legs when docked

Black Valkyrie

Black Valkyrie

Active Member
Jul 19, 2014
688
Canada
Boat Info
1993 Sundancer 270 DA
Engines
Twin 4.3
She is finally back after having the hole in the leg welded. Will have to find a new leg over the winter but at least we have a temporary fix. Since she lives moored in the water (ocean) I started wondering if there is any difference in growth on the legs if they are up or down? I've always left them down, but maybe up is a better position? Do more critters live 9 inches from the surface or several feet from the surface? Would the anodes last longer or not?

Deep or shallow thoughts?
 
When up, your sacrificial anodes won't be in the water.
 
Are you in salt or fresh water?

A metal-safe antifouling paint and regular use of the boat should keep the growth pretty much non-existant. Make sure there's no stray current, either... which can erode the metal and/or cause holes.
 
I would leave them down.

As for growth at that height, I doubt it matters. There's a few 25-27 foot boats in my area, where the drives are located higher than mine (even where the top of the bravo drive is out of the water when trimmed all the way down). And still an insane amount of growth :eek:
 
With regards to growth, the more sun light and water movement they get the worse the growth will be.
 
Lazy Daze said:
Are you in salt or fresh water?

A metal-safe antifouling paint and regular use of the boat should keep the growth pretty much non-existant. Make sure there's no stray current, either... which can erode the metal and/or cause holes.
Click to expand...

This is about as effective as the TSA or a Covid vaccine.
 
If you leave the drive down the trim rams will be less exposed to corrosion and marine growth. I remember one time I saw a guy in Delaware with his drive stuck up after not using the boat for several weeks and how he was cussing.
 
Lazy Daze said:
Incorrect. Proper anti-fouling plate and regular use is quite effective at preventing growth. And... stray current is a VERY real thing.
Click to expand...
I concur. 12 years of owning an outdrive in salt water, with the drive getting anti fouling paint each year. The paint was effective in minimizing growth. Spots where paint was missed has barnacles, mussels, etc.
 
Lazy Daze said:
Incorrect. Proper anti-fouling plate and regular use is quite effective at preventing growth. And... stray current is a VERY real thing.
Click to expand...


Sure - but where the boat is moored anti fouling paint is, again, is more or less useless. Now - the old copper based products were great but any of the new eco garbage is exactly that for this neck of the woods/ocean.

It's wonderful that some people have positive results in other oceans and parts of the world, but they should also understand that results vary.
 
Yes, there are variances based on the water, but you're not in a black hole. Anti fouling will help - even the new stuff.

Your drive may not be tilting up as far as it should. Either that or the boat is squatting in the water much further than it should be.
 
Black Valkyrie said:
Sure - but where the boat is moored anti fouling paint is, again, is more or less useless. Now - the old copper based products were great but any of the new eco garbage is exactly that for this neck of the woods/ocean.

It's wonderful that some people have positive results in other oceans and parts of the world, but they should also understand that results vary.
Click to expand...

I'm a bit confused by this. Copper-based products have never been a viable option for outdrives because of the mixed metal types (copper and the aluminum drive). Tin-based paints (like Trilux 33) have been used on outdrives successfully for years. But tributyltin compounds have particularly nasty environmental effects so are rightly banned.

Similar to saying "outdrive paint always works", saying they never work and are useless is equally inaccurate. If you have tried various compounds they don't work in your conditions, that's a valid and supportable assertion.

Still, the paint vendors have been introducing a number of new formulas in recent years. It might be work a try to see if the new ones will work better. I've had very good success with some of the new Total Boat paints from Jamestown Distributors. I'm in a high-fouling area.

As to position of the outdrive, it's generally better to leave it down. Leaving it up bends and puts stress on the bellows, wearing them prematurely and making them prone to cracking (with leakage, of course). There's always an exception of course; if the boat is docked where the drive would hit bottom or be in mud at low tide, it's preferred to raise it up.
 
There's nothing wrong with the vessel from a technical perspective. The drives are submerged when up. That's sort of the end of the story.
 
b_arrington said:
I'm a bit confused by this. Copper-based products have never been a viable option for outdrives because of the mixed metal types (copper and the aluminum drive). Tin-based paints (like Trilux 33) have been used on outdrives successfully for years. But tributyltin compounds have particularly nasty environmental effects so are rightly banned.

Similar to saying "outdrive paint always works", saying they never work and are useless is equally inaccurate. If you have tried various compounds they don't work in your conditions, that's a valid and supportable assertion.

Still, the paint vendors have been introducing a number of new formulas in recent years. It might be work a try to see if the new ones will work better. I've had very good success with some of the new Total Boat paints from Jamestown Distributors. I'm in a high-fouling area.

As to position of the outdrive, it's generally better to leave it down. Leaving it up bends and puts stress on the bellows, wearing them prematurely and making them prone to cracking (with leakage, of course). There's always an exception of course; if the boat is docked where the drive would hit bottom or be in mud at low tide, it's preferred to raise it up.
Click to expand...


General consensus seems to be down. Was just thinking out loud hoping there might be less critters growing closer to the surface but the potential damage to the rams worries me the most.
 
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