What Type of Anode is Best for York River and Chesapeake?

[sammy999]

Just moved our boat to the York River Yacht Haven and will be there thru the fall. We came from fresh water so have magnesium anodes. What type of Anode do people use on the Chesapeake and bay rivers? I guess aluminium is best for brackish and salt but would like to hear your recommendations. Thanks!

 

[artfulltune]

Haven lives on the Chesapeake, mostly, and I changed to aluminum last season. Don't see much difference in the shaft and rudder anodes but the heavy diver plate appears to be working hard. The benefit to me is weight reduction as long as there is no reduction in electrolysis protection. The pencil zincs on the exchangers and water lifts remain zinc as I was not able to find aluminum.

 

[firehoser75]

It is my understanding that zinc anodes develop a "coating" when exposed to fresh or even brackish water. This coating does not come off by itself, it must be scrubbed off, and it insulates the anode stopping or drastically slowing down the protection the anode should otherwise provide.
Therefore the recommendations I have seen state to use zinc (or aluminum) if only in saltwater, use aluminum if moving between salt and freshwater (many here moor up the Fraser River but usually operate in the ocean - so aluminum is best for them), and use magnesium for freshwater only.
That would include your engine anodes, but aluminum engine anodes are not readily available. You can order them from Performance Metals. I switched to aluminum engine anodes as I freshwater flushed my engine regularly.

 

[Comodave]

It is my understanding that zinc anodes develop a "coating" when exposed to fresh or even brackish water. This coating does not come off by itself, it must be scrubbed off, and it insulates the anode stopping or drastically slowing down the protection the anode should otherwise provide.
Therefore the recommendations I have seen state to use zinc (or aluminum) if only in saltwater, use aluminum if moving between salt and freshwater (many here moor up the Fraser River but usually operate in the ocean - so aluminum is best for them), and use magnesium for freshwater only.
That would include your engine anodes, but aluminum engine anodes are not readily available. You can order them from Performance Metals. I switched to aluminum engine anodes as I freshwater flushed my engine regularly.

+1. I would use aluminum there. It will work anywhere so you will be covered.

 

[sammy999]

Thank you all for the input! Sammy

 

[Mako]

... the heavy diver plate appears to be working hard.

What do you mean by a “diver plate?”

Is this something you clamp onto a grounded element and then throw a heavy plate overboard?

 

[catalinajack]

AKA diver's dream plate. It is bolted to the transom.

What do you mean by a “diver plate?”

Is this something you clamp onto a grounded element and then throw a heavy plate overboard?