Cleaning up trim tabs

Liberty44140

Decided to clean up the trim tabs today. Soaked them for 10 min in 50/50 muratic acid and water. Then gave a good scrub with an abrasive pad, then soaked again for a few min, then another scrub and a good hose down and cloth dry. Worked great!

Worst part was removing all of the caulk (I think it was 5200 but I don’t know). Used a heat gun and scraper and 90% came off pretty easy, then used a wire wheel on a drill for 9% and finished the last 1% with acetone on a rag. Did that before the acid bath. 

Handymans342

Nice job

aero3113

Very nice @Liberty44140 !

aero3113

The previous owner of my 330 had the tabs painted. I removed the anodes and there was a bare spot. The guys that panted the bottom for me painted over that bare spot on the tabs. Does the anode need to be on clean metal or does it not matter?

Liberty44140

I’ve always been told that the anode must be on clean bare metal to have any effect. I’d probably sand the paint off where the anode connects to the tab. As an aside the bath I did took off the few paint spots that were on the tab 

Dream_Inn

Look great Liberty!

LaRea

I'd bet it doesn't take much contact for anodes to work.  The amount of current is tiny.  Even a small contact patch is probably enough.  

Liberty44140

I did get nice new anodes for the clean tabs

Next part of tab project is adding Bennett’s drop fins. Have to drill 8 holes in each tab. After 3 broken drill bits I have 1.5 holes  Any tips for drilling through these stainless tabs?

YYZRC

Are you using cobalt bits? Slow and steady. 

Liberty44140

They were the harbor freight titanium (cheapest). Ok sounds like I need to go to Lowe’s and get a cobalt bit. Thanks 

aero3113

I was able to clean up where the anodes mount on the tabs today. It must’ve been previously painted a few times. The paint was pretty thick just to be from the other day.

Liberty44140

Nice! Perfect circle for a new one. 

aero3113

So we clean the paint off of the tabs for the anodes to make good contact. Were not stripping the paint off on a drive for the anode to make good contact? Why??

YYZRC

The anodes are all secured via bolts so there is a direct path for the current to follow between the anode and the drive?

aero3113

@YYZRC , Yes, I guess the bolts are the reason!

Liberty44140

Here is the final, all cleaned up and reinstalled. Over size holes drilled, Used west system six10 to fill holes and re installed using 4200. That six10 is freaking awesome. So much easier to shoot epoxy in holes and the thickness is perfect. Not too thick and holds in holes perfectly.

added drop fins while doing this. Should have the same effect as adding 30% wider tabs. My tabs worked fine but I could tell I need some more to get the bow down farther while running. 

aero3113

Looks great! Crazy how close that other boat is to your transom locker @Liberty44140 !!

Liberty44140

Thanks aero. Yea that is actually really good. Go over to marine max or skipper Buds heated and his anchor would literally be 10 more feet forward. They angle the bows super high to almost stack them. I’d have an anchor kissing my hard top. 

My engine room is open about a foot in that pic. 

TonyG13

Liberty44140 said:

They angle the bows super high to almost stack them. I’d have an anchor kissing my hard top.  

I know it's off topic, but that was a pet peeve of mine at my old yard. Some years I'd have someone's anchor hanging over my rear end, or my bow over somebody else. I finally got fed up and asked nicely if I'm paying per square foot for storage I shouldn't have any interference from other boats invading my space. So that year I didn't have anybody in front or back, but they squeezed me between two other boats with about 6 inches between. Couldn't clean or wax. I am now at a new yard paying $500 less and have my own personal bay (six foot clearance on all sides) and my own dedicated electrical outlet.

Liberty44140

That sounds pretty good Tony. I don’t mind the anchor and they only charge me for nominal length not loa so no complaints. And I pay $2k for cold instead of $4k for heated but I ask them to put me close to the heated wall and they do so the coldest I saw this winter was low 40s. There is only one other place that is cheaper but it has no lights and a gravel floor. No thanks