Affordable Marine Service
1215 Beardsley St.
San Diego, CA 92113
Tel: 619.578.5979
Corrosion doesn’t just happen with metal under water but every metallic item “on” or “inside” your vessel. The cause of this culprit is dampness, humidity and salt spray.
There are two types of corrosion, the most typical of the two is “galvanic corrosion”. This occurs when two dissimilar metals are submerged in an electrolyte (a liquid that conducts electricity) causing the battery to produce electrical current. When the current is flowing from one metal to the other it corrodes the two metals.
The second corrosion is electrolytic. It is common that your shore-power system may have a leakage or may be a neighboring boat is giving a mild electrical current.
One sure way to help eliminate both of these nasty corrosion is “zinc anodes”. Installation is easy, you can “do-it-yourself”, have a “diver” or “Affordable Marine” can bolt the zincs on. The areas recommended to place the zincs are.
Outdrive Prop Shaft Trim Tabs
And any other metal surface that may be attacked! Once the zinc(s) are in place they become the “sacrificial metal” that will be eaten away before your expensive metal parts. Galvanic corrosion can be eliminated by keeping “dissimilar” metals apart. For example, DO NOT mount aluminum fittings with a bronze bolt - that is trouble! Be safe, use what was intended for boating, stainless steel.
Look for pits on your zinc. Another indiciation is when you find a “pinkish” color on metal parts such as a bronze prop shaft.
Remember have Zincs on everything! Check them often - prevention will save you the headaches and better yet - MONEY!