The boat stayed in the water overnight at the camp in Stephensville last night and this is a pic of what looks like corrosion.....Not sure what the part it is nor what, if any thing to do......Attachment 132538
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The boat stayed in the water overnight at the camp in Stephensville last night and this is a pic of what looks like corrosion.....Not sure what the part it is nor what, if any thing to do......Attachment 132538
that looks like your sacrificial anode......that is its normal appearance.....you do not have to do anything.....somehow, that thing is supposed to keep the rest of your motor from corrosion.....like the weakest link in a chain I guess.....something to do with the electrical current in your motor....they do this on underground steel pipelines to save the pipes.....ie, instead of the pipe corroding, the anode does.....
now all you experts on this help me out to explain it.....
:popcornThis oughtta b fun........
Thanks very much PSQuote:
Originally Posted by prefers shiners
PS is right. Most motors have them right above the prop. So they aren't noticed as much. If it is starting to chip or flake you should replace it, but it looks just fine now.
Bruce is right, like the weakest link in a chain. It's sacrificial because it will corrode before the other other metal components due to its more active voltage potential.
thanks for the help guys...
Learn something new every day :popcorn
I always wondered what that was for, thanks for enlightening me!:dono
If you fish in salty water, you will have to replace these more frequently. I replace mine every couple years anyway. They are cheap and easy to replace. They are supposed to be a corrosion magnet. But always rinse your boat , motor and flush your motor if you put it in saltwater. But be warned this all only slows down corrosion. There is no way to completely stop it.
The Annodes help reduce electrical currents caused by Friction in moving water. Salt water conductsbetter. Barges and tug boats have them all over the bottoms even when they operate in fresh water. Water jackets in outboards will hold the Salinity so flush longer than you think you need to
All of the above posts are accurate regarding the function of an anode on an outboard. There is however an additional possibility that can be in play.
If you have not noticed any previous degradation of the anode, and only saw a change when the boat was left in the water at "the camp", you may be seeing the result of a stray electrical current.
If your boat was left overnight at a dock or boat house that has any shore power, an improperly grounded AC line can also cause the "weak link anode" to sacrifice and exhibit the condition your photo shows. Stray current in the proximity of a docking facility with improper grounding, has eaten many an aluminum boat when the anode is completely consumed, not noticed for replacement, and then the aluminum hull itself gets eroded. Tiny pin holes are the first to be noticed. Also can be as simple as an improperly grounded battery charger utilized while the boat is in the water.
Might be minor on the short term, but if you plan on long term leaving the boat in the water at the camp, and the anode starts being aggressively consumed, have the AC ground checked. Stray AC current in proximity to water is why GFI's are required in wet locations.
Or it may be that you are just lucky enough to have salt water under your hull.
Fish on Line and boatstall, excellent points.
Still learning :popcorn