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What would be causing this??

OldSchoolBoats

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Took this boat out on Saturday and noticed, what appears to be anodes, on the swim steps.

My friend that was there said that it could be caused by a bad ground??

Is there any truth to that?? Or what would cause it?

Boat had a pretty good bath ring underneath the swimsteps so that makes me think it might have been stored in the water for some time.

20200208_181129.jpg


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RCDave

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Is the surfaces of any other metal rigging also displaying similar issues?
 

ONE-A-DAY

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Definitely not trailered in and out each day, was it stored at the marina?
 

Bigbore500r

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Is it on both swim steps or just the one with the dissimilar metals mounted to it (aqua step)?
That's a good point. Notice it is also happening where the SS U-bolt is sitting on the aluminum washers
 

TPC

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Consider sacrificial anodes.
There are several types.
Study and get the correct type.
 

Outdrive1

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If you left it in the Keys for the weekend that would happen. That’s powder coat, not anodizing . If water gets under the powder coat it will do that. I’d say it wasn’t a good coat to begin with or there are places like where there is hardware that’s letting water get under the surface.

There’s a reason why you anodize hardware like that and not powder coat it. The anodizing however never looks that vibrant nor are there as many colors to chose from.


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n2otoofast4u

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Shitty water (Havasu included) plus powder coating is a recipe for this. PC can work if its REALLY well done, my assumption is that was not.

I can tell you that the water in Havazoo is REALLY hard on shit! I brig my boats back to the PNW after being down there, and in one trip all the shinny shit is shinny again, and all the chalk is gone.
 

OldSchoolBoats

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Is it on both swim steps or just the one with the dissimilar metals mounted to it (aqua step)?
Both swimp steps have an aqua step ladder and both swimstep had the anodes on them the starboard side was a lot less though.

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Yellowboat

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Whatsbthe anode look like? There is some current in the water for sure
 

sirbob

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I’ve kept mine in the marina for up to a week at a time and never had a problem-

That said it looks as many have said like an electrical issues someplace...

You can see the anodes on my (the 2 silver parts) drive are getting a little pitted, as they are supposed to, instead of the step and other metals.



9AB12E1E-3FEE-4199-9A9F-4ACFFA7BE507.jpeg
 
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FreeBird236

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I get a tiny amount of that, only on the aluminum supports, the steps are clearcoated and don't get it, it's mostly on the side with the aquastep and it happens in the garage over winter. The batteries are off, but always active to the trim.o_O
 

ka0tyk

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Clean it off, run a wire from your swim step bracket bolts (looks like you need some on your transom u bolts as well) inside the boat to your drive bracket "bonding" them together. that way your anodes on your drive get bonded to the rest of your metal parts that are touching the water. otherwise everything needs a separate anode.

galvanic corrosion will eat the easiest metal it can find, which is why zinc anodes are used. they're soft (technically releasing their electrons easier than other metals) and sacrificial to prevent corrosion to the good metals you want to keep.
 
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RiverDave

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Electrolisys happening somewhere.. Could be in the boat, or it could be electrical in the water from another source (shore power etc..).

RD
 

LargeOrangeFont

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Side question.. are some types of powdercoat more durable than others? Are they all the same?

I have the "Fusion coat" in red on the swim steps of my boat that has to get redone, it is cloudy and looking like crap. The "fusion coat" is kinda translucent. The green that Sirbob and OSB have is a more opaque color.
 

D19

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Try a different prop and see if it stops.
 

OldSchoolBoats

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Electrolisys happening somewhere.. Could be in the boat, or it could be electrical in the water from another source (shore power etc..).

RD
So I assume that the only way to figure it out is to clean it and see if it happens again??

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Carlson-jet

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I'm thinking a combination of things a few have hit on here. Electrolysis, not degassing the parts prior to powder coating, poor powder coating.
So I assume that the only way to figure it out is to clean it and see if it happens again?
With the excessive bubbling the coating on the support bracket shown in the pic is done. the white death is going to continue creeping.
 

OldSchoolBoats

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I'm thinking a combination of things a few have hit on here. Electrolysis, not degassing the parts prior to powder coating, poor powder coating.

With the excessive bubbling the coating on the support bracket shown in the pic is done. the white death is going to continue creeping.
So pull the parts off and get them re powder coated or anodized?? My plan was to put sea deck on the swim steps.

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Carlson-jet

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So pull the parts off and get them re powder coated or anodized?? My plan was to put sea deck on the swim steps.

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I would price out what new that are anodized vs having those stripped and anodized. The same with the PC.
I would go for most cost effective.
I've maintained very large High production powder paint booths and Hard anodizing centers.
I would prefer Hard anodizing but the color choices just aren't there.
 

OldSchoolBoats

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So after thinking this through more, there is a plug on the back transom to hook up the on board charging system. Thinking maybe he had it plugged in, while in a slip or in the water??
 

OldSchoolBoats

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Do I really need to replace the swim steps?? How would the electrolysis come back if it isn't sitting in the water with an electrical current??
 

ONE-A-DAY

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Do I really need to replace the swim steps?? How would the electrolysis come back if it isn't sitting in the water with an electrical current??
Those are Eddie Marine units, you can take them off and send them in for a redo if you like, they do the fusion coat thing, polished first, then powder, then clear. Way cheaper than buying new ones.
 

Singleton

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Do I really need to replace the swim steps?? How would the electrolysis come back if it isn't sitting in the water with an electrical current??

need to have them pulled and re powered coated. Problem with that is color matching.
IMO, everything on transom would need to be pulled and re coated, so it all matches
 

OldSchoolBoats

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Those are Eddie Marine units, you can take them off and send them in for a redo if you like, they do the fusion coat thing, polished first, then powder, then clear. Way cheaper than buying new ones.
Good call on that.

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hallett21

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Do I really need to replace the swim steps?? How would the electrolysis come back if it isn't sitting in the water with an electrical current??

Theoretically it wouldn’t. But the core problem looks like they were not bonded to the anodes (looking on my phone). So if you were in an area with other stray electrical current the same problem would happen again.

I would think you could have them stripped and re coated instead of replacing them?


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Bigbore500r

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So pull the parts off and get them re powder coated or anodized?? My plan was to put sea deck on the swim steps.

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If you anodize them, clear anodized aluminum seems to hold up the best to elements. Doesn't fade. Not sure if that matches the color scheme of the boat though but ....
 

02HoWaRd26

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I would clean real well and then add a grounding strap to each side as stated to keep the anodes working on all, then if that cures the issue next fall strip the rear and recoat all. It’s definitely more common with powdercoat than anodizing, but it’s mostly in the prep. If that is a direct from Eddie color i would honestly look to them and see what they say, they could’ve had a bad batch of powder or possibly no idea about it but just may help you out a little on the recoat. I do know that MIW charges basically 50% to strip and recoat a product. So if steps are 500$ new it’ll be 250$ for the strip and coat, but it is an entailed process, strip polish then recoat.
 

RiverDave

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I would just take them off the boat and repowdercoat them.. It isn’t hugely expensive. Color matching won’t be a problem for a boat that new etc..
 
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