Corrosion on stern drive??

[wickeral]

Stray current will go where there is bare metal to help it get there. I Powder Coated my props to avoid this. I also have the Mercathods doubled up. My B-III is painted with a thick coat of Imron. And, I believe in Drive Showers on B-III's. Wick

 

[skibum]

Threads like these sure make me glad that my boat is on a rack when I am not using it.

She's over 3 years old, and not one bit of corrosion on the OD. :thumbsup:

Michael

 

[JV II]

Many benefits:
Keeps batteries charged constantly keeping Mercathode system functional and bilge pumps powered in the unlikely event that you take on water.

Allows refrigerator to stay on allowing you to keep food stocked and eliminating the need to empty it every time you leave the boat.

Allows you to keep A/C or dehumidification mode on to keep cabin cool and dry.

There is really no reason NOT to keep shore power on 24/7. The ac converter is designed to operate this way and there is no additional threat to corrosion on your outdrive provided your electrical system is operating properly.

I agree, if you let the boat sit for more than 2 weeks, the bateries may need a top off, but if you use it once a week, they will get fully charged.

Many boats dont have A/C dehumidification and do fine.

You should really take the cold-cuts out of the fridge after the weekend.

The boat's standard galvanic isolator will protect against a hot dock ground, assuming you have one, it is working, and the current in the ground doesn't exceed its capacity. The Mercathode will assist in controlling corrosion assuming it is working. The bonding system of the boat will prevent any stray currents on board assuming it is wired properly. That's a lot of assumptions.

 

[JV II]

By the way, Mercury recommends aluminum anodes in salt on the BIII.

 

[JV II]

I watched my anodes disappear at a furious rate this year and dreaded the condition of my BIIIs when the boat was pulled. This after hearing all the horror stories and seeing the pictures posted on this site. My marina had old boats and power cords in the water all over the place. I've heard how the BIIIs are terrible for salt water and have corrosion problems. I was basing my need to trade up to a VD on the expectation of damage to my drives.

Well, the boat was pulled last night after 6 months in the acid. The anodes were almost gone. I'd say that 1/4 to 1/3 of them remained at best. There was not a speck of corrosion on either drive. I checked the full circumference of the hubs, the lower units and all sharp corners. Nothing. I was shocked. The service manager said he would not have expected any corrosion and has had very good luck with the newer BIIIs. He said there was some manufacturing and design change that controlled the corrosion better on the '06 and '07 BIII's. I'm going to sleep well tonight and look forward to another season on the JV. She continues to surprise and impress me. Going to have to treat her to something nice next spring.