Print Page | Close Window

New SD50 Sail Drive Leg

Printed From: myHanse.com
Category: Hints & Tips
Forum Name: 370 / 375
Forum Description: 370 / 375 Hints, Tips and News
URL: https://www.myhanse.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=10695
Printed Date: 28 March 2024 at 11:48
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.06 - https://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: New SD50 Sail Drive Leg
Posted By: lukemi
Subject: New SD50 Sail Drive Leg
Date Posted: 05 April 2018 at 13:11

Looks like I will need to have the lower leg of my saildrive replaced. It lasted 11 years but I guess time works against some of those parts. Some questions for anyone who has replaced the lower leg of the SD 50 sail drive.

1. Can the lower leg be removed from the bottom of the boat? I can see all the bolts but I'm not sure if they are removed if the flange of the leg will clear the opening. I would imagine I could grind the opening a little bit bigger but not sure if I want to do this. The cost is an additional ~$2000 if my contractor needs to removed the saildrive from above.
 
2. If the saildrive needs to be removed from above does the engine need to be moved forward to gain access? Again the cost increases if the engine needs to be moved forward. My contractor does not know if there is enough room in the 370 to get the sail drive out without moving the engine.
 
Any experiences from those that have done this would be appreciated.
 
Mike
 



Replies:
Posted By: Sea-U
Date Posted: 05 April 2018 at 13:31
This should not have happened. There must be some earthing problems. They last "forever".

If I would do it myself, I would move the motor a little forward. I have done this on a Volvo 2002. That was quite a simple job. It went faster than expected.

On my 370 there is more room. I think that compensates for a heavier motor.


-------------
Sea-U is a 370e #532 located SW Norway


Posted By: Rubato
Date Posted: 05 April 2018 at 18:03
I haven't done it but since I've done enough work in the engine/saildrive area I know that there is no way you can remove the saildrive through the "top" without moving the engine. Sorry you have to go through this, good luck!

-------------
Steve

Hanse 400e, #168


Posted By: echoofwight
Date