I have a Hunter 240 water ballast that is kept year-round in the Marina at Great Salt Lake Utah. When I pulled out last year to replace the keel downhaul line, I discovered that the line did not need replacing, but that the keel bracket, pins and bolt were extremely corroded. It was suggested that I run a grounding wire from the bolt that holds the bracket to the negative terminal on my battery. I am concerned that this may increase the corrosion rate. I do not keep my outboard in the water while it is docked. Should I be placing some zincs somewhere under the waterline to help slow down the keel bracket and pin corrosion?
Hunter 240 Zinc
- Thread starter Arnie53
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- 240 keel bracket zinc
Arnie, welcome to the forum! @Crazy Dave Condon should be able to help you with this. He knows everything there is to know about water ballast Hunter boats.
Kermit,
Thanks for the welcome. Actually I have been on the forum for some time but couldn't remember my user name or password. I've followed Crazy Dave's replies regarding the Hunter water ballast boats for years and was able to replace my keel line thanks to the various detailed instructions on this site. Since there is no dealer in this area, I would not have been able to do any of the repairs or upgrades to my 240 without the many helpful sailors on this site. Thanks to you all!
Thanks for the welcome. Actually I have been on the forum for some time but couldn't remember my user name or password. I've followed Crazy Dave's replies regarding the Hunter water ballast boats for years and was able to replace my keel line thanks to the various detailed instructions on this site. Since there is no dealer in this area, I would not have been able to do any of the repairs or upgrades to my 240 without the many helpful sailors on this site. Thanks to you all!
Generally the centerboard is in the water as the bracket and pins are out of the water with no one on board. I may be a little wrong but if you are getting corrosion, first thing is to check the bottom of the rudder housing as well. It is unusual for that to happen and since you are in a marina, the first thing I would do is to check for electrolysis which would be the culprit. Buy a sacrificial zinc and throw it in the water and check on that to see if it is being attacked. If so, you have major problems coming from anything that is connected to shore power or what ever. Not sure what else to say except what year is the boat and did you take a photo of that.
Crazy Dave,
Thank you for your reply. I will post photos of the keel bracket and pins tonight. The pins were ready to fail as they had almost corroded completely through. The bolt that holds the keel bracket had lost most of its threads. I think that the whole assembly must be under the water when docked. I am not able to check the bottom of the rudder housing since the boat is in the water at this point. However when I had it out earlier this year I didn't notice anything, although I must say that I wasn't actually looking for a problem I don't know if it is electrolysis or a chemical reaction with the metal due to the high salt content of the lake. If it is electrolysis, is grounding the bolt going to help? If I do need to place sacrificial zincs where should they go?
Thank you for your reply. I will post photos of the keel bracket and pins tonight. The pins were ready to fail as they had almost corroded completely through. The bolt that holds the keel bracket had lost most of its threads. I think that the whole assembly must be under the water when docked. I am not able to check the bottom of the rudder housing since the boat is in the water at this point. However when I had it out earlier this year I didn't notice anything, although I must say that I wasn't actually looking for a problem I don't know if it is electrolysis or a chemical reaction with the metal due to the high salt content of the lake. If it is electrolysis, is grounding the bolt going to help? If I do need to place sacrificial zincs where should they go?
Here are photos of the keel bracket, the keel bracket bolt and one of the pins. I want to try a avoid this level of corrosion in the future. I believe that it is a 1998 H240.
Attachments
Thank you for the photos. The boat if memory serves me was first introduced at the Annapolis Boat Show in 1997 for the model year 1998 by me although dealers were receiving them a little earlier as the boat was being produced after August 1, 1997.
I note the corrosion but could not blow up the picture but either way it needs to be repaired or replaced. I am not familiar with the salinity levels of the Great Salt Lake, Utah if that is the culprit. What does concern me is the progression of the corrosion of the upper portion of the bracket being affected which is out of the water when bolted into place in the centerboard housing underneath the hull. Whatever you do I would still check for electrolysis at the marina as there are several sources that it could be coming from for example a faulty shore power chord in the water, faulty shore power on the dock and so on. It is also important to find that out so no one would be shocked if falling into the water around your boat. Therefore, at least throw over some sacrificial zincs and report back to us what is occurring if anything. I know you can use meters but the method I am not sure about. That would explain better the corrison on the upper part of the bracket that stays out of the water unless it is the salinity is the factor. Ask others around you at the marina as well for their thoughts. If the bracket is unrepairable, inquire with the forum store if they sell one to you. Simply go to the home page and click on store and at the top you will find contact information.
@Dave Groshong Please advise on the 240 centerboard bracket. Thank you sir.
Dave is a trusted salesman for the forum store and he to is a sailor. I trust him.
I note the corrosion but could not blow up the picture but either way it needs to be repaired or replaced. I am not familiar with the salinity levels of the Great Salt Lake, Utah if that is the culprit. What does concern me is the progression of the corrosion of the upper portion of the bracket being affected which is out of the water when bolted into place in the centerboard housing underneath the hull. Whatever you do I would still check for electrolysis at the marina as there are several sources that it could be coming from for example a faulty shore power chord in the water, faulty shore power on the dock and so on. It is also important to find that out so no one would be shocked if falling into the water around your boat. Therefore, at least throw over some sacrificial zincs and report back to us what is occurring if anything. I know you can use meters but the method I am not sure about. That would explain better the corrison on the upper part of the bracket that stays out of the water unless it is the salinity is the factor. Ask others around you at the marina as well for their thoughts. If the bracket is unrepairable, inquire with the forum store if they sell one to you. Simply go to the home page and click on store and at the top you will find contact information.
@Dave Groshong Please advise on the 240 centerboard bracket. Thank you sir.
Dave is a trusted salesman for the forum store and he to is a sailor. I trust him.
Crazy Dave,
Thank you for your comprehensive reply. Thank you for your willingness to share your knowledge of these boats. We repaired the bracket and coated it with outboard motor paint to try to cut down the corrosion. We replaced with pins by cutting stainless bolts to size and replaced the keel bolt. The salinity level of the Great Salt Lake is about 11-12% and boats like mine remain in the lake year round since at that salinity level the lake does not freeze. Nor does the water in the ballast tanks. I intend to replace the bracket next time I pull out and in the meantime will through over some sacrificial zincs. I have not done this before. Do the zincs need to be attached to wires and grounded or can I just time them to some fishing leader and put them over the side.
Thank you for your comprehensive reply. Thank you for your willingness to share your knowledge of these boats. We repaired the bracket and coated it with outboard motor paint to try to cut down the corrosion. We replaced with pins by cutting stainless bolts to size and replaced the keel bolt. The salinity level of the Great Salt Lake is about 11-12% and boats like mine remain in the lake year round since at that salinity level the lake does not freeze. Nor does the water in the ballast tanks. I intend to replace the bracket next time I pull out and in the meantime will through over some sacrificial zincs. I have not done this before. Do the zincs need to be attached to wires and grounded or can I just time them to some fishing leader and put them over the side.
tie to any line and throw a couple over. If they corrode then you got problems elsewhere. Keep me posted.
Yeah, the Great Salt Lake is way saltier than any ocean. I'm guessing you're in Gilbert Bay? Gunnison is more than twice as saline as Gilbert.
Be that as it may, job one for me to get under my 240 and check it out. Thanks for posting this.
Be that as it may, job one for me to get under my 240 and check it out. Thanks for posting this.
Drew13440:
Yes, the marina is in Gilbert Bay just off the Saltair I-80 exit. I bought the 240 in 2008 and it was in the water until last November when all the boats had to be pulled in order to dredge the marina due to the low lake level. If that hadn't happened it would have still been in the water and the keel pins would have failed. The keel is fairly heavy, I'm guessing 75 - 100 lbs. It would not have been fun trying to retrieve it.
Yes, the marina is in Gilbert Bay just off the Saltair I-80 exit. I bought the 240 in 2008 and it was in the water until last November when all the boats had to be pulled in order to dredge the marina due to the low lake level. If that hadn't happened it would have still been in the water and the keel pins would have failed. The keel is fairly heavy, I'm guessing 75 - 100 lbs. It would not have been fun trying to retrieve it.
Crazy Dave,
Thanks. Yes, it is the centerboard that I have been referring to. I will be getting some zincs this weekend to put over the side. I'll let you know what I find out.
Thanks. Yes, it is the centerboard that I have been referring to. I will be getting some zincs this weekend to put over the side. I'll let you know what I find out.
In researching the corrosion issue, I think it is possible that the corrosion of the centerboard bracket and pins is not due to galvanic corrosion, but is stainless steel corrosion caused by long term exposure to an oxygen depleted moisture environment. The linked article refers to this as "crevice corrosion". http://www.bssa.org.uk/faq.php?id=9 I think my only remedy is to replace the bracket and pins, and I have ordered a set from SBO. Just in case, there is some galvanic corrosion taking place, I have also connected the centerboard bracket bolt to a guppy anode and placed the anode in the water near the centerboard. I will report what I find.