Really bad day....

[Xenopus]

Mananan came out for her month's rest yesterday so I went down to take her for a spin and deliver her up to Eastlands - nipped to the hamble mouth then hopped up front to take in warps and fenders. Only had my slip ons on so left them in the cockpit - knocked them into the drink on my way back in..... Then zoomed around a bit, very cold but great fun, saw the new sealine which looked good and went up river. Saw the hardtop version at RK, looks a bit wierd but very nicely done. Got soooo cold going up into that wind that I couldn't speak coherently (well as coherently as normal anyway) by the time I delivered the boat. Went home to warm up and then came back to clean the scum line off - took one look at the drives and they were clearly dead (confirmed by engineer today). I replaced the anodes early on New Year's Eve and they are now completely gone. Tim, who runs the boatyard then showed me a sunseeker with Bravo IIIs, new this season, also falling apart and a sealine with DPXs (I think) that was less than 6 months old - same story. Mananan and the sunseeker had certainly been fine up until very recently and when I rung to order new drives the guy commented that a load of orders were coming thru....anyone else had the same trouble? Is it a Hamble problem? My drives were getting on anyway (tho' in perfect nick) but I really feel for the others with only a season on their's.

cheers,

Matt

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Bloody well ouch!! How much is that going to cost?? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

We have suffered from bad anode erosion in North Wales, I replaced mine twice last season. It seems to vary from one year to the next, as the previous season, they lasted all year and that included staying in all winter!

Keep us posted.

 

[BrendanS]

Am I correct in summarising that you put new anodes on 30th Dec 2004, and now less than a month later, your anodes are completely gone, and outdrives shot as well? If so, it would seem something is up rather than what would normally be expected from protection provided by anodes.

That's an incredible rate in such a short time. Whereabout's on the Hamble are you, and is it marina or mooring? Are the other boats you mention from same locality? Do you know what the other boats very near to you are like?

 

[Talbot]

Were you connected up to shore power during this period, and do you have a galvanic isolator?

 

[Solitaire]

Interesting Matt - I had Soli out of the water for about 6 weeks, but although the main anode had gone it was nor more than I suspected and it had been on for 7 months. Lets face it, we have no shore power leackage where we are, but it's interesting that it's Bravo 3 getting hit. Anyway, I thought you were moving to Stone Pier permanently?

 

[tcm]

Re: bzzzzzzzzzz

blimey, that's heavy going. Have you electorthingied an anode in three weeks xenopus? I would epect to be ebubbling and foaming at that rate!

 

[Xenopus]

Hi Everyone,

Yes the anodes on the rams and the one on the cavitation plate went to nothing in three weeks compared to about 6 months normally. I was on shore power but have been before with no problem and there is an isolator, I guess that something on the electric side has failed or that someone nearby has a problem. An electrician is checking it out. The other boats that were chewed are also from the Hamble but from further upriver - I'm at Warsash permanently but lift out at Eastlands where there's space and its half the price, Tim and Nick also do an excellent job running it!

On the damage front, both legs are shot - they fell apart in the van on the way back to the workshop and I'm just feeling lucky that I didn't sink - was the high side of 50 kts on them on Monday. Keyparts will import new Bravo Is from the States for £2750 + VAT on a 2 week delivery. However am now checking out the Kiekaefer trimtab costs since one of those rams also looks like a goner. Will let you know complete costs when I get the final quote....

bother - or something similar

Matt

 

[Dave_Snelson]

What about insurance??

I know its a long shot but would your insurance take a look at this. "Normal action of wind or waves etc"

Sorry to want to do a postmortem here but did the erosion get through your paint (or enamel even) on the legs? I just cant imagine this level of attack!!

Again, keep us posted and good luck.

Dave

 

[pissativlypossed]

Re: What about insurance??

You need to fit a galvanic isolator, and as a further safeguard i would hang a lump of zinc over the stern after first connecting it to an earthing point on the boat. This should prove sacrificial to your fixed anodes, thus saving a lift out.
Without wishing to worry anyone further, if you are suffering this rate of disposition you should inspect the anode bolts that go through your hull. At the rate of deposition you seem to be experiencing it will not take long for this bolt to corode and let water into the hull. Even a small hole a few centimetres below the water line will soon overwhelm most automatic bilge pumps.

 

[Xenopus]

Re: What about insurance??

Many thanks, a galvanic isolator is fitted but may have failed in some way (I'm a genetic engineer, not a marine one and have to rely on advice on these things - its being checked out). The lump of zinc idea is an excellent one and all the through hull fittings are being inspected as we speak since I want to get everything suspect replaced - don't like the thought of sinking when she goes back in!

An additional idea from the engineer who looks after her is that, since my batteries are in good nick and don't usually need any extra charging, my only need for shore power is in winter when I have three heaters and a dehumidifier running and they can easily be run by having a blue connector thru to a distribution block (with an RCD) to these 4. This would be completely separate to the boat's system hence no chance of a charge thru the hull - does anyone else have experience of this, it seems a sensible idea to me. Would only plug in boat itself for cooking, hot water when aboard.

cheers,

MAtt

 

[Renegade_Master]

50knts what is it for gawds sake a bladedrunner?

 

[whisper]

Perhaps it's the force of the water that's eroded away the anodes /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Going to have to check mine a.s.a.p.
Do you have the same sort of galvanic erosion in the Med. as is normal in the UK ?

 

[Solitaire]

Hunton Clive, with twin 7.4's. She goes like >>>> of a shovel; I've been on her!