Went to West Marine yesterday to buy shaft zincs.

[Fred Ficarra7897]

Stunning! Let me explain that the last zincs I bought were in Port Townsend WA. It's well past the time to change them but our 'diver' is on the wrong side of the country bringing his new boat home. But he'll be here soon so I went to pick up a couple zincs for him. Also I have to cut one short so as to fit against the prop, between it and the strut. I know just where to cut it next to the Canada logo. And after reading that the Chinese zincs are bad, I was replacing only with Canada zinc.Oh, the ones from last year cost $6.00. Did I set that story up enough?My local WM no longer carries Canada zincs! Chinese ONLY. The PRICE? $19.00 EACH!!!I went to the check out and asked if there was some kind of mistake. I was told the usual. Yep, It's because gas is so high. BS, I said. I'll order them from Defender and left. Checked their price on the web. Less than half! And they're Canada brand. Called my buddie boater and we ordered a DOZEN. Gas prices be @!#$'d! Sorry, I had to vent.

 

[RAD]

Fred

Do you know how much fuel it takes to get zincs from China to the US I bought mine from a local mom & pop prop shop and they were from Canada and are much cheaper.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Some items at WM have a huge markup

zincs being one of the items. They are typically at lest half the list price if bought on a Port Supply account. To be fair, other items at WM have very little markup, electronics being one category.Comparing price of zincs can also be misleading depending upon what size and how thick the zinc actually is - one can buy two different thickness zinc collars for most shaft sizes in WM - obviously the thicker would cost more so making a simple camparison based solely on shaft size could be misleading too.Does anyone actually know the zinc weight (i.e., percent zinc) in the Chinese vs. Canadian zincs or are we simply presuming they are equivalent?

 

[Fred Ficarra7897]

The Canada zincs are Mil Spec.

The Chinese are not. I don't know how that difference would manifest in the real world.

 

[CalebD]

Fred, what do you use to 'cut' the collar zinc?

I have a similar problem where only about 5/8" of shaft is clear between prop and cutlass bearing. We have a 1" shaft so I bought a 1" wide collar zinc from WM this spring. Yes it was nearly $20 and yes it had voids in it.I know about the voids because I have been using a grinder, grinding wheels and even a sabre reciprocating saw with metal blade to dress down the width. It is a PITA and takes hours each time the zinc wears out.If there is a better (faster) method for doing this I want to know about it.Thanks.

 

[Warren Milberg]

Fred, what was the total cost

of a 1" zinc from Defender when postage was included?

 

[seadaddler]

I am glad

I am glad the canada ones are cheaper and hope china productsare more $$$$.I am sick of finding everything in stores are made in china,mexico andwho knows where else.I checked my new American Standard toilet and it said made in Mexico went furniture shopping and everything is made in china,the out side of the box said North Carolina.Nick

 

[Bill Roosa]

You should embrace the horror

China is a major player in the new world order. She is a major military and economic power.I note that you usually do not go to war with your trading partners so "made in china" is not necessacerily a bad thing. I mean do you really think Americans are willing to make rubber dog poop for 0.50 an hour?? China provides a service and we do too. The important thing to remember is the services we provide are not as usefull to China as China's services and products are to us. That is part of being the best and most developed nation on the planet. We do make a lot of food that could be used to offset the balance though!!!

 

[Timo42]

Grinding Zinc *yks

you need to be careful, zinc dust is toxic, zinc fume fever can kill, (it has to be hot for that)grinders and grinding wheels spread the dust far and wide and can heat the metal to fume temperature. Find a local machine shop that will chuck it up on a lathe and cut it down. Tim

 

[Ross]

The London Metal Exchange listed the price of zinc

at $ 1.002 per pound when you add two copper contacts two stainless steel bols and washers and the cost of casting and distribution you probably come up the 7-8 dollars per pound add profit and marketing and you have to make and sell many shaft zincs to make a living.

 

[EatDrinkHealthy]

Why don't you build a galvanic isloator?

The reason to install zinc anode is to prfevent galvanic action. You can avoid that by putting a galvanic isolator in the ground circuit of your shorepower circuit. Most new boat comes with galvanic isolator noeadays.You can make one yourself by joining two diodes forward and two in reverse in the ground circuit and mount them on a heatsink. The diodes needs to take 30+ amp to be safe.

 

[RAD]

Even with a galvanic isloator

You still need to have zincs cause you can get stray current in the water

 

[Dan Johnson]

Got Zinc bit by WM...

Poor planning found me buying a new shaft zinc on my last trip to the boat before launching so I didn't anticipate paying too much more than I did last year (I think about $11 at WM). I had the same shock as Fred! But I didn't have a choice of time or alternative and had to pay through the nose or delay launching. And these new ones don't even have the copper "BB" in each half for better contact! That's a price jump right up there with gasoline! Defender and other sources have now become my first shopping trip for anticipated needs!

 

[Aloha27]

Shaft anodes

Here's a link to Stright-MacKay here in Canada and their anode page. They mostly deal with commercial fishers but have an increasingly good selection of pleasure boat equipment. (No, I'm not a rep... lol)EDIT- We're with Ross on this one. We don't have shore power capability either, but seem to go through a zinc every year.

 

[Larry Wilson]

Canada Zincs in stock in Viginia

Yep, Defender is the place alright. BUT, you have to spend a minimum of 25.00. And pay shipping. And wait a week. And sometimes, even too often, West Marine has the same issues with it's internet store. But such is life. Don't know what the problem is in Wa. with Canada Zincs, but we stock them in the store in Virgina. And, we'll match Defender's price...as long as it is the same product, and Defender has it in stock, ready to ship.

 

[Ross]

Eatdrink etc. I don't have shore power does that mean I don't

need sacrificial anodes? I think I will continue to use them anyway.

 

[Joseph Shirley]

Agree with RAD. The Galvanic Isolator protects only against

shore power shorts, that put current into the shore power ground. It isolates your boat ground from the shore power high current/voltage so you don't get electrocuted when diving on your boat or working in your bilge.Normally your on board AC and DC systems are grounded to the engine which has a shaft and a prop in the water. One of the reasons all bronze thru hull fittings are also grounded back to the engine, is to make all metal in contact with the water at an equal electrical potential to minimize electrolysis. It doesn't completely eliminate all electrolytic action however, so you use the zincs to be the noble metal.Happy sailingJoe S

 

[Grizz]

Glad to see The Great Roosa back!

I know it's been a while, for a good purpose and I'm glad he faired well. Now, back to our previously scheduled programming...

 

[s sauer]

Zinc $$

Having been in the local West Marine picking up some odds & ends including Zincs...but noticing the cost was $3-$4 higher than last years already expensive price... I put them back, and bought them later that afternon at my local Marina for $8.50 each!I noticed $250 a gallon for vinyl racing paint that I can order on line for $198. Vote with your feet!

 

[Maine Sail]

Hmmm...

My local chandlery, Hamilton Marine, sells a 1" shaft zinc (streamlined version) made by Camp for $6.99. I actually get a discount beyond that. I'm guessing I'd pay about $5.25 or it...$19.00 for a 1" zinc!!! Do they just hand you the bottle of KY Jelly at the door these days??? At that price they should be giving you a reach around while they f%$k you in the A$$!!Sorry to be obscene but it's no more obscene than their prices these days!!Oh, and if you actually "catch us" in the act of price gouging just bring us a printed price from a local competitor and well sell it to you for that price. Give me a break!!I guess there is a reason why Hamilton Marine got 85% of my chandlery business last year. The other 15% was divided between on-line, Defender and West Marine..It reminds me of the wire crimpers I paid $52.00 for at Hamilton that West sells (identical crimpers) for $110.00...P.S. Fred don't you have room in front of the strut on that boat for your zincs? I don't understand why you'd go to all that trouble to put it between the prop and the strut.The prop and shaft are connected electrically so you can put the zinc anywhere along the shaft as long as you have good contact. It does not need to be touching the prop in order to work and sacrifice itself. In the old days of full keelers they used prop zincs but with todays strutted fin keelers and externally exposed shaft there really is no need for a prop zinc unless you have one of those fancy variable props that call for their own very expensive and proprietary zincs..I like to assure a good flow of water to my cutlass therefore I put my first zinc about 4" in front of the strut and the second about 2" in front of that one. I have always run two zincs and in all these years never once had an issue......