suggestions. I just got off the phone with rec tec support. They too were surprised at the speed of rusting and are sending out a new ring because that was the worst of the spots. They recommended using Cameo instead of barkeeper's friend - they said it works better and is less abrasive. They also recommended generally *not* covering it, and only covering it when it rains. They made the same comment others have made here about water condensing on the inside of the cover and helping to promote rust. We then had a conversation about the fact that we often have a pretty heavy dew here due to the ocean air, and whether that changed the calculus on whether or not to use the cover. It mostly boiled down to experiment and see what seems to work best. And they said to keep them apprised on the situation, whether using the Cameo cleans things up properly and helps keep the rust at bay.
Note that the warranty explicitly excludes corrosion related issues. But it seems like they're being really stand-up and trying to do what's best regardless. So a good thumbs-up on that.
Note that the warranty explicitly excludes corrosion related issues. But it seems like they're being really stand-up and trying to do what's best regardless. So a good thumbs-up on that.