Sacrificial Anodes

Diverse

New member
Joined
25 Feb 2005
Messages
2
Visit site
I'm in the final stages of a refit on a small 22ft yacht and I'm after advice on sacrificial anodes as this boat doesn't appear to have any or any mountings for them. There are no metal parts under water other than the fin keel which is cast iron. The engine is a 4hp outboard in a well but is easy to remove. I remove the engine from the well once she's back at her berth.

Is there really any need to fit an anode to protect the keel?The service battery is charged by a solar panel and not the engine. Any advice please!
 

Colvic Watson

Well-known member
Joined
23 Nov 2004
Messages
10,891
Location
Norfolk
Visit site
Your outboard should have an anode at least. What about your rudder, is that attached by any metal? Any metal fittings in your seacocks? All of these are sitting in midly charged water and will happily degrade due to the 'battery' effect of metals which are of different galvanic levels. And don't antifoul the anode! I was looking round our hard standing this week and saw 3 boats with nicely painted (and therefore useless) anodes. All the best with finishing the refit and welcome to the forum.
 

fireball

New member
Joined
15 Nov 2004
Messages
19,453
Visit site
Which 22fter?
We had a MacWester Rowan - no anode on the hull, no seacocks bonded....
It lasted 30 odd years, I think it might last a bit longer ... and that had different metals in the water - just depends where they are on the scale ... and where you moor!

The fact that you take the outboard out of the water is a great help - it will probably have its own anode, but may not be in the water long enough to worry if not!

Funnily enough, our SO30 doesn't have hull anodes either ... and that is still floating after 10 years ... no problems (that I know of!).
 

boatmike

Well-known member
Joined
30 Jun 2002
Messages
7,044
Location
Solent
Visit site
If you have nothing to protect (dont worry about the keel!) why would you want anodes? Just be sure you lift the outboard clear when not in use is all.....
 

snowleopard

Active member
Joined
16 May 2001
Messages
33,645
Location
Oxford
Visit site
Your outboard will have its own anode that is easily overlooked. It's often a disc the size of a draughts piece bolted to the underside of the cavitation plate.

The keel should be big & ugly enough to look after itself, especially if you keep it well painted. The thing to watch is the seacocks and any other metallic skin fittings.

An alternative to a fixed anode is to wire your skin fittings together and connect to a stainless wire dangled over the stern with a lump of zinc on the end. Dangle it when leaving the boat moored. You can buy hanging anodes - some are a pretty fish shape- or you can make your own from scrap zincs found lying around any boatyard.
 

Diverse

New member
Joined
25 Feb 2005
Messages
2
Visit site
Thanks for the advise folks. There's nothing under the water other than the keel and since one post said my keel should be big and ugly enough to look after itself (my keel! ugly? /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif), I'll not give it any more thought. Thanks again.
 
Top