Why Are My Anodes Disappearing So Fast?

This week Impavidus comes out of the water for the usual haul-out jobs — cleaning back the Coppercoat, polishing the topsides and checking everything underneath the boat. But while inspecting the underwater gear, we discovered something that genuinely surprised me. One set of anodes was disappearing far faster than expected… and the reason turned out to be something I suspect many saildrive and shaft-drive owners may never even have considered. In this video we look at: ⚓ Saildrive and propeller anodes ⚓ Zinc vs aluminium anodes ⚓ Rope cutters and electrical continuity ⚓ Galvanic corrosion explained simply ⚓ Why some anodes disappear much faster than others ⚓ The importance of electrically isolated propellers We also explain how certain rope cutter and shaft arrangements can unintentionally create an electrical path between underwater components, dramatically changing how the protection system behaves. As always, this is a real-world investigation aboard SV Impavidus — practical engineering, diagnostics and problem-solving aboard a liveaboard cruising yacht. ⛵ Support the channel & get early ad-free access: Patreon: www.patreon.com/svimpavidus ☕ If you'd like to support the channel: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/svimpavidus #sailing #boatmaintenance #anodes #galvaniccorrosion #liveaboard #saildrive #boatwork #coppercoat #sailinglife Sail Safe Guys, Ant & Cid XX 🇬🇧 ⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️ =================================================== 👋 We’re Ant & Cid aboard SV Impavidus – two adventurers sailing full-time since 2018. From stormy crossings to quiet anchorages (and plenty of dad jokes), we share family-friendly stories of life at sea 🌊 🎥 New episodes every Sunday – honest & safe for all ages. 📌 Links 💻 Website https://www.svimpavidus.com/ 👌 Patreon https://www.patreon.com/SVImpavidus 🍻 Buy us a beer https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/svimpavidus 😎 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/impavidus.ontheboat.5 ▶️ Playlists https://www.youtube.com/@SVImpavidus/playlists 🌱 Our Philosophy We live by a “Pay It Forward” ethos – where those taught become teachers, and goodwill multiplies. 🙏 📣 Sponsors & Contact We’re currently looking for sponsors to support our video production 🎥 📩 Email impavidussailing@gmail.com 📺 Our Second Channel 🎶 Stunning drone footage + eclectic music YOUR DRONE TV https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqYQUohmJ3yLq1zeRd9s3wg