over zincing?

[roberttigar]

I moved my sailboat to a new dock about a year ago and seem to have a bigger problem with the prop becoming coated with barnacle's than before.

The vessel is now further away from the AICW inlet than before, but not by more than a half a mile-otherwise no difference.

I have donut zinc on the shaft and hang a fish zinc over the side grounded to the running gear.

Could this be too much zinc that makes my bronze prop a more friendly location for those little buggers?

Bob

[dksail]

There is no relationship between zincs and barnacles. Although without zinc protection you may get more pitting from electrical issues which might allow more barnacles to easily attach to your prop/etc.

[HeinSdL]

The topic of zincs and growth are unrelated are they not? Zincs are supposed to be less noble than the metal to be protected as per their position in the Galvanic table, hence they corrode and (eg) the prop does not.

Growth on the prop is a function of whatever is painted on it, or how highly polished the prop is.

If indeed zincs also prevent growth I would be keen to hear!

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by roberttigar

I moved my sailboat to a new dock about a year ago and seem to have a bigger problem with the prop becoming coated with barnacle's than before.

The change in fouling growth is likely due to your change in location. The conditions in your new slip are simply better for barnacles than they were in your old one. However it would be a simple matter to remove the "fish" anode (which you shouldn't need anyway) from the equation and see if that produces different results.

[John_Trusty]

I'm with the other posters - no relation between the electrical flows and the 3-dimensional growth. You said you've moved slips and are somewhere on the intercoastal waterway? As Fast Bottoms noted, perhaps you got closer to a better habitat. As oyster and clam fishers will attest, the quality and salinity of water is absolutely everything to filter feeders. We're in a great marina here as it's near the mouth of a small stream - so the water is a bit less salty which impedes some marine growth a little.