Windlass corrosion?

[Neeves]

Its easy to determine if its salt - taste it. I'd be surprised if the OP has not already done this. If its salt I'd question why there seems to be a concentration at that flange or base plate. If its corrosion it will be insoluble.

If its corrosion there is an awful lot of it and if its salt then the locker needs a good wash with fresh water. Having said that the locker looks clean, the textile rode looks almost unused. Another thought - white rust (google 'white rust') from a new but damp chain rode - though quite how it has smothered the windlass I cannot even guess.

If its white rust then the chain needs a good wash with fresh water (the chain locker should enjoy the same frequency of washing with fresh water as the deck) and the chain and rope need to be kept separate.

That's white rust between the 2 red chain markers



Jonathan

 

[Neeves]

Its an anchor locker - subject to seawater and maybe some zinc and iron. It looks pretty new and clean, maybe some micro plastics from the rope

My first reaction to a white powder would be...

Why is it so white!?

and then....

taste it.

The chance of the powder being poisonous - is minimal (and I'd take the risk).

So its either a salt of aluminium or zinc (I think both are white), I don't know what either taste like, a salt of iron would be red or brown - or its environmentally friendly sea salt (and I know what salt, especially sea salt - tastes like). We smother ourselves with medically useful salts of zinc (from a young age) and aluminium salts (I don't recall them being poisonous (but I am commonly wrong ).

So.....did the OP taste the white powder? or has 'hygiene' become so scary we are too scared to check the obvious (and in my estimation - safe).


I have assumed (I should learn - never assume) the OP has tasted the white fluffy powder - and its not, pure sea salt......

Jonathan

 

[doraymefa]

Its an anchor locker - subject to seawater and maybe some zinc and iron. It looks pretty new and clean, maybe some micro plastics from the rope

My first reaction to a white powder would be...

Why is it so white!?

and then....

taste it.

The chance of the powder being poisonous - is minimal (and I'd take the risk).

So its either a salt of aluminium or zinc (I think both are white), I don't know what either taste like, a salt of iron would be red or brown - or its environmentally friendly sea salt (and I know what salt, especially sea salt - tastes like). We smother ourselves with medically useful salts of zinc (from a young age) and aluminium salts (I don't recall them being poisonous (but I am commonly wrong ).

So.....did the OP taste the white powder? or has 'hygiene' become so scary we are too scared to check the obvious (and in my estimation - safe).


I have assumed (I should learn - never assume) the OP has tasted the white fluffy powder - and its not, pure sea salt......

Jonathan

The OP puts his hand up to admit he has not yet licked this fluffy white powder but promises to try to do so this weekend…

 

[Halo]

 

[Halo]

I got loads of aluminium oxide out of mine. Corrosion of housing caused by water ingress from above due to leaking seal. Sus

 

[Halo]

A large part of housing was corroded away. Now painted with special metals primer

 

[vyv_cox]

I got loads of aluminium oxide out of mine. Corrosion of housing caused by water ingress from above due to leaking seal. Sus

I seem to have acted as some sort of guinea pig for Maxwell windlasses. My first gearbox casing corroded away for exactly the same reason as yours. Water came down the shaft, past the seal and pooled in the closed annular space formed by the coupling piece. The replacement has open slots, which have solved the problem.

 

[Neeves]

I got loads of aluminium oxide out of mine. Corrosion of housing caused by water ingress from above due to leaking seal. Sus

Not helped as its an aluminium casting with stainless bolts or studs and no sign of. Duralac, Tufgel you might not see.

Its interesting, or I think it interesting, many most windlass have an aluminium casting and when you buy the windlass there is no mention of corrosion prevention in the installation instructions and no indication that the new windlass has been treated with anything, the bolts and studs are clean and dry. Its inevitable that a seal will fail - with the inevitable results. Whoever installs windlass during the commissioning process of the original new yacht (which might be the builder or importer/distributor) never seem to use Tufgel nor Duralac.

There is a conspiracy ensuring a steady sale of windlass.

We had the same windlass as Vyv a Maxwell RC8-8 (except ours had a 6mm gypsy), so ours was an RC8-6 (or 6-8). Marvellous bit of kit - I installed it but took it home first and disassembled it - with corrosion prevention in mind. We seemed to benefit from Vyv being a guinea pig.

The biggest point of failure of windlass is the absence of servicing (it should be annually) no oil in the gear box and sticking (unlubricated) drive shafts (again no servicing).

I'm not sure the product of corrosion is aluminium oxide, more likely a salt of aluminium and chlorine (not that is matters).

My guess is that those corroded metal surfaces on Halo's windlass were bare metal, unpainted. You would see no 'bubbling' paint, there isn't any paint. The paint on the OPs picture looks 'unbubbled' possibly the corrosion has not had time to get under the paint surface. Some common corrosion of aluminium is as a result of grinding of two mating surfaces, as in Halo's picture, and the 2 surfaces being ground flat leaving embedded grinding (or cutting) medium in the aluminium which leads to galvanic corrosion once a seal fails.

I don't quite understand gear boxes sealed for life. The seals are bound to fail the water from use of a windlass will have both mud and sand - excellent abrasives.

Jonathan

 

[Metalicmike]

Poor quality Aluminium castings, these are oxide films formed during the casting process de stabilising the paint finish and attracting moisture and causing corrosion. You can slow it down but you will never stop it. Something like hamerite or epoxy is your best bet.

 

[doraymefa]

Well everyone seems to be right this time. I tasted the corrosion / residue and there was no saltiness but when washed with soapy water the problem disappeared.
Having taken the motor and gear mechanism home I have sanded very minor rust from the motor housing. I will now prime and paint the housing then will coat the whole lot with Waxoyl spray.
The clever Fast Fit clamp is brilliant. When I refit I will be able to orient the clamp so that the brass thumb nut and locking nyloc are visible. Thanks for all comments

 

[Neeves]

Well everyone seems to be right this time. I tasted the corrosion / residue and there was no saltiness but when washed with soapy water the problem disappeared.
Having taken the motor and gear mechanism home I have sanded very minor rust from the motor housing. I will now prime and paint the housing then will coat the whole lot with Waxoyl spray.
The clever Fast Fit clamp is brilliant. When I refit I will be able to orient the clamp so that the brass thumb nut and locking nyloc are visible. Thanks for all comments

It seems you have the plan, sounds good.

Simple solutions, tasting, might lack the need for quantitative data b ut can be useful - and you appear to have had no long term impact of the taste test and are still with us

Most windlass have some form of fast fit and/or fast disassemble, our Maxwell is similar. Most also have the ability to rotate the device so that the fall of the rode does not impinge on the windlass components.

I don't think the problem has disappeared as a result of the soapy water - but you now have the solution. Perfect for a few of those long winter's nights.

Good luck



Jonathan