What to do with old anchor?

[eddystone]

Along with new windlass and chain I will be getting a new Lewmar Delta. I would like to hang onto the CQR (I would guess cast pattern copy, not forged) but quite a lot of the galvanising on the crown has rusted off. Obviously re-galvanising is not cost effective for a spare anchor so I thought I would wire brush as much rust off as I could and then treat with rust converter followed by grey/silver Hammerite - any better ideas?

Also on the subject of metal (!) any ideas what to use to polish a propeller (bronze?) prior to smearing it with lanolin?

 

[oldbilbo]

Obviously re-galvanising is not cost effective for a spare anchor so I thought I would wire brush as much rust off as I could and then treat with rust converter followed by grey/silver Hammerite - any better ideas?

Your best option is McDuff 'Zinga' - Cold Anodising Cathodic Protection spray-on stuff. Hugely effective, and easy.

 

[Searush]

presumably the old CQR is just going into a locker for the duration and is unlikely to ever get used, so pretty much anything will do. You could try a Silver Christmas spray can.

 

[SAMYL]

Treat the rust on it then paint it white. That way you can see if it is dug in provided the water is clear enough, grey does not show up too well underwater.

Lots of folks around here use Waxoyl to good effect on their props.

 

[BarryH]

Polish it, leaving the rust to give it a "Patina" then flog it to some "Interior Designer". I kid you not it works!

 

[[70521]]

Got a scrap yard or boat jumble near?

 

[davidej]

Polish it, leaving the rust to give it a "Patina" then flog it to some "Interior Designer". I kid you not it works!

Quite right!

My old CQR sits as a 'gate-guardian' to my garage

 

[eddystone]

Well actually change of plan now - decided to skip Delta/Rocna whatever for time being but will refurbish CQR with Zinguard (thanks for the tip oldbilbo).

 

[Halo]

Also on the subject of metal (!) any ideas what to use to polish a propeller (bronze?) prior to smearing it with lanolin?[/QUOTE]

Immerse it in a 50% concentration of brick cleaner. Take it out when it stops fizzing. The returned mine to a mirror like finish with no elbow grease required

 

[srm]

Why do so many people ask how to keep a prop clean?? Surely the whole purpose of spending money on a boat is to use it. If you take the boat out at least once every week or two and run the engine in gear for say half an hour each time a bronze prop does not need any treatment. At least that is my experience over 35 plus years. My boat is not used as much during the winter as it used to be but a quick rub with a ss pot scourer each spring and frequent use thereafter is all that is needed to keep it clean.

As to the anchor, when running a charter yacht my 30kg Bruce got lots of use so I just slapped on a coat of whatever light coloured paint was handy each spring to keep it looking tidy. The flukes were back to bare metal by the end of the season. Frequent use kept the rust a bay.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Along with new windlass and chain I will be getting a new Lewmar Delta. I would like to hang onto the CQR (I would guess cast pattern copy, not forged) but quite a lot of the galvanising on the crown has rusted off. Obviously re-galvanising is not cost effective for a spare anchor so I thought I would wire brush as much rust off as I could and then treat with rust converter followed by grey/silver Hammerite - any better ideas?

Regalvanising may be quite cheap. My local agricultural blacksmiths (gates, sheep pens, that sort of thing) will add stuff to their weekly galvanizing load for 70p per kg.

Your best option is McDuff 'Zinga' - Cold Anodising Cathodic Protection spray-on stuff. Hugely effective, and easy.

I have that on my lifting keel. It seems to work well, but it chips off very easily. I wouldn't use in on a spare anchor if it was going to live in a locker.

 

[eddystone]

No it's not going to be a spare now, it'll live on the bow roller.

 

[eddystone]

.....until I feel flush enough to buy a Rocna. (spent my anchor money on a Fortress as boat didn't come with a kedge)

 

[JumbleDuck]

No it's not going to be a spare now, it'll live on the bow roller.

Definitely don't use Zynga then. What doesn't come off in the roller will come off the first time you anchor in gravel.

 

[eddystone]

Definitely don't use Zynga then. What doesn't come off in the roller will come off the first time you anchor in gravel.

Too late - already ordered and in the post!

 

[JumbleDuck]

Too late - already ordered and in the post!

Don't use it! Seriously, keep it for something that's never going to rub on something else and have the anchor dipped.

 

[Searush]

No it's not going to be a spare now, it'll live on the bow roller.

In that case, make sure it is securely fastened down whenever you move.

Hit a bit of a bobble or short steep rollers & it is quite likely to jump off. There is then a strong possibility that the weight of the anchor will drag the chain out of the locker. Sailing or motoring with an anchor & chain hanging off the front is fraught with issues, especially in shallow water. Mine is now stored off the roller hooked around the pulpit & well tied in place. Even where it is you can hear it lifting off the deck & dropping back down again despite the ties.

 

[eddystone]

Don't use it! Seriously, keep it for something that's never going to rub on something else and have the anchor dipped.

Does Zinguard dry and could I then Hammerite over to seal it?

There is a galvanising company in our village but I don't think they would put my dirty anchor in with their rows of meticulously cleaned gates.

 

[JumbleDuck]

There is a galvanising company in our village but I don't think they would put my dirty anchor in with their rows of meticulously cleaned gates.

It's definitely worth asking them. It won't cost much to have it grit blasted first, if necessary. Galvanising is surprisingly cheap (well, it surprises me) as long as you don't run into minimum load limits. The agricultural boys near me send a ton or two for galvanising every week - the odd anchor makes stuff-all difference.

 

[Mudisox]

Why not just swallow it?