Anodes

 Gday all,

Was chatting with a mate the other day and we got talking about anodes.......

I had a look at my Trailcraft to see if I could find one and couldn't ,except for the anodes on the outboard.

Am i looking in the wrong place, do they not come standard with anodes, or do the outboard ones coverthe boat?........

Whats everones thoughts on anodes.........I understand what they do , but really dont know much else about them.......

A lesson and advice about them would be appreciated. ......

Cheers

 


ranmar850's picture

Posts: 2702

Date Joined: 12/08/12

Trailer boats don't have them

Sat, 2017-08-19 09:43

 Trailer boats , which are actually trailered and not left in the water for long periods, do not require fitting of an anode. The motor anodes will cover the dissimilar metals issues quite adequately. Boats intended to be permanently in the water are a different kettle of fish, and the larger ones usually have more of a different issue, ie, bronze alloyed  props and S/S shafts. If you do intend to leave your tinny in the water for months at a time, I "might"  think about it, but you will usually find the outboard bracket has a lower anode which will still be in the water when the motor is tilted and the skeg anode is out odf the water and hence out of the equation. A simple analogy would be the dinghy used as a tender--it will be more or less full time in the water, but the only corrosion isues you will get, after my long experience in this, is the build up of salt inside the dinghy, from splashing salt water onto salt left over from evaporation. The water evaporates, leaving yet more salt, and if this is allowed to dry out and sit there, will pinhole you through the hull after a few years. Keeping salt water washing around in there has nowhere near the same effect.  I have seen a large crayboat actually damaged in this manner--dried salt left to sit in a forward compartment, actually eating through, requiring cutting out and welding the the affected area. As well as a 6m plate runabout. Dried out salt is the real enemy, for both hulls and inside your outboard motor.

Posts: 246

Date Joined: 26/12/09

 that explains why I couldnt

Sat, 2017-08-19 10:15

 that explains why I couldnt find one......Cheers