Hi All,
2024 will be my first 1st season with SOAVE. While inspecting yesterday, I noted we also have a grounding plate.
My questions are :
Both anodes ( hull & shaft )were in poor shape in October, but now they are totally shot. Besides replacing them and adding a galvanic isolator, is there anything else I should be investigating from a electrical/corrosive perspective ?
Is there any reason to keep the grounding plate ?
There are many layers of ablative bottom paint that have built up. It’s in fair condition with <5% of my barrier coat exposed. I don’t want to add to the build up and I don’t want to choose a new bottom till I spend a season to see how difficult it is to keep clean. Is touchup a reasonable approach?
How much tolerance should I have for defects at the keel joint on a NonSuch? Should I budget for future rebedding if I’m going to redo the bottom next winter? Surveyor indicated joint looked OK.
My current plan is :
Replace the anodes, clean up the grounding plate and install a galvanic isolator.
Touch up the bottom and use an aggressive cleaning schedule this summer. Get to know the environment and how fast the many layers of bottom paint abate.
Next winter redo the bottom. Silic One from Hempel is one that looks interesting.
When I first had my N22 hauled I was alerted by the yard workers that there was water seeping from the keel/stub joint once the weight was on the keel. I was advised by a number of experienced boaters and workers that it wasn’t a problem unless I was seeing water entering from the keel bolts when she is afloat. So I acquired a 1/2" drive torque wrench and socket and tightened up all four bolts to the best of my strength as I couldn’t get a definitive number for recommended torque value.
I am in Florida and brought the boat in from Lake Erie several years ago. She had multiple layers of unknown bottom paint so I striped the bottom to the barrier coat. I did a re-coat of the barrier and applied Hydocoat water based ablative. That has worked very good for me here in Florida.
It is interesting to me that you mentioned Hempel paint. I wasn’t aware that is is being marketed here in the U.S. Why it caught my attention is that I owned an early Quorning 25’ Dragonfly which was a sister ship to Magic Hempel which dominated much of the European racing in the early 80s and was a pioneer for wider acceptance of trimarans world wide. I have followed the fate of Magic Hempel and sadly after a stellar racing career she ended up in California where Curt Hughes used one of her amas to create some sort of (I think) electric craft.
Any way, I am sure you will enjoy your Nonsuch. I have owned a variety of sailing vessels and my Nonsuch is at the top end of my happy list.
Check what that "grounding plate connects to inside the boat. For zinc to protect metal it needs to be connected to the other metal. One use of a grounding plate is for HF SSB radio but not too many Nonsuchs would be so equipped.
Generally one or two anodes on the shaft, some put one on the shaft leg and most engines have one in the heat exchanger.
Galvanic isolation is easy and if you use shore power a must.
