Pearson Boats - Common Systems > Steering System, Hull Structure
Strut Coating
Dolce_Vita:
The bronze prop strut on my P-323 appears to be coated with something to prepare it for painting. The material is white and is approx. 1/16" thick.
Some of it has flaked off of the bottom portion of it housing the cutless bearing, exposing the bare bronze and allowing it to begin corroding. (Yes, it is bonded, and I have zincs on the shaft).
I've done a lot of online research, but been unable to find any clear guidance on coatings for struts. Some sources say to never coat it, especially with copper-based bottom paint. At least one suggested clear epoxy. Others suggest Interprotect-2000, and then bottom paint.
I have examined all of the other struts in our boatyard, and they all appear to be coated and bottom-painted.
Any ideas?
popeye323:
Too funny. I noticed the same thing this weekend while I was stripping bottom paint off the prop and shaft. I have had the boat many years and I could not remember if it was something I did while I was applying epoxy to the bottom.
selene:
I think that there is no consistent approach. Like you, I researched it, and came up with the same options - leave it alone, epoxy, Interprotect, bottom paint, etc. And when I wandered around the boatyard, I saw all the variants described.
FWIW my strut is Aluminium, and has bottom coat painted on - which never lasts.
I wonder what could be causing the corrosion; bronze is normally pretty durable. It is bonded to the rest of the grounding? Could you have some stray current?
Sorry not to be more help :-(
Dolce_Vita:
Yes, the strut is Bronze, and bonded to all the other hardware. I measured the resistance from strut to shaft and it was around 2 Ohms, which seems reasonable, given the length of bonding wire involved.
Two large zincs on the shaft, about 2" forward of the strut.
Based on the boatyard's recommendation, I'm going to try coating it with Pettit Zinc Barnacle Barrier. The yard claims it has better adhesion on bronze than interprotect-2000, and it holds up on my prop very well.
Rusty Pelican:
I have been using it for 5 seasons; works great
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
Go to full version