paulajayne
Well-Known Member
Save your money.
Fitting shaft anode underwater...
- Thread starter [163233]
- Start date
vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
I can only think of a big G-cramp or something similar but I don't give it a lot of hope. Maybe an exhaust hose clamp? A lot stronger than a hose clip but maybe too fiddly.
Pagetslady
Well-Known Member
Hey up Jon, I have a mini diving set onboard Pagets Lady. shame you are so far away, I did hear you will be up north sometime soon , shame I am still distancing due to my age and diabetes, but we could sit in the cockpit if its not too wet, you could perhaps do with some weight on your body stop you head banging on the hull. Perhaps a cable tie loosely through one set of holes so you can sit the anode over the shaft then put one bolt and nut together i find holding them both together on the dry can be a problem, come up for a breather next trip cut the cable tie, next trip insert the other bolt tighten up both, perhaps a G clamp tightened over the anode instead of two hammers. Possibly all stupid ideas, but you know me.
Mike
[163233]
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Hi Mike, it'd be good to see you, but it looks like we'll be quarantined for the duration, so sadly might not get to see anyone, not even me mum.
You'd have to be psychic to do this underwater up there in all that mud!
Ever practical, I think that would work or something similar is definitely required to hold it in place quickly.
Good point on weight, I've never tried dive weights and would worry about them being too much. Maybe this is a bad idea.
I have an offer of a lift and hold for 137E now which seems good so I think I'll go with that, it'll also let me better check for damage to the hull. The thing was sliding up in reverse and scraping a bit.
Those who've never had one come loose, well done, but I honestly did these buggers up as tight as they would go. I may not have done the hammer thing sufficiently, which would be another reason to skip the swim. Otherwise I'm not sure why it came loose, I have a video from a go-pro type camera, that appears to show a lot of corrosion from the anode, but it was new this January.
jdc
Well-Known Member
I think quite a few yachts, at least of the 'live-aboard-off-on-a-round-the-world-cruise' type have diving kit and will be quite pleased to do a favour to another yacht. We did / do, and I've used the kit a few times for others . So my advice is to go and be social to as many other yachts in your area as possible. Someone may well have the kit and be pleased to do the job. A beer and a natter afterwards are probably acceptable even in these times of social distancing...
RJJ
Well-Known Member
Yeah, criticises a crowdfunder for a certain firm, says it shouldn't be used in place of scuba to go to 10 or 20m. But nothing to say it's not useful for maybe 5-10 minutes at around 1m deep...for which we yachties may be the only customers.
So has anyone actually used one for yachtie purposes?
LiftyK
Well-Known Member
Buoyancy is key to snorkelling under a boat. We float and energy will be expended trying to hold yourself down. If you can carry enough weight to achieve neutral or only slightly positive buoyancy then this will help considerably. Ideally the weight should be ditchable in case anything goes pear (or anode) shaped. A bag of stones is cheap 
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.Spyro
Well-Known Member
I've done it in Scotland with a wetsuit on. No snorkel required just a mask. Depend on your confidence in water.
1. the wetsuit is very buoyant and weights were required
2. you can't hold your breath nearly as long as you think you can in cold water.
3. it can't be done in one go
4. you only get one go at getting the screws/nuts in. If you drop anything it's game over unless you are in pretty shallow water and you can dive down and get them
5. Do it on a bright sunny day. It's pretty dark under the hull.
6. would I do it again? yes to save £250.
1. the wetsuit is very buoyant and weights were required
2. you can't hold your breath nearly as long as you think you can in cold water.
3. it can't be done in one go
4. you only get one go at getting the screws/nuts in. If you drop anything it's game over unless you are in pretty shallow water and you can dive down and get them
5. Do it on a bright sunny day. It's pretty dark under the hull.
6. would I do it again? yes to save £250.
[163233]
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Lifted out in the end...
Well, here's the anode, in a pretty poor state:-
This was installed in January, the boat has been pretty lightly used since.
Bad anode? Looks like bits have actually broken off.. Or a problem with the electrics in the marina?
The other side looked ok, in that no bits were missing.
Well, here's the anode, in a pretty poor state:-
This was installed in January, the boat has been pretty lightly used since.
Bad anode? Looks like bits have actually broken off.. Or a problem with the electrics in the marina?
The other side looked ok, in that no bits were missing.
rogerthebodger
Well-Known Member
This is a shaft anode after 2 years this was after I fitted my fabricated stainless steel prop.
This is my shaft anode 2 years after launch with a bronze prop. The second on is newly fitted
BTW the hull of my boat is steel so so does have anodes on the hull.
vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
I think the bolt was not fully tightened, and the nut came undone and fell off. As the bolt worked its way out it hit something (P-bracket?) and caused the fracture of the anode itself.
Clancy Moped
Well-Known Member
I used to chuck the nuts the shaft anodes came with and used SS lock nuts, is lock nuts the correct name?
James_Calvert
Well-Known Member
I can't tell for sure from the picture, but is the anode one of the cheaper ones without a steel clamp insert?
The normal problem with those is that they loosen as they get used up. If this is one of them, perhaps the casting was faulty and couldn't take the strain of fitting it?
The normal problem with those is that they loosen as they get used up. If this is one of them, perhaps the casting was faulty and couldn't take the strain of fitting it?
jamie N
Well-Known Member
Nyloc perhaps?
[163233]
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Honestly, it was as tight as I could get it.
I'm with the people who say to use Nyloc nuts.
vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
Without using the two-hammer method, unfortunately just tightening the bolts is not enough. This is why so many people experience anodes rattling round the shaft. Small bolts cannot be tightened enough to overcome the friction between anode and shaft.