Sailing Triteiavideo
Pulling the Damaged Propeller and Learning about Electrolytic Corrosion on a Sailboat
April 6, 2020 · 15 min · 7K views
What this video covers
The owner of the sailboat Triteia removes a damaged, corroded propeller while the vessel is hauled out at a boatyard.3:09 Electrolytic corrosion, caused by a long-term absence of zinc anodes, turned the original bronze propeller brittle and pink, indicating a loss of metal integrity.7:03 A local propeller shop technician explains that the corrosion occurred because the boat’s electrical system sought a path through the bronze rather than sacrificial zincs.7:10 The owner replaces the old cast propeller with a nickel-bronze-aluminum, computer-cut, variable-pitch propeller designed to allow the engine to reach its full 3,600 RPM power curve.8:22 The technician notes that the original shaft size of 7/8 inches is non-standard, as 1 inch became the industry standard in the 1980s.9:17 The refit process includes documenting engine performance data on a test sheet to ensure the new propeller improves fuel burn and thrust.8:32 Proper maintenance of zinc anodes prevents the molecular breakdown of bronze components in saltwater environments.7:39
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