Monitor Your Zinc Anodes to Protect Your Boat Lift Investment
Even though you purchased a boat lift to maintain the appearance and performance of your boat and protect your investment, it’s important to keep it and all related equipment in tip top shape. One of the key components that is easy to overlook are the sacrificial anodes, or what are commonly referred to as “boat zincs,” or simply “zincs.”
These silent partners protect the metal parts of your boat lift from galvanic corrosion. This occurs when any two dissimilar metals are physically or electrically connected and immersed in water. Without getting into a detailed treatise on the chemical and electrical theory involved, suffice it to say that zincs prevent galvanic corrosion of your metal marine-related parts that are immersed in water. So, checking and replacing the zincs periodically is a critical part of any boater’s maintenance routine.
Why Use Zinc?
In recent years, aluminum anodes have gained some popularity because of their light weight and greater electric flow potential. However, when used in saltwater, aluminum exhibits some peculiar properties that can make it less effective than zinc. Zinc anodes wear down evenly and have been proven time and time again to be superior in saltwater.
The zincs that we supply begin as high-grade ingots that are 99.995% zinc. These zincs are hand poured, not cast, to ensure a higher quality finished product. The problem with die casting is that the molecular structure can change which permits the introduction of impurities into the product. So, hand-poured zincs do a better job of protecting metal parts. Also, they are often larger and heavier with more surface area than competitors’ products allowing for a longer life and the need to change them less often.
When Should I Replace Zincs?
Zincs should be replaced when about half of the anode has been lost to corrosion. Ideally, that should be on an annual basis. The life of a sacrificial zinc anode is a function of its weight. If a zinc needs to be replaced within a year, you’ll want to replace it with one that is larger.
At Hurricane Boat Lifts South, inspecting your zincs is included in our Annual Lift Maintenance and Service Agreement. We’ll ensure that they’re still doing the job of protecting your investment and are sized properly for the capacity and style of your lift.
Give us a call and we’ll show you how easy it is to get started with our program. It only takes five minutes!
Hurricane Boat Lifts South
88665 Overseas Hwy
Tavernier, FL
305-517-6105
