cpedw
Well-known member
Is this Spade, around 10-15 years old, too rusty?
Should I replace it, treat it (how?) or just carry on?
Should I replace it, treat it (how?) or just carry on?
How rusty is too rusty for an anchor?
- Thread starter cpedw
- Start date
lusitano
Active member
Relative to how you value your boat !
Refueler
Well-known member
Get the scraper ... wire brush .... emery cloth and clean it up .... good coat of Hammerite and have it another 15yrs !!
Once you clean it up - you can hit it with a hammer to check its still good to use.
Some will advise to clean up and re-galvanise ..... me ? Hammerite !!
Once you clean it up - you can hit it with a hammer to check its still good to use.
Some will advise to clean up and re-galvanise ..... me ? Hammerite !!
Sandy
Well-known member
Have you finally moved the boat?
Bouba
Well-known member
If it’s just surface rust then clean it up…,if you want someone to say replace it so you can show the wife before you buy a new anchor…then replace it
shaneesprit
New member
I think hammerite is a bit pointless, but my first thought also was hit it with a hammer, if it’s ok after that then it’s ok. Maybe an anode is a better idea than painting which is only going to put paint flakes into the sea
Fr J Hackett
Well-known member
My only concern would be how good is the joint of the shank with the fluke or blade, if that is sound then the rest is no problem.
harvey38
Well-known member
Chuck it in, if it holds in a reasonable swell, it's a keeper. Just make sure it's the mark one eyeball keeping watch, not a GPS tracker 
Neeves
Well-known member
This might help you
Removing lead and galvanising a Spade anchor
If you need any more information of the process - post here and I'll fill in the gaps.
The anchor that is the subject of the thread was then used during a 'passage' from Sydney round the north of Australia, west across the Indian Ocean to South Africa, across the southern Atlantic Ocean to South America and then north to the Caribbean (where it is still doing stalwart service as a Spade anchor).
Jonathan
neil_s
Well-known member
That's desperately poor galvanising if it's only 10-15 years old. My CQR gets painted, though - white to match the boat. Will try Hammerite this year!
Neeves
Well-known member
Paint, or Hammerite, will look really good.....until you use the anchor again. You will never remove all the original corrosion and any remain corrosion will simply grow and a white painted anchor simply shows the rust as a great contrast.
Typically people leave it far too late to regalvanise until huge flakes peal off.
If paint worked why would anchor makers go to the expense of galvanising
Once you use the anchor a few times, maybe twice, the paint will abrade off the toe .... and corrosion will start there, as well as the locations where you did not remove the original rust.
You need to remove the lead, grit blast the anchor and maybe acid wash, then galvanise, add back the lead and seal the lead off with epoxy - the galvaniser will advise where to grit blast and they will acid wash.
Anchor chain lasts around 4 years worth of nights at anchor (based on data from people who live on board here and on Cruiser Forum), say 1000 nights. Why would anyone expect an anchor galvanising to last longer considering you bury the anchor and drag it through the seabed every time you use it. The galvanised coating thickness will typically be 80 microns, unless I do it and then its 100 microns (an extra year) but mine is a harder (more abrasion resistant) coating. But 20 microns lost every 365 days, that's less than 2 microns a month - its amazing it lasts that long
- again why would you ex[ect it to last longer?
Expectations seem totally unrealistic - that's normal and publishing complaints that might be unrealistic does the original supplier no good.
I suspect the biggest problem is finding a galvaniser.
Jonathan
Typically people leave it far too late to regalvanise until huge flakes peal off.
If paint worked why would anchor makers go to the expense of galvanising
Once you use the anchor a few times, maybe twice, the paint will abrade off the toe .... and corrosion will start there, as well as the locations where you did not remove the original rust.
You need to remove the lead, grit blast the anchor and maybe acid wash, then galvanise, add back the lead and seal the lead off with epoxy - the galvaniser will advise where to grit blast and they will acid wash.
