Volvo 120 saildrive anode

[Spuddy]

I've just scraped scrubbed and toshed the bottom of the boat. An unexpected problem was the saildrive anode which had come loose. Its held onto the leg by a couple of machine screws but the bit of anode they go through is quite skinny and this had eroded through. Fortunately no damage to the leg but the screws were retained inside the anode doughnut and could have caused some nasty scoring.
``Aha, I thought, I'll dab some paint to protect the screws next time but where? I'm guessing that there would still be enough continuity between the anode body and the housing but not that sure. Could smear the paint over the screw heads and for a distance either side or even for all of the skinny circular web; after all there's still the bulk of the doughnut bit exposed.
Anyway....something to watch out for if you have this saildrive
and also....any fault in my reasoning?

 

[Yngmar]

Don't use paint, use waterproof grease, in the screw holes, on the screws and under the heads, and a tiny bit around them where the anode is thin. Don't slobber it all over the rest of the anode.

Paint will dry and could insulate the bolts from the anode, but grease will squeeze out to allow electrical contact and yet cover everywhere they don't touch to protect the important thin bits that hold the anode from eroding. Been doing this on our Saildrive 120S-E for two haul-outs now and it's working well.

We use Volvo prop shaft grease, which is excellent (blueish colour).

 

[daverebbettes]

Don't use paint, use waterproof grease, in the screw holes, on the screws and under the heads, and a tiny bit around them where the anode is thin. Don't slobber it all over the rest of the anode.

Paint will dry and could insulate the bolts from the anode, but grease will squeeze out to allow electrical contact and yet cover everywhere they don't touch to protect the important thin bits that hold the anode from eroding. Been doing this on our Saildrive 120S-E for two haul-outs now and it's working well.

We use Volvo prop shaft grease, which is excellent (blueish colour).

Thankyou Yngmar. Great advice.

 

[Spuddy]

I've got a wee tube of blue waterproof grease (not Volvo branded). Also got silicone grease but will profit by Yngmar's experience and use the blue.
Thanks!