Strange keel zinc

owenmccall · #1 (**permalink**) 03-21-2005

My new (to me) boat is fitted with an odd kind of keel zinc. Just below where the (external lead) keel is bolted to the glass keel root there is a 4" dia. zinc disk fastened to the lead with 4 short ss wood screws. In the center of this disk is a fifth hole filled by a large set screw. If this set screw is removed from the zinc disk a hole is revealed that communicates with the bilge sump. This is great for draining the bilge when the boat is on the hard, but I worry that when afloat, if (when) the zinc disk degrades THE BOAT WILL SINK! Has anyone else seen such a set-up before? Is this (yet another) bad idea of the P.O.?

Owen McCall

Billpjr · #2 (**permalink**) 03-23-2005

That''s one way for bonding thru hulls, etc but a bad installation practice if the zinc can waste away and let water in. Many boats run wire inside the bilge to the motor and tap off it''s zincs. Most out there don''t even protect their thru hulls and are the ones that usually sink at the dock.