COMPLETE RADICE ANODE SHAFT 22

Function and technical context

The shaft anode is the cathodic protection element installed directly on the propeller shaft, acting as a sacrificial metal to deflect electrolytic corrosion that would otherwise attack critical structural components such as the shaft itself, the horn or the tail bearing. It works within the boat's transmission system, in the submerged zone where the potential difference between different metals—stainless steel shaft, bronze propeller, hull—generates destructive galvanic currents. This complete anode for 22 mm shaft (reference TEN00410) offers an adequate sacrificial surface for the indicated shaft diameter, guaranteeing that corrosion consumes the anode and not the metal parts of greater cost and structural responsibility. If the anode runs out without being replaced, the shaft is exposed to pitting, loss of section and eventual mechanical failures that can compromise the seaworthiness of the boat.

When to replace this part?

The most common symptoms that indicate that the shaft anode must be replaced are the visible reduction in its mass by more than 50% compared to the initial size, the appearance of pits or corrosion spots on the adjacent shaft or propeller, and the whitish color change or surface fragmentation of the anode itself. As a general rule of preventive nautical maintenance, it is recommended to inspect and replace the shaft anodes at least once a season or at each beaching, regardless of their external visual appearance, since electrochemical activity may be greater in marinas with a high density of vessels or waters with high conductivity. Replacing the anode preventively at each annual tune-up is the most economical decision compared to the cost of machining or replacing a shaft damaged by galvanic corrosion.