Smart Tabs Anodes?

[JoLin]

I just ordered a set of 12x9 tabs through iboats. I boat in salt water and looked over the installation instructions on the Nauticus site. There's a note that says anodes are needed, but it doesn't say anything about what to buy or how to mount them.

Where do I get them and where/how do I mount them? On the tab itself? On the transom bracket?

There's a lot of rigamarole and a second person and car needed to pull my boat out of the water and haul it home to install the tabs. I'd like to have everything I need on hand so I can do this and get it back in the water asap.

Thanks!

 

[nlain]

Re: Smart Tabs Anodes?

Check out this page

http://www.boatzincs.com/rudder.html

zinc for salt water. They are mounted on the tab itself. I would mount the anode on the top side of the tab plate, you will need to drill mounting holes for the anodes, in stainless you drill slow speed and lubricate well or burn up a drill bit and discolor the tab plate. I also think you need a special type drill bit for stainless. You sill need stainless steel bolts to mount the anodes with.

 

[nlain]

Re: Smart Tabs Anodes?

I have done some more research on the anodes, the links below will help you decide which ones you want.

http://www.boatzincs.com/pdfs/Which_Anodes_Should_I_Use-Chart_Merc-A.pdf

http://www.boatzincs.com/pdfs/Which_Anodes_Should_I_Use-Chart_Merc-B.pdf

 

[SoulWinner]

Re: Smart Tabs Anodes?

The tabs are thin and you can drill them with any bit that will drill metal. I used regular old black craftsman bits when I drilled mine, low speed. But here's what I did:

When I first put the anodes on my Smart Tabs I just drilled the holes and mounted the anodes on top of the tabs. On the bottom of the tabs the head of the two bolts on each tab interupted water flow and I could tell they were there on my 17' fiberglass skiff. So I took the bolt out and and got some flat head machine screws and slightly counter sunk the hole with a larger drillbit so that the flat head of the screw was almost completely flush with the bottom surface of the tab, and I used a nut as before to secure the zinc to the tab. I was happier with that arrangment. Or you could use some captive flushmount screws I suppose.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Smart Tabs Anodes?

ALL GREAT INFO, folks. Many thanks!