Boater's World is your Sacrificial Anode Center.
We want to ensure engine troubles don't keep you from having fun on the water!
No matter where you choose to do your boating, we have all the right products to take care of your boat.
Read this quick overview on how to protect your engine from corrosion!
What causes corrosion?
Seawater is a good conductor while freshwater is a bad conductor, so corrosion is worse in seawater.
Generally, corrosion rates increase in proportion to the amount of oxygen in the water.
However, cracks and crevices, which are areas starved of oxygen, also become anodic and corrode.
Higher temperature increases corrosion rates - doubling for every 30 degrees C (55 degrees F).
Various types of microorganisms can contribute to corrosion, either by removing protection or causing a corrosive environment.
Why do I need anodes?
You need anodes on your engine because when two different metals are in contact, electrons will flow from the more negatively charged metal (anode) to the more positive metal (cathode).
To protect both types of metal from corrosion, you must add a third metal such as zinc, although magnesium and aluminum are also used.
This active metal becomes the anode for both metals.
The zinc or aluminum sacrifices itself to protect the other two metals, hence the term 'sacrificial anode'.
Do's and Don'ts DO change your anode when it is 50 percent corroded.
DO make sure they have good electrical contact - remove paint and clean the mounting surface.
DO protect trim tabs individually (do not bond).
Although they are usually made from stainless steel, they can still corrode and need sacrificial anodes.
DO be sure to use new fasteners on sterndrives - even stainless bolts fail as a result of corrosion.
DO keep a sterndrive immersed in the water so that the anodes can work.
DON'T use zinc anodes on aluminum outdrives.
DON'T paint anodes.
