Nuts! To BMR

[GregF]

What grade of stainless do you think these are?
Sure look like brass to me. These are the ones it came from the factory with.

[badmoonrising]

Never seen brass hardware on anything marine so I doubt it. Doesn't look like you're to fond of routine maintenance either. That drive could use fresh paint.

[badmoonrising]

Anyone else got any brass hardware on the normally submerged parts of their boats ? If so, please post pictures.

[badmoonrising]

Anyone else got any brass hardware on the normally submerged parts of their boats ? If so, please post pictures.

Brass hardware used to attach:

Transducer. Temp sensor. Pitot hose.

This is the result of using brass hardware on an aluminum hull. I know because I rebuilt the boat from scratch and had to cut out brass hardware some dumb ass backyard mechanic used, probably was to cheap to buy stainless.

[GregF]

I can't make this shit up. That looks like brass to me and that is the way Mercury shipped it to me.

As for "maintenance", when you get 3000 hours on your motor, send me a picture.
What do you figure? About 2025?

BTW I did paint the drive but that is the bearing carrier you are looking at and it was on the bench at the time.

[badmoonrising]

11 seasons on the Starcraft and the motor and drive looks like maybe a year old. Sold my previous vessel with about 3000 hours, still looked near showroom condition. Prior to that I had a 1960 Alumacraft, probably several thousand hours too. Looked great, ran great when I sold it. You boat looks they way it does due to lack of maintenance and hardware made of dissimilar metals (post more pics of your chrome plated brass snaps, please..) If that is indeed brass and I doubt it, it's a matter of time before it causes deterioration of the aluminum. Leave the drive down for a season and get back to me if so.

If you actually do maintenance, things last. Don't bitch about corrosion if you're too lazy to maintain what you have.

And no, I've never seen brass hardware used on anything that is normally submerged, so I doubt that's factory. Above the waterline, you have brass connecting hardware for throttle cables and end but that's it.

[badmoonrising]

I was referring to the second photo. Doesn't look like it was ever repainted.

[GregF]

Maybe you should call Mercury and express your concerns. You seem to know more than NASA about galvanic corrosion and more than the APA on plywood. I am sure they will take your advice on outboards. They only have about 100 years making them and you don't even own one.

[GregF]

If you actually do maintenance, things last. Don't bitch about corrosion if you're too lazy to maintain what you have.

I am not bitching about anything.
I do what is necessary to keep my boat running and I run it a lot. Every 3500 hours or so I sell the motor for about a quarter to a third of what I paid for it and buy a new one.

It seems like the cheapest way to go and I get the latest technology.

My cost per hour is about $8 and most of that is fuel. The amortization of the motor is about $1.50 an hour.

How you doing?

[badmoonrising]

Yep, rebuilt several boats so I do know my stuff. Also that little training and certification thing. My boats seem to last along time too because I know what I'm doing. If there's something I don't know, there plenty of local boat builders I ask advice from. Best advice I ever got was from a buddy who wrote for The Mariner (if you really lived in Maryland, you'd know them) was to get rid of all hardware that wasn't aluminum or stainless on boats with aluminum hulls.

You don't seem to easily grasp the concept of electrolysis (see next post).



Anyone who's had me assist in restoring aluminum boats ( the original basis for my website) will tell you the same.

[badmoonrising]

I am not bitching about anything.
I do what is necessary to keep my boat running and I run it a lot. Every 3500 hours or so I sell the motor for about a quarter to a third of what I paid for it and buy a new one.

It seems like the cheapest way to go and I get the latest technology.

My cost per hour is about $8 and most of that is fuel. The amortization of the motor is about $1.50 -1.75 an hour.

How you doing?

Doing great since I've never had to sell a motor, because they all run forever do to my expert maintenance. I guarantee you someone would feel better buying a boat or motor from me knowing it's been taken care of instead of from you who doesn't see the need to replace spark plugs or water pump impellers. I feel better knowing people that buy boats from me are getting something that won't leave them stranded or broke.

I sell boats to go bigger. So I guess I'm doing better than you.

[badmoonrising]

CONSIDERATIONS FOR BOAT PROTECTION



GALVANIC CORROSION


When two or more dissimilar metals are in contact with each other and immersed in an electrolyte(a liquid that can conduct electricity),the more active metal electrically(less noble) will sacrifice itself by electron flow from the more negatively charged metal(the anode) to the more positively charged metal(the cathode).Hence,for protection of metal fittings on boats as well as hulls and drive units, a comprehensive plan of protection needs to be employed.

By utilizing sacrificial anodes,these components will be protected because they are not corroding themselves with the loss of material as is the anode.

For example,on a steel hulled boat with brass fittings submerged underwater,the two metals provide the anode(steel) and cathode(brass).The water completes the circuit just like a battery.In this arrangement,the steel will deteriorate as it is less noble than the brass.To protect both metals, a third metal is introduced that is less noble than the other two.The metals widely used for this cathodic protection are zinc,aluminum and magnesium.Each element has characteristics that make them suitable for certain applications.

Factors that affect galvanic corrosion are the salinity of water, the pollutants present, the water flow rate, cavitation, oxygen content, temperature, etc.

Anodes are supplied in varying weights and sizes.The surface area determines the amperage(current), which

governs the amount of protection, and the weight determines the service life of the anode..

As mentioned before,a metal that is more active electrically is less noble.On the Noble Scale these are the approximate negative voltages from Least to Most Noble:(referenced with a silver/silver chloride half cell)



MILLIVOLTS METAL OR ALLOY


1580 Magnesium

1100 Aluminum(with Indium)

* 1050 Zinc
* 860 Cadmium
* 790 Mild Steel

750 Aluminum Stern Drive

* 500 Tin
* 450 Naval Brass
* 340 Copper
* 240 Lead
* 80 Silver
* 0 Gold

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Aluminum 750, Naval brass 450...so the aluminum becomes the anode. Brass looks great, aluminum corrodes severely. That, coupled with lack of touching up chipped paint makes your several year old drive look worse than my 11 (whoops 12 this season) year old drive.

Judging from your disdain for routine maintenance I seriously doubt you even change your anodes either.

[GregF]

You still didn't answer the question, What is your amortized dollars per hour, including fuel.

The big problem with lasting forever is you are still running "Henry Ford" technology. I used to think "the George Washington's Hatchet" mentality was the way to go but I got older and wiser.
I like new.
How far do you go on a gallon of gas?

[GregF]

Actually I linked an article that was similar if not the same article and you can't get much farther away from each other on that reactivity table than 316 stainless and aluminum.

[badmoonrising]

3.5 gallons per hour WOT, sips gas like a Toyota. Total fuel bill per summer is around $300-$350. So I do alot better than most in that regard. Henry Ford didn't have TKS carbs or electronic ignition that I'm aware of. You really are reaching here.

If I wanted a fuel injection kit, they are available aftermarket for for all Mercruiser engines. Just helped a friend install a unit on his '66 Chevelle. Doing fine with the carb. If there's ever a problem, 4 bolts and I'm up and running in 10 minutes.

Anyone that has a 3.0 loves them. Tried and true bulletproof engines. Never seen one fail yet. Why fix what isn't broken ? I've seen many outboards gives up the ghost with relatively low hours.