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Bravo 3 zincs & clean props/drives

kneedeepkneedeep Member Posts: 103 ✭✭✭
in General Boating Questions archive
Has anyone had the zincs on the bravo 3 pistons fall off? I've only been in the water a month & 1 is gone and another is loose. I'm assuming this is the marinas fault - not tightening enough or no thread lock? The other zincs aren't deteriorated, so I know they just got loose & fell off. Anyone ever install new zincs while the boats in the water? On another note, I discovered the missing zinc while going for a swim & cleaning the props & drives. The growth is bad in my area, so I go in every 2 weeks & use cotton gloves that have a textured rubber coating which work great for removing the fresh growth. Since I've been staying on top of it, the boat is planing better & running lower rpm's at cruise.
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    Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The bolts have thread locker and star washers when new. Have to be a bad install to fall off.

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
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    john744john744 Member Posts: 35 ✭✭
    Had a lazy boat yard only use 1 of the 2 bolts in the RAM zincs.  Couldn't get the inside one on and too lazy to take the rear pin out so you could get it in.  Just didn't bother.

    John & Kathy

    2002 FV 310 "pair*a*dox"

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    Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    X_X

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
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    rinker312rinker312 Member Posts: 255 ✭✭

    I periodically go under with my kids snorkeling mask on and check my drives out.  Once I noticed that the flat anode above the props was loose.  So I just backed it into a shallow sandy spot and was able to go under and get it tight.  I then soaked my ratchet in some oil for a couple days and it is still working today. 

    2004 Rinker 312, 5.0 Merc's, Bravo III, Lake Wheeler, AL

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    BoatAwayBoatAway Member Posts: 179 ✭✭✭

    it's stuff like this that makes me do my own stuff whenever possible. 

     

    no reason why you can't put the zinc in while in the water. it's tough though. even on the hard.

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    Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Had my brand new aluminum annodes on my new EC 310 replaced with magnesium before the boat hit the water for the first time. Got the parts bag back with the "new" bolts that SHOULD have been used with the new annodes and their nice blue "locktite" tips. Really depressing that a tech didn't know or care. So - BoatAway your comments are right on! MT
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    browncbr1browncbr1 Member Posts: 55 ✭✭
    I used the mixed ally from performance metals. I read they are the best for both fresh and saltwater. Is this the consensus here?
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    Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Listen to Al. For 35 years keptall my boats on boat lifts (i live on the water). In 2011 put my new 350 mag B3 at a slip at a marina. It had aluminum annodes on it. Pulled it out to trailer it after three months and nearly had a heatr attack! The annodes had some efflorescent fluff on them but the B3 drive was a mess. The paint, primer and special Mercruiser electrocoatings had peeled off the bottom of the skeg right down to the metal and all around the edge of the round housing that the props fit into. Metal was actually eaten away. Obviously the marina and/or some boats in it had serious electrical issues. It took me a week of hard work to repair the drive. This year boudgt a new EC 310 with twin B3s and removed the aluminum annodes before it even hit the water for its sea trial. As Al recommended to you -  I installed magnesium annodes.MT
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    browncbr1browncbr1 Member Posts: 55 ✭✭
    As I mentioned, I used the navalloy from performance metals. Here is some technical info. http://www.performancemetals.com/anodes/navalloy.shtml at the bottom, they'd nation magnesium can over protect and lift paint off the hull and drive.
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    Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Interesting link browncbr1. It is important to note that brackish water does not mean "dirty" water as a lot of boaters assume - it means "salt infused " or "salt/fresh mixed" water which can be found in bays near salt water, confluence of rivers and water bodies in proximity to oceans. To have "normal" fresh water contain enough salt or metals to prevent the use of magnesium annodes would be near impossible. If one is going to boat in REAL brackish (salt infused water) or true salt water I agree that magnesium is not a good choice, otherwise I do not believe the performance metal's caution regarding magnesium is accurate. Every study I have read states most clearly that if you are boating in fresh water, magnesium gives the best protection. It will NOT last the longest. If that's what anyone wants they can take their chances with less noble annodes. My opinion for what its worth. MT
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    browncbr1browncbr1 Member Posts: 55 ✭✭
    Yea, I didn't take that info as being applicable to fresh water... But I took it as the navalloy is just a good reliable anode for fresh water as well as salt water with some science behind it. We dry dock ours, so it wouldn't be an issue for us either way.... But just thought I would share what I decided on with limited knowledge or experience.. ;)
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    Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Sharing info is what makes us strong!MT

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