Nigel52
Well-Known Member
I have a real dilemma which goes against everything I have even learnt about boats.
When I took delivery of my new Quicksilver 905 weekend with 270hp mercruiser diesel inboard and Bravo 3 outdrive I asked my local Mercruiser agent if I could order zinc anodes to replace the aluminium ones shipped with the boat as the boat is moored in seawater. Only to be told if I did that it would invalidate the engine and outdrive warranty.
Today with a circa 60 mile trip coming up I checked all oils etc and lifted the leg to check propeller and outdrive only to discover the drive was not antifouled and had barnacles all over propellers and outdrive. Leaning over the bathing platform I cleaned the propellers best I could. Then took it for a test drive and instead of 25 knots eventually got it to 19 knots flat out using 65 litres an hour - not impressed.
I agreed when I purchased the boat for it to be CopperBot antifouled assuming (wrongly) that the outdrive would have been done separately with an aluminium antifoul leaving a gap between the two. Now been told that they never antifoul the leg as it invalidâtes the Mercruiser warranty.
Both these statements completely puzzle me as surely they both mean Mercruiser likely to have to pay out on corroded engine.
Boat now got to be lifted from the water as anodes badly eaten in under three months and to get engine cleaned and antifouled.
Thinking of fitting a galvanic isolator on my shore supply line and maybe a sacrificial anode that one lowers over the side bonded somewhere on the engine.
Questions:
1. What is best outdrive antifouling and how long will boat have to be out of the water?
2. Who should I contact at Mercruiser UK or Europe to discuss this?
3. What are people’s views on this?
When I took delivery of my new Quicksilver 905 weekend with 270hp mercruiser diesel inboard and Bravo 3 outdrive I asked my local Mercruiser agent if I could order zinc anodes to replace the aluminium ones shipped with the boat as the boat is moored in seawater. Only to be told if I did that it would invalidate the engine and outdrive warranty.
Today with a circa 60 mile trip coming up I checked all oils etc and lifted the leg to check propeller and outdrive only to discover the drive was not antifouled and had barnacles all over propellers and outdrive. Leaning over the bathing platform I cleaned the propellers best I could. Then took it for a test drive and instead of 25 knots eventually got it to 19 knots flat out using 65 litres an hour - not impressed.
I agreed when I purchased the boat for it to be CopperBot antifouled assuming (wrongly) that the outdrive would have been done separately with an aluminium antifoul leaving a gap between the two. Now been told that they never antifoul the leg as it invalidâtes the Mercruiser warranty.
Both these statements completely puzzle me as surely they both mean Mercruiser likely to have to pay out on corroded engine.
Boat now got to be lifted from the water as anodes badly eaten in under three months and to get engine cleaned and antifouled.
Thinking of fitting a galvanic isolator on my shore supply line and maybe a sacrificial anode that one lowers over the side bonded somewhere on the engine.
Questions:
1. What is best outdrive antifouling and how long will boat have to be out of the water?
2. Who should I contact at Mercruiser UK or Europe to discuss this?
3. What are people’s views on this?