Anchor chain lasts around 4 years worth of nights at anchor (based on data from people who live on board here and on Cruiser Forum), say 1000 nights. Why would anyone expect an anchor galvanising to last longer considering you bury the anchor and drag it through the seabed every time you use it. The galvanised coating thickness will typically be 80 microns, unless I do it and then its 100 microns (an extra year) but mine is a harder (more abrasion resistant) coating. But 20 microns lost every 365 days, that's less than 2 microns a month - its amazing it lasts that long
- again why would you ex[ect it to last longer?Expectations seem totally unrealistic - that's normal and publishing complaints that might be unrealistic does the original supplier no good.
I suspect the biggest problem is finding a galvaniser.
Jonathan
Geoff Wode
Active member
Now, that’s rough.
Refueler
Well-known member
It all depends on how often you use an anchor ... in some cases - Neeves etc - they are anchoring often. Therefore the costs of Galvanising are well spent.
If as many are only anchoring short spells and not so often - then the costs become questionable.
My Holdfast Plough was Hammerite'd about 4yrs ago ... its been used to anchor maybe 2 - 3x a season since then. Like many - I usually sail from mooring to mooring ... whether it be fast to trees / rocks or pontoons etc. My Plough looks as good today as it did when I painted it ...
There is a factor though that I have to consider where I am - who can galvanise ?? I would have to be detective !!
I think there's a bit of play here as how hard is it to wire brush and touch up a patch or two of worn paint ? Caught and treated soon after - how many years will it take to actually ruin the anchor ?? To put in perspective ... OP could save ~3 quid a month into a box ... by time this anchor has thrown its 'fluke' to the wind and to be replaced - that box will have more than enough money to buy a nice new anchor and still have left over for a few beers to remember the old by.
If as many are only anchoring short spells and not so often - then the costs become questionable.
My Holdfast Plough was Hammerite'd about 4yrs ago ... its been used to anchor maybe 2 - 3x a season since then. Like many - I usually sail from mooring to mooring ... whether it be fast to trees / rocks or pontoons etc. My Plough looks as good today as it did when I painted it ...
There is a factor though that I have to consider where I am - who can galvanise ?? I would have to be detective !!
I think there's a bit of play here as how hard is it to wire brush and touch up a patch or two of worn paint ? Caught and treated soon after - how many years will it take to actually ruin the anchor ?? To put in perspective ... OP could save ~3 quid a month into a box ... by time this anchor has thrown its 'fluke' to the wind and to be replaced - that box will have more than enough money to buy a nice new anchor and still have left over for a few beers to remember the old by.
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Daydream believer
Well-known member
& the rode? What state is that in? If it is only good for a necklace then carry on as is.
Stemar
Well-known member
As long as it's sound, it'll work. The fish don't care if it's pretty or not. I have one that wasn't much better, but a good going over with a wire brush in a drill and a few coats of Action Can ZG-90 Cold Zinc Galvanising Paint Silver made it look presentable and kept it from dripping rust all over the foredeck. Yes, it needs recoating every year or so, but if the budget is busy with other stuff...
Neeves
Well-known member
Just as an aside. It looks as though the anchor has not been used recently - or the rust on the toe would have been abraded off allowing sight of bare metal (and surely it was not on the bow roller of a member's yacht
).J
cpedw
Well-known member
It was in fairly frequent use up to last October. Last season saw about 50 nights and several shorter stops at anchor so it has been fairly busy.Just as an aside. It looks as though the anchor has not been used recently - or the rust on the toe would have been abraded off allowing sight of bare metal (and surely it was not on the bow roller of a member's yacht
J
The rode is in fine condition, after about 8 years service. The anchor still feels solid and getting apparently heavier to lift. I'll try a hammer on it (checking for loose scale?). The shank/blade joint is solid. I doubt if I could get it apart.
Refueler
Well-known member
So what are you worried about ??
There are far worse looking anchors out there still doing service ...
Geoff Wode
Active member
Probably miles away from the OP but I’ve had small items, trailer parts, etc done here quite inexpensively: Galvanising - Yorkshire Powder Coaters Ltd
Refueler
Well-known member
Just out of interest - I am asking my pal who is Commercial Manager of Metalworks - if there are any Galvanisers around here ... I know its a long long way from OP ..
