Play d’eau goes up in the world

In cleaning the bilges I’d found a slight weep from one of the four bolts used to secure the two main anodes to the hull. Its washer was rusted leaving a slight rust stain where water must have oozed from the bolt and dribbled into the bilge. The concern was if the hull was wet from the water ingress.

Up, up and away

On Monday at 1630, Play d’eau took the short cut from Beaucette Marina to St Sampson’s and went up in the world as she was lifted by M&G Engineering in their 75 ton hoist to have the offending anode bolt knocked out, the hull checked for moisture content and a new bolt bedded in.

At the same time, we would take advantage of the lift to check the anodes and clean the trim tabs which had grown the most magnificent, yet embarrassing, seaweed beards.

The offending anode bolt

The offending bolt was knocked out and thankfully, it was clean and bright with no sign of any water ingress at all. It appears that the washer had had its anodising scratched as its nut was tightened causing it to corrode in the salty atmosphere of the bilge. Knowing the integrity of the hull had therefore not been breached, we wouldn’t have to suffer the expense of keeping Play d’eau on the hard for days if not weeks to dry out. What a relief.

Note 1 to self: Cover the exposed nuts and bolts on the inside of the bilge with white grease to prevent a return of worrying corrosion.

Play d’eau’s other anodes

When Play d’eau was lifted in February we checked all 12 anodes and it was only the two prop shaft anodes which needed changing.

And now with her in the strops, all looked OK except for the two on the prop shafts. After just four months they’d almost been completely eaten away which was most unusual. Maybe the reason for the rapid erosion was that we’d used MG Duff’s new aluminium anodes rather than zinc, as M G Duff had recommended.

Note 2 to self: If aluminium was the reason the shaft anodes had worn so quickly, I must use twin anodes or more on both shafts to get a full year’s use out of them – or better still, find zinc anodes again.

The Beard

The hull looked really good with almost no hint of fouling at all. But the trim tabs were another story. They were sporting a truly magnificent full set of whiskers.

The reason for this became evident when they were removed; the anti-fouling had been flaking off leaving bare metal. Far too much of a temptation for the Beaucette Marina seaweeds.

Note 3 to self: Next lift-out, take the trim tabs back to bare metal and start again.

Happy cruising!

Piers
from the Engine Room of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

In just four months the trim tabs had grown magnificent beards of Beaucette seaweed click to enlarge

It looked so beautiful, but it had to come off click to enlarge

The aluminium anode on the port prop shaft had virtually gone in only four months click to enlarge

The aluminium anode on the starboard prop shaft had almost disappeared completely click to enlarge