Anodes on Trim Tabs?

B

Bill3558

New member
I've had my boat in salt water for a couple of years now and low and behold I read an article stating that my trim tabs should have zinc anodes. Heres a link that says the same:

http://www.bennetttrimtabs.com/trimtabtips.php

I'm curious to know if you other brats use them. Guess I'll visit West Marine and put them on this weekend. Can't hurt and might be cheap insurance.

Thanks for your thoughts...
 
I have zinc anodes on my engine lower units, and have replaced them several times. I also hang a big zinc fish over the side, with an alligator clip to a bare metal spot on the stearing gear connecting both engines, when I'm in a marina. In some marinas I've actually seen a voltage reading on this circuit. The consequence of not having sacrificial zincs is the metal in the lower units of your engines will eventually become like swiss cheese.
 
I haven't had zincs on my boats trim tabs, which lives in saltwater, but because of newly discovered marine corrosion, I am adding them. I had an actuator quit working on one of my Lenco tabs, so I decided to pull the tabs to check on how well they were sealed to the boat, and to check for corrosion. (I don't know if the Lenco quit because of a O ring seal failing, or because of corrosion).Three of the eight mounting screws on the starboard side tab had corroded- out of sight- and the heads broke off with little pressure. I am not sure if I am dealing with a stray current problem, a bonding problem or???It is interesting that the problem is just on one side of the boat.
I'm not sure how I am going to take care of the actuator problem. I may replace the Lenco actuator, or change over to Bennett hydraulic tabs. I also have an offer of being a test boat for Minn kota trim tabs. But the first thing I need to do, is to get the three screws out of the transom.

Robbi
 
Robbi I had the same problem with my lenco's on my c-22 ( the welds were all broken on one side?)) I called up lenco they sent a new tab to me . I since sold the boat. On my cc-23 I still have lenco's but I have put on mini zincs I've replaced them already after about 4-5 months I guess thats what must be done keeping my boat in salt water I'm replacing my main zinc under the engine and the mini zincs on the tabs. I was told that their might be a stray electric current? If these keep getting used up I might have to do the fish thing
 
Was the corrosion just on one tab? Did the wire through the piano hinge corrode? I have heard that that is a problem and it is had to see without taking the tab apart.
If anyone wants to know how to take off a tab that is fixed on with 5200, I've got that one down :crook .

Robbi
 
Wow, I have been looking at my Lenco tabs and thinking I need to put zincs on them because they are starting to show some rust around the welds and at the hinges. I have been thinking about extended the length of the tabs about 3-4 inches and adding the zincs. Don't have much room to make them wider (twins and a transom mounted transducer take up a fair amount of the real estate there). Haven't added the fish zinc yet, but it 's on the list for marina nights coming up.

Thanks for bringing this thread up.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
No Robbi that was ok it was the little spot welds I had 12in wide 9 long (sticking out from boat ) there was about 6 -7 weld joints look like little round spots . I've also painted my tabs and the lenco plastic cylinder's

On the cape cruiser23 I have 9by 9 the welds look OK but then again i've painted the s/s part and put zincs on (not on the painted part offcourse)

Harvey put some zincs on the tabs mini rounds it will save the tabs in a hot marina I guess I need to take some pictures to show you
 
The Jenny B lived in a fairly hot marina so yes, I put zincs on the trim tabs and yes they needed replacement about once every 9 months. I didn't use zincs that had more than about a cubic inch worth of zinc material total and were "streamline shaped". About $7 each at West Marine. Definitely made a difference.

Don
 
Rob:

You can't use adhesive or even use them on top of a painted surface without connecting them electrically to the metal you wish to protect. I used through bolts and the back of the zinc attaches directly to the raw stainless. Drilling holes in stainless steel is slow going, by the way.

Don
 
If you look at jennykatz pictures num77 looking at the rear of boat you will see the trim tab has the small (mini zinc's)right in front of the lenco actuator
drilling through the s/s trimtab then the zinc splits apart one side on top one on the bottom with s/s screw holding them together. It seems like cheap insurance especially here in florida or in any hot marina (bad electrical connections)
 
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