ANODO HELICE FERRETTI EJEØ68 (AL)

Function and technical context

This propeller anode for 68 mm diameter shaft made of aluminum acts as sacrificial galvanic protection in the propulsion area of Ferretti boats. Its mission is to concentrate on itself the electrolytic corrosion that would otherwise attack metal components of higher value such as the propulsion shaft, the propeller or the bronze and stainless steel accessories of the transmission system. When installed directly on the propeller shaft, it creates an electrochemical shield that absorbs the degradation caused by galvanic currents in saline, brackish or even fresh water environments with high conductivity. The aluminum alloy composition makes it especially suitable for navigation in marine waters of medium-high salinity, offering greater protective efficiency per unit of mass compared to zinc anodes in these conditions.

When to replace this anode?

The clearest sign that the anode has reached its useful life is the loss of between 40% and 50% of its mass: when it appears visibly reduced, cracked or with irregular exposed metal areas, it should be replaced immediately. The standard maintenance guideline for shaft anodes on recreational boats is inspection at each seasonal stranding and systematic replacement at the beginning of each boating season, regardless of their apparent condition, if the boat remains in the water continuously. Delaying the renewal of the anode when it is exhausted is equivalent to leaving the shaft and propeller exposed to galvanic corrosion, which can lead to deep pits in the stainless steel or loss of adjustment of the propeller cone, failures whose repair far exceeds the cost of a preventive replacement.