Zinc sizes for 53MY?

[stormchaser]

Saraswati is getting hauled Saturday for a bottom job. I want to do the zincs at the same time even thought they aren't really due yet. Anyone know what sizes and how many are needed?

 

[MikeP]

THe shaft zincs are 2" (shaft diameter) you need one - some folks use two - per shaft.

Rudder zincs can be as big as you want and will fit on the rudder but the
5 1/8" diameter ones are what we use.

Our boat has no other external zincs. I don't know if any Hatts came with transom zincs or not; our 53MY did not.

There are also zincs in the Heat exchangers and the water pumps but many people (me being one of them) don't install those because they just break down due to erosion and they are NOT in water anyway when the engines are not running on our 1980 53MY with 8v71TIs. That may NOT be the case on other engines/boats. I have just started putting a zinc "guppy" on our boat when we are not there.

Our boat has needed new zincs about every 6 months - at least before the guppy. We'll see how it does in the future.

 

[REBrueckner]

All good advice from Mike.

If your shaft zincs last between regular haul outs use the same number as present. If not, add a guppy connected to your bonding system and or add another shaft zinc.

Generally the shaft zincs protect the PROPS not an Aquamet 22 shaft...so they should be installed close to the props for best protection. On the rudders, I use 1/2 a four or five inch diameter zinc...as the half lasts quite a while on my boat...

I leave a guppy overboat to reduce zinc losses when I am away from my boat. That insures by shaft and rudder zincs usually last beyond a single year.

I compromised on my 8V71TI's: I use a single heat exchanger/expansion tank pencil zinc...on the outlet side only...that way when the zinc corrodes it hopefully gets blown out overboard rather than clogging the heat exchanger. But these pieces can still foul the shower heads at the exhaust dump.

 

[stormchaser]

Thanks. Anyone have any opinions on sources for zincs? The previous owner of Saraswati mentioned that he has bad experiences with West Marine zincs...Ive never had a problem with them...thoughts?

 

[MikeP]

WM charges nearly DOUBLE the price for the same zincs compared to several local marine stores on Kent Island, MD. WM claim that if you can prove the price at the other store, they will match it. WHy should you have to do that?

Example: for the shaft zincs WM price was $43 for ONE. Local (non-chain) shop charged $23 for the same zinc.

 

[stormchaser]

Thanks, Sadly Im new to Baltimore and don't know where the good indenpendent stoers aser...but will ask around.

 

[yachtsmanbill]

These are the only guys I will deal with! ws
http://www.deepblueyachtsupply.com/

 

[SKYCHENEY]

These are the only guys I will deal with! ws
http://www.deepblueyachtsupply.com/

I second that, Willie.

 

[DAlter]

Go to Boatzincs.com. I just got some from them the other day. Good prices, and free shipping over $100.

 

[stormchaser]

Faucets Boat Supplies in Annapolis was within a dollar of the ebst online prices I could find.

Oh, how many colalrs do y'all put on each shaft? I did two new on each and left the old partly eaten ones on.

 

[stormchaser]

I leave a guppy overboat to reduce zinc losses when I am away from my boat. That insures by shaft and rudder zincs usually last beyond a single year.

I have a guppy (looks, like a grouper to me haha) Where would you suggest I connect it? Where do you connect yours?