Electrolysis occurs when a stray electrical field is introduced into the water surrounding your boat, and Galvanic Corrosion occurs whenever dissimilar metals are placed in a solution within close proximity of each other, so this corrosion can happen when your boat is out in the middle of the water. Both can cause an anode to lose its metal. Zinc and Aluminum act as sacrificial anodes, dissolving before the other more important metal components in your boat. You should always check the condition of your anodes before you put your boat in the water, and whenever you pull your boat out of the water to be certain that there is sufficient metal left to act as an anode.

Remember that you should never paint over an anode, because that will isolate it and protect it, which is exactly the opposite of its intended purpose. For more information, please read our section on How to Choose an Anode.

You never know when an electric source is going to be accidentally added to the water surrounding your boat, so it is much better to be on the safe side and ensure that you have plenty of protection. Also, inspecting the condition of your zincs will tip you off that there is an electrical problem that should be looked into before it begins to eat away at much more expensive components, such as your engine or propeller shaft.

We offer a huge array of zinc anodes beyond the sampling that is shown above (we carry too many to list them all on this page), but you can see all our styles of Zinc Anodes here. And, if you do not find the anode that you need listed on our site or have any questions, please Contact Us or call us at 800-628-8225 and we would be happy to help you out.