Aluminum in the harbor?

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dirtrich
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Aluminum in the harbor?

#1

Post by dirtrich »

Hey guys,
What's the consensus on letting your alloy boat sit in a slip in the harbor?
The harbor here in Santa Cruz is known to be "hot", and there isn't an aluminum boat in it (except mine :mrgreen: ) .
I've left it in for a couple of weeks because it's just so darned convenient to hop in it on a moments notice, which seems to happen every day! I'm thinking about getting a slip for it next year, but don't want to see it dissolve before my eyes.
Have I mentioned how much I LOVE my new alloy boat? :!:
SJD
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Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2009 11:01 am
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Re: Aluminum in the harbor?

#2

Post by SJD »

What are you concerned about, corrosion in salt water? If so, not an issue with properly installed/maintained zincs. Alloy boats are routinely left in water all season..
dirtrich
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Re: Aluminum in the harbor?

#3

Post by dirtrich »

SJD,
I'm concerned about electrolysis eating my boat. I guess another way to ask the question would be: How do I know if my factory installed zincs are adequate for the job?
I figured if anybody knows the correct answers, it would be you guys!
SJD
Posts: 62
Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2009 11:01 am
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Re: Aluminum in the harbor?

#4

Post by SJD »

what kind of boat do you have? all of the well known alloy manufacturers make boats that are designed for use in salt and have the proper zincs
Shark Bait
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Re: Aluminum in the harbor?

#5

Post by Shark Bait »

dirtrich: Pro Mariner has a couple of corrosion test meters that will tell you if your zincs are doing the job. I use the 20006 model. All you do is clip the negative lead to the hull, I use one of the welded on cleats, and then you drop the positive lead (test meter half cell) into the water and read the results on the meter. What you are really doing is measuring the electrical charge between the saltwater and the aluminum hull in milivolts. Works great.


http://www.promariner.com/category.php?CategoryNum=3

SB
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Chaps
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Re: Aluminum in the harbor?

#6

Post by Chaps »

Good clean zinc anodes (clean mounting points too) are very important as mentioned above. Another thing that really helps, assuming you are planning to bottom paint, is to apply a couple of coats of epoxy barrier coat to the hull before putting on the bottom paint. The barrier coat effectively seals the hull from contact with the water (bottom paint alone doesn't) which for the most part reduces the conductivity issue. And if you are really wanting a top notch bottom job have the hull blasted and etch primed before the barrier coat goes on.

Both my boats are in the salt year-round and the hulls are happy.
1987 24' LaConner pilothouse workboat, 225 Suzuki
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Bob Davis
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Re: Aluminum in the harbor?

#7

Post by Bob Davis »

I used to keep my boat at a slip in Sausalito with no ill effects. I did have to replace the outboard zincs.The ACB factory zincs are sized for the boat, still have the originals. I had the bottom painted with Interlux system. Its holding up well. It is a lot of labor to do a aluminum bottom correctly. This link shows the product and a brief description of the process. http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/us ... do?pid=887
2006 23' Aluminum Chambered Boat Waverunner,twin Suzuki 140s,T8 kicker,Raymarine e120. Favorite places, off the Golden Gate,Tahoe,Pyramid Lake Nevada.
SJD
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Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2009 11:01 am
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Re: Aluminum in the harbor?

#8

Post by SJD »

There are at least two pacifics kept in the water all season near me, apparently with no problems. They are both bottom painted. I keep my boat in the water for up to three weeks at time without bottom paint no problem. I do inspect and clean the zincs as needed.
DwayneJ
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Re: Aluminum in the harbor?

#9

Post by DwayneJ »

Mine is in a slip in King Harbor Redondo Beach, CA.

I added bottom paint, a bottom liner, and I have a full isolating transformer on the input side of shore power before connection to battery charger/inverter. I also have a large zinc on the rear of the hull plus the zincs on my engine mounts.

* Hull paint is spotless and I would be inclined not to install bottom paint if I was to do this again.
* Bottom liner provides galvanic isolation between other boats in the marina.
* Marine isolation transformers are big and expensive. I used a MasterVolt 16A unit on my boat.

http://www.mastervolt.com/marine/produc ... 0-kva-32a/

Dwayne
hakl
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Re: Aluminum in the harbor?

#10

Post by hakl »

If you are in a hot marina, no anodes will help.
The point is that "hot" current is running through the water (salt or or not)
caused by leaks in the marina's electrical environment or boats mooring there.

This current does not care about the anodes, it is an active current, not due to galvanic series.
Even your boat is not electrically connected to what ever, it may be integrated into a electric cycle.
A healthy bottom paint may be quite a protection, when all other blank metals are out of water,,,

Read more at http://www.qualitymarineservices.net/ -- DOCUMENTS
http://www.qualitymarineservices.net/IB ... rt%201.pdf
BR, Klaus
building a 42' aluminum Riverboat www.aluriverboat.de http://home.arcor.de/bw-kh/temp.htm
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