What brand of zincs ?
- Thread starter Dwk
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dhays
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I have been buying zincs from boatzincs.com for a long time. To be honest, I have used them because of positive feedback by many sailors who have used them. Their prices are good, their service has been excellent. Their published information claims that all their zincs meet mil-a-1800 1k specifications.
HopCar
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I haven't seen much difference between brands of zinc anodes. Camp puts a copper contact in their shaft zincs. Canada Metal says theirs are machined so perfectly round that they don't need the contact.
I stock Camp because some people like the copper contact.
I stock Camp because some people like the copper contact.
caltexflanc
Guru
After trying almost all of them, including Camp and Martyr amongst others, I settled on Zimar. Great specs and most of the time highest density for the same size. I was even once able, through a boatyard snafu, to compare rudder and shaft zincs side by side between Camp and Zimar.
I bought mine through the good folks at Deep Blue Yacht Supply, an excellent source for all your below-the-waterline metal goods:
https://www.deepblueyachtsupply.com/
I bought mine through the good folks at Deep Blue Yacht Supply, an excellent source for all your below-the-waterline metal goods:
https://www.deepblueyachtsupply.com/
Navalloy's by Performance Metals
caltexflanc
Guru
IMO, the best way to compare zincs is first, determine whether they meet the mil specs, then the % of zinc (redundant to mil specs really), and once you then have apples-to-apples, the weight of each for the same size zinc, which gives you an idea of the density. The attaching elements give you a hint of the quality, but I've found that the really good quality ones, zinc-wise, have that anyway.
The Hatt had a lot of zincs involved, including four shaft zincs, four small trim tab zincs, two big rudder zincs and one for the thruster, and we had occasion to visit some fairly "active" harbors, so this was something I paid a fair amount of attention to.
The Hatt had a lot of zincs involved, including four shaft zincs, four small trim tab zincs, two big rudder zincs and one for the thruster, and we had occasion to visit some fairly "active" harbors, so this was something I paid a fair amount of attention to.
dhays
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Given the number of zincs that you replace every year, I would tend to listen to your opinion.
That is a bit of an apples to oranges kind of comparison since Performance Metal's Navalloy is an aluminum alloy anode material, not zinc. I was looking at their anodes a while ago and at least their marketing materials are well done. They make a good argument for Navalloy, at least to me (who knows nothing and is easily swayed).
I am likely going to be putting on a bunch of zincs today at the survey. To be honest, I have never paid a lot of attention to zincs in the past other than to replace them or have them replaced as needed. I only have three on my current boat and other than the Autoprop zinc, they are all very inexpensive. I was impressed and surprosed by simply the weight of the box that I got from Boatzincs.com for the zincs for this new boat.
However, I would think that judging zinc performance would be tough. If a zinc is used up quickly is it because it is poor quality, or that it is doing a better job of protecting your boat? The converse is true if the zincs last a long time.
sbu22
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OK, got the zinc content piece as a benchmark, George. Is that it or are there other factors? I've heard people gripe about "bad zincs that rapidly deteriorate" - seems to me that's an indicator that the zinc is doing its job in an active situation - not a defect. Am I right, so far?
psneeld
Guru
Could be....even using the right type for the conditions (zinc alloy, aluminum alloy, or magnesium alloy) can be a struggle to get right.
While chemical composition may be an indicator of a better zinc....without lab testing g for dpecifics...I am guessing it is pretty hard to determine the best "zincs". Particularly "best" in your situation.
caltexflanc
Guru
Read my posts again; I had the serendipitous opportunity to directly compare the Zimar and the Camp directly.. one brand on each side, including 1 rudder, two trim tab and two shaft zincs respectively. I am pretty confident that the density of the Zimars, evidenced by the higher weight for the same size, was the difference. At a comparable price, and from a high service provider, why not use the longer lasting of the two?
caltexflanc
Guru
Given similar zinc content, it depends on the casting process, which affects the density of the finished unit.
psneeld
Guru
A nice independent study link would be interesting.
The only experience I have professionally with galvanic protection and measuring the effectiveness of zinc is to measure the difference in protection once zinc is attached to see if the metal is properly protected. Using the silver-silver chloride probe and a multimeter.
Corrosion Reference Electrode Product Specifications
The rate at which a zinc dissipates may have little to do with it's quality...and the perceived quality over protection...it's all about protection in the long run.
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Do you have and do you use one or these? If so... do you use it relatively often and do you feel it has merit?
Regarding anode performance and life span: I've always run under the premise that as long as good zincs are used and well affixed to pre cleaned surfaces that rate and decline of zinc size is relative to and dependent upon electrical activity in water where docked as well possible stray DC current in boat.
Do you feel Corrosion Reference Electrode and User's Guide
by ABYC-Certified Corrosion Experts could/would improve my boat's zinc use qualifications? Or, is this Corrosion Reference Electrode simply to let you know if zincs are well attached to boat parts and if surrounding water is "hot" with AC as well as if boat may be "hot" with stray DC?
Capt.Bill11
Guru
I like Zimar zincs.
psneeld
Guru
Art...yes to all, except that I have not used it as much lately as my last job and current boat haven't needed breaking it out. Maybe this summer I will check my boat again.
I would definitely read up as much as possible, as boatpoker will/has related...corrosion is often misunderstood as so many posts here and through the years have shown.
I would definitely read up as much as possible, as boatpoker will/has related...corrosion is often misunderstood as so many posts here and through the years have shown.
yes, confusion amongst this group of metallurgists. But read an anchor, fuel filter or additives thread and same diverse opinions reign. Guess it is why we keep coming back 
