As with seacocks, go through the anodes
you have on board logically and if they
are all well worn, replace them all in one
go so it’s done. What sometimes gets
forgotten is the zinc-pencil anodes on
the engine’s seawater heat exchanger
because they’re so small and hidden
away in the engine room. If you have
a generator, commonly found on bigger
yachts, don’t forget to check the anodes
on this as well as they are often forgotten.
If you have a rope cutter installed on your
propeller, you may have to adapt the
anode to fit properly by cutting a notch
into it. Make sure that external anodes
are properly secured with no movement.
Anodes become ineffective once they
reach 75% of their original size so it
is worth replacing them early, and is
relatively inexpensive to do. If you’re
heading to warmer waters, it becomes
even more important as the effect of
electrolysis becomes greater.Winches Deck Anodes
Winch servicing is time consuming, a bit
messy and one of the jobs you certainly
shouldn’t skip. They are subject to big
loads and are challenging to take apart
at sea if something goes wrong. Due
to the number of parts involved, you’re
almost guaranteed to lose something.
It’s far more efficient if you do one thorough
service once a year. It gets quicker after
you are familiar with the type of winch and
you get into a rhythm. Perhaps the most
important component is the pawl springs
- it’s well worth replacing them if there’s
any sign of wear. A well-serviced and
lubricated winch will spin freely with no
clunks and sit firmly in place on the shaft
of the deck fitting, with no obvious lateral
movement. If you have electric winches,
check the buttons are in good working
order and not degraded; loose connections
here can be very dangerous. Anchor
windlasses should be cleaned and given a
light coating of grease on the working parts.
The UK winter climate is hard on teak
and even manmade surfaces so most
owners suffer a degree of green growth,
depending on where the boat is kept. It
is well worth a clean and a scrub halfway
through winter, particularly if you choose
to leave your deck exposed. Preference
varies on what to do with natural woods
but we advocate applying an antifungal
treatment such as Boracol before the
season. This reduces growth whilst not
changing the natural hue of the wood.
It’s also easy and quick to apply, as well
as being relatively inexpensive. Having
spent time on the deck, don’t neglect the
topsides. A through clean and polish will
mean the surfaces shed dirt and grime
more easily. If you are heading to warmer
climes, this will also protect the surfaces
from some of the damage caused by
UV. Remove all blocks and removable
rigging before starting work to ensure
a thorough finish.EXPERT ON BOARDThe anchor windlass is easily
missed, but don’t forget to
give moving parts a grease