Questions on zincs/anodes. for ericson 38

[FLokiDk]

I had a trouble finding some info on what anodes/zincs i need to check up on when i have the boat hauled out. Its the first time i have it out and is a little confused about where to look for anodes on the hull and prob.
Can i get a few hints, and if you happen to have links to spare parts info it will be much appreciated.

Torben, DK.

 

[Slick470]

Zincs are a bit boat and location specific, but at a minimum you'll most likely need 1 or 2 of the propeller shaft type. They are sized by the shaft diameter. Our boat has a 1 inch shaft, so I get 2 1" zincs. I haul out every two years and the zincs are usually about half gone. Although it got a bit better after a crab boat that was two slips down from us left. We don't run shore power so that probably helps with our longevity.

Some propellers need their own zincs and that is propeller specific, but usually it is just the newer, higher performance folding/feathering props. If you are in a high galvanic corrosion area, you may also have an anode on your propeller strut.

Type of anode depends on where you keep the boat. Zinc has traditionally been saltwater specific but aluminum has been marketed for salt and brackish as well. For fresh water, magnesium.

Honestly, when we bought our boat, I just waited until it was hauled out, checked what was on there, and went to buy replacements of the same as a starting point and even though our boat moved from one part of the US to another when we bought it, the type and amount of anodes still worked ok for us.

hope that helps.

 

[Loren Beach]

We used to use "zinc's", and zinc anodes were all that the chandler carried. in the last 15 years or so, most now carry zinc and aluminum anodes. Since we are boating in fresh water, sometimes they only have aluminum ones on hand.
In our fresh water our mechanic recommended the aluminum version, so that is what we use.
Trivia: the former zinc ones would usually get covered with a hard white crust after a year and this would electrically insulate them from doing their job. Our mechanic told us that, in the vernacular, they then "go dead." To revive them I would chuck one up in my drill press and use an old chisel like a lath tool and remove the crust back to shiny zinc again.
This always reminded me of my father's saying about having being so careful about spending money, and the need to cobble together solutions to get them thru the Great Depression: "Poor folk have poor ways..."

 

[Prairie Schooner]

Hi Torben DK,
There are some pictures and good responses to my questions in this thread:

E35-3 Prop Shaft Strut - a look inside - and a zinc question

I've been curious about this too. The idea of zincs is to allow galvanic action to affect the sacrificial part. Especially import to have a continuous path from the engine to a zinc. So the idea of a zinc on the strut has always confused me - the only contact that the strut has with any...

ericsonyachts.org

Pertinent posts start at # 83 with some pictures and musing. Really helpful discussion followed. There's an update in post #105.
Perhaps you'll find something helpful in these.

Cheers,
Jeff

 

[FLokiDk]

thanks for all the responses. ill check the thead. Ill have it hauled out in a month or so to follow up.

 

[u079721]

Well it's not on the prop, and you don't have to wait till haul out - but don't forget the pencil zinc anode inside the heat exchanger. On our boat I seemed to always have to shorten a new pencil zinc to get it to fit in the allotted space.