This anode is shot -- or not shot and just covered with zebra mussel gunk?

[mobocracy]

Got over to the marina to start install on a strainer for my generator water intake. Took a look at my anodes and wasn't sure if they were rotten or not. Fresh water only, brand new magnesium anodes when I bought the boat in 2017.

 

[Pirate Lady]

Why is this not in the joke thread?

 

[Skuza]

I don’t see any joke worthy material. Sometimes growth is just that. If the anode still has weight and mass clean/blast it and leave it.

 

[Pirate Lady]

Sorry, guess fresh water boaters do things different, we salt water boaters replace all anodes every year. Always.

 

[Steve S]

In the grand scheme of all boating related things... just replace it! The cost is minimal Versus the benefit.

 

[Lazy Daze]

I don’t see any joke worthy material. Sometimes growth is just that. If the anode still has weight and mass clean/blast it and leave it.

This.

Also, not all salt water boaters replace every year. It comes back to weight/mass - if it's still good, it's good - no reason to throw something away that will still work just fine. That said, if someone wants to replace it rather than spend the time to clean it - that's fine, too.

 

[Pirate Lady]

Lazy, respect your opinion but for $50 I ain’t cheaping out on anodes, replace every year. That outdrive underwater, can’t see it till pull in fall, you really want to see you OD eatin away for $50?

 

[mobocracy]

Here's what it boils down to -- my marina is a total headache for work involving haul out maintenance. For the most part, anything involving that and any kind of "sophisticated" haul out maintenance, I basically have to contract with an offsite storage/maintenance operation at end of season which adds to my winter storage costs by about $2k.

If I knew these anodes were completely shot, I could get the marina to hold off putting my boat back in the water long enough to get them replaced or at least to grudgingly agree to haul it back out soon so I could get them replaced.

Some of this is driven by the marina yard doubling as parking and come spring they need most boats and mine more than others (due to size) in the water ASAP so they can get all the boats in. They pack 'em in in the fall and I don't get much of a chance to inspect below the water line out of the water. They also do very little maintenance and don't give me much of a heads up on my boats minor maintenance needs.

If I had seen these anodes last fall I would have bought two new sets and just replaced them outright without questioning it. Because its a few days before I can get new anode sets (mail order is most likely only source around here), I have really bust my ass to get them to do an extra haul out to get this work done.

I know, I know -- "bad marina" -- yes and no, I could probably switch with a couple of years of waiting to another marina around here, but it likely wouldn't be much different. All the marinas are marginal for service work. I envy you guys on the coast who have access to a ton of full service marinas and service places who do this kind of stuff all the time.

 

[BillK2632]

It's really hard to tell from the picture with all the growth on it -- but here is the thing, BIII's are known to be susceptible to galvanic corrosion. In the early 2000's Mercury added additional anodes to try and control it. My boat that had BIIIs could barley go a year with out replacing the anodes (in fresh water year around). If those have been on since 2017, even seasonal vs year around - I would replace them.

 

[BillK2632]

It's really hard to tell from the picture with all the growth on it -- but here is the thing, BIII's are known to be susceptible to galvanic corrosion. In the early 2000's Mercury added additional anodes to try and control it. My boat that had BIIIs could barley go a year with out replacing the anodes (in fresh water year around). If those have been on since 2017, even seasonal vs year around - I would replace them.

 

[firecadet613]

I'd replace it, if at all possible. Those look fairly well worn and for as inexpensive and easy as they to replace, I wouldn't hesitate! Much easier and cheaper than the alternative...

 

[Lazy Daze]

Pirate, I'm not saying YOU shouldn't do it. Just that not EVERYONE who boats in salt water should do it "just because". To make a blanket statement saying that all salt water boaters do is incorrect. Monitoring how fast the anodes are eaten away, over the years, gives a solid basis as to how often they should be replaced. But I also check on them sporadically through the season, as well - just for good measure.

Certainly, though, there's worse things than replacing anodes "just because" - but if the question is DO they need to be replaced on a yearly basis, the correct answer is "it depends on how they've worn". Everyone's situation is different and the anodes will wear out slower/faster in various situations.

Mobo... another option that might be helpful is that you can change your anodes while in the water and it's really not all that hard. Just find a shallow area. It's not ideal, but just mentioning that in case it helps to buy you some time.

Also, given that it's fresh water, that stuff should come off easily with a wire brush - then you can check them out better. How are the other ones? You might consider using aluminum anodes, like Performance Metals. BUT... if you're happy with the condition of the drives (look at the area just in front of the props, for example), then keep using the Mg.

 

[northern]

Sorry, guess fresh water boaters do things different, we salt water boaters replace all anodes every year. Always.

If you can not afford to replace anodes every year you probably can not afford the boat. I feel guilty every fall when I replace all the anodes as they seem to be less 50% gone. So far no corrosion problems.

 

[bbwhitejr]

We boat in fresh water and have had the amount of current in the water that creates galvanic corrosion checked numerous times. On our dock, it is almost not even measurable. When we brought the 2007 44DB from FL to North GA in the late summer of 2017, I installed Navalloy Aluminum anodes on the hull, trim tabs, and all three engines. They were pulled and inspected every spring and the boat was sold in the fall of 2020 with the same anodes. There are a lot of factors involved in how often they are changed. First and foremost is how much electricity there is in the water...

Bennett

 

[TimW]

If you can not afford to replace anodes every year you probably can not afford the boat. I feel guilty every fall when I replace all the anodes as they seem to be less 50% gone. So far no corrosion problems.

[sarcasm] Why not change engine oil prior to every trip? It’s pretty cheap overall and can’t hurt. [\sarcasm]


I’m all for (and try to) keeping up on maintenance, but there just is no reason to be wasteful.

 

[mobocracy]

Well the good news for me is that my marina is ahead of the weather and pausing putting boats back in and I'm going to get the anodes replaced, either before it gets put back in or hauled out and replaced soon after.

For me this isn't ever about the cost of the anodes or any other maintenance tasks, its the nuisance factor of the marina operation which limits my ability to do basic stuff like this myself and/or regionally marginal access to decent marine mechanics. Just getting some work done at all is way more painful than the check I'd write.