More things I wish I had known

[JohnSK]

To start the New year with a bit of momentum, here's another thought for you as you gaze on your restoration project and dream of the day she creams into Cowes to admiring gazes.
What about your bonding?
We are all familiar with the problems of electrolysis and we can check our anodes, but how many pay adequate attention to the bonding wires which conect the vulnerable bronze fittings on the boat?
Thes wires live a miserable life in a state of variable immersion in salt water. Xanthus passed her survey but 6 months later the props started disappearing. The anodes were O.K. but close examination revealed that the apparently intact bonding system was in places down to one corroded strand and in others the connections inside the ring connectors were severely corroded. The answer is to get tugging at your bonding or, for preference, replace the lot. A few yards of heavy wire and ring connectors cost a few pounds but a new set of bronze bits; props, seacocks etc, many hundreds.
A Happy New Year to you all.

[Scott Pett]

I couldn't agree more.

Mirak has one almost perfect anode and the other is well worn.

When removing the port fuel tank, I found the anode bonding wire. It had a rusty terminal block connecting two greenish coppery coloured wires.

This was the side that had had a new p-bracket; the prop which was going pink and was "connected" to the perfect anode.

The other side was better wired, and had protected the prop and stern gear, but the anode had worn away.

I will be replacing all the wiring in the boat with Navy spec tinned copper wire - including the earth bonding. If you can afford it, it is the best way to go I think.

I guess the moral of the story is: if the anodes are perfect, then they ain't working.

Cheers,
Scott

[Ben]

I think tinned wire is an absolute must.

As Scott says, the faster the anode is fizzing away the better. I note that they seem to have increased in price a great deal.