SHAFT ANODE

[Con_Brio]

During the 2003 season, the shaft anode on my boat twice came loose. The first time, I hauled out (pleasant surprise - relatively cheaply) in Camaret and replaced the anode, new that season, which showed some but not excessive erosion, tightening the new one on the one-inch shaft as hard as ever I could. I also smeared the threads of the bolts with Araldite before assembly though, to be fair, the glue had little time to harden before she was lowered back in. But before the boat came out for the end of the season, I could again hear the same old flapping noise when the auxiliary was put into gear and sure enough, on hauling out, the anode proved to be hopelessly loose again. Presumably with the loss of firm contact, prop, shaft, etc lost their protection.
This hasn't happened before, not even in the 2001 season when I logged over 4000 miles.
Any one got any advice to prevent the same thing happening in 2004?
One suggestion I have been given is to get an anode with stainless steel inserts in way of the bolts, so that erosion of the zinc around them won't cause the anode to come loose - Duff's were said to make such anodes. Does that sound like good advice?

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[john_morris_uk]

If you do a search of threads you should find some earlier discussions on this subject. One of the ways that I was taught (and which was described on the earlier threads) to ensure that shaft anodes don't come loose is to tighten them up and then hit them fairly hard - and then tighten them again. be careful of your p-bracket cutlass bearing etc. (You can always try holding a lump hammer on the other side of the shaft as you hit the anode.) I have used this technique ever since I was shown it by a shipwright/boatyard worker and I have never had one come loose yet. Hope that this is of some help.

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[sailorman]

dont use the "ball"shaped ones m g duff make anodes that are a more cylindrical shape & have a steel insert that tha screws "clamp" to the shaft.
if u want to use any "goo" try loctite

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[Cantata]

I've only ever used the ones that Sailorman describes, and never had problems.

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[dickh]

The secret is to tighten the two screws, then belt each side with a hammer and you will find you can tighten both screw s a little more. Do twice to make sure.

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I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[sailorman]

if y use thr spericial ones they tend to corrode around the fixing screws & then become loose.
i am very surprised that they r still bought / sold.

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[Con_Brio]

Thanks every one for the advice. I'll try the trick with the hammer.

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