All this talk of leaking toons got me paranoid and..........

[1roadking]

AKUNA MATADA BOYS. DONT WORRY, BE HAPPY. MY BOATING SEASON IS ALREADY ALMOST OVER.

[GregF]

The more salt the greater the electolytic effect. Heat will also be a factor.
Here is some light reading on the subject
http://www.berridge.com/Preventing%20Electrolysis.pdf

You will also know that 316 is actually more reactive than 304 vs aluminum because it has a higher galvanic number.

[GregF]

These used to be stainless snaps for the cover.

[moregooder]

Hillbilly the plugs you show in your photo are "cadmium" coated not SS. they will rust and are magnetic so electrolysis will set in.
the light in your photo is not so good and I guess I have been wrong before easy way to check, see if a magnet sticks to them.

[cjett]

Hillbilly the plugs you show in your photo are "cadmium" coated not SS. they will rust and are magnetic so electrolysis will set in.
the light in your photo is not so good and I guess I have been wrong before easy way to check, see if a magnet sticks to them.

That's the easiest way... on a lot of hardware they don't print the type of stainless being used and some manufacturers are deceiving in the metal they use. If a magnet sticks to it, do not use with aluminium. If it doesn't, you should be safe.

[HandymanHerb]

He shot it on yellow paper that could have gave it the cad look, but check them as there a lot of companies who are doing things on the cheap and don't forget a lot comes from china and who knows what there using.

[The_Hellbilly]

I've got to say thanks to everyone for all the info. I will pull a plug tomorrow and test to see if they are magnetic an take some better pics. The toon has yet to make it back to the lake due to a ranching crisis, but I may be able to put it in tomorrow

[badmoonrising]

These used to be stainless snaps for the cover.

Most snaps are not stainless, they are nickle plated brass...hence the "black streak" problems when used on aluminum...that's a fact.

Only the mounting screws are stainless..

http://www.iboats.com/Boat-Cover-Snaps/ ... _id.257692

Again, if they were stainless there wouldn't be a corrosion issue.

[FloterBoter]

thanks, now i gotta pee.



checked my toon sections today.
dry as a fart.





i have lots of ss in contact with aluminum. 30+ year old boat. no problem.


.

[GregF]

OK if it works for you, do it. This may just be a salt water problem. I just know I have had problems and the people who install bimini tops confirm it. Lots of things people get away with up north do not work here. I would agree a lake boater is probably never going to have a problem with most kinds of corrosion that eat up a boat in 88 degree salt water.

They sell this stuff to mitigate the problem

http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/browse. ... 22443.html

[The_Hellbilly]

Finally got the toon in the water Sunday, and left her in the water for a little over 3 hrs. I got home and pulled the plug and no water came out. Then I raised the front end as high as I could get it.

Leak sunday.jpg (72.49 KiB) Viewed 2523 times

Oh, btw, here is another pic of the plug. It has a number stamped on it. I think it was 302.

plug pic3.jpg (91.48 KiB) Viewed 2519 times

[badmoonrising]

Water temps up here frequently get into the upper 80s, sometimes lower 90s. Also another metal that is a serious problem with aluminum is what they call chrome plated zamac, lots of marine hardware is made from it and people often mistake it for stainless. That is, until the aluminum under it turns to swiss cheese. Incidentally, lots of bimini top manufacturers use zamac for mounts and fittings.

[cjett]

Water temps up here frequently get into the upper 80s, sometimes lower 90s. Also another metal that is a serious problem with aluminum is what they call chrome plated zamac, lots of marine hardware is made from it and people often mistake it for stainless. That is, until the aluminum under it turns to swiss cheese. Incidentally, lots of bimini top manufacturers use zamac for mounts and fittings.

BMR... I was trying to think of the stuff that is sometimes mistaken or even sometimes called "stainless"... zamac is exactly it. My father picked up some "stainless" marine hardware that was "Made in China"... caused all kinds of corrosion issues. We started looking through the parts and found "chrome plated zamac" in small letters on the back... oh, and the packaging said "stainless steel".

Magnet test always works.

[FloterBoter]

i buy my marine ss at ace hardware.
cheap shit hardware for around the yard can come from home depot or wherever.

[badmoonrising]

Yeah I go to Ace or True value, even some so called "stainless" hose clamps have regular steel components. Boat US had an article on failures due to this, boat owners were using them for through hull connections and the clamps would fall apart causing leaks and even worse, sinkings.