Electrolysis problem

[Longo]

Hello all,

I have an 85 Palm Beach 37 ET, have owned it for just under one year with this past season being the first in my slip on the Housatonic River in CT. I seem to be having a huge electrolysis problem - rudder and shaft zincs being eaten up every six weeks...i have checked all of the bonding (a lot on this boat) and all seems to be “OK” but do plan on going over it again in much greater detail now the boat is on the hard. The only change i made is that i replaced the standard packing glands with drip less - some folks have told me i need to set up a bonding system for the shafts now that i have done this?? Anyway - I’ve been in this club and for the past years have had the slip directly behind my current slip and have not had these issues. Hoping someone may be able to point me in right direction.

Much thanks - John.

[Tree]

Sounds like someone else on the pontoons has a bad earth. Do you have a galvanic isolator fitted?

[Jack]

If you're near a bulkhead, see if the marina has sufficient zincs. Electricity leaks from marinas and it's worse in fresh or brackish water. With less or no salt to absorb it, it seeks other things like people. Never swim in a fresh water marina. My prop looked like the moon with craters all over and my zincs on the shaft were gone when I pulled the boat out at the end of the season. When my club found out, they added zincs all along the bulkhead. The marina that fixed my prop now has signs advising against swimming.