REC. ANODE BENETEAU 22-25mm

Function and technical context

Sacrificial anodes are the galvanic shield of any boat: being a more electronegative metal than stainless steel, aluminum or the alloy of the shaft and propeller, they corrode first, protecting the submerged metal parts from the destructive action of electrolytic corrosion. This anode is specifically designed for tail shafts with a diameter between 22 and 25 mm, a common measurement in models in the Beneteau range, where the propeller shaft is permanently exposed to salt or brackish water. Without effective cathodic protection on the shaft, galvanic corrosion silently and progressively attacks the supports, horns and the propeller itself, generating looseness, vibrations and costly breakdowns that are difficult to detect until the damage is severe.

When to replace this part?

The clearest symptom that the shaft anode is exhausted is the presence of pitting or visible corrosion on the shaft itself, on the propeller or on the stern fittings, a sign that the sacrifice is no longer falling on the anode but on the parts that it is intended to protect. As a general rule, sacrificial anodes should be inspected when the boat is taken ashore at the end of each season and replaced when they have lost approximately 50% of their mass, or once a year as a preventative measure if the boat remains in the water for long periods. Changing the anode before each launch is the most economical intervention to avoid shaft repairs or propeller replacement, work that can multiply the cost of this part tenfold.