Zincs gone on D dock - Anacortes Marina

[Randy and Mary Davison]

Fellow D dockers - Gorbash is on the hard for two year maintenance.  All my zincs were gone and there was a a bit of starting electorlysis on the prop.  Just a heads up to check sooner rather than later.  There may be some extra current flowing this spring.  I had a diver put two on 9 months ago.

The fellow painting my (well Gorbashes) bottom suggested digging a used zinc plate out of the toss barrel and droping it over the side at the dock - tied to the block - when the boat is at the dock for a long period.  Old fisherman trick to save the shaft zincs.  I dug out a large plate and am going to try it.

Randy

[Craig Illman]

Randy - I have a diver do my boat quarterly and my zincs seem to hold up pretty well. Do you have a galvanic isolator? I put one on a couple years ago. They're not cheap, but cheaper that a prop or strut. I was on a real hot slip at Shilshole and lost a prop. If I did it again, I'll probably spend the $500 and put in an isolation transformer.

Thanks for the warning.

Craig

[Ray & Sandy Erps]

I've seen zincs tied over the side of boats before.  They're supposed to be electrically connected to the prop shaft with a wire aren't they?

[Randy and Mary Davison]

Ray, yes they are.  I've dropped ground wires over for my ham radio ground so I'm set up to do it.  I ran a wire from tthe block up through the right rear corner of the boat and dropped it over.  The only gotcha is to remember to pull it out before you start the engine and back out of the slip.  # 12 wire wrapped around your prop is even worse than a dinghy painter.

Craig,  saw your email about isolaters.  I've only been replacing about every 9 months so maybe I just need to do it more often.

Randy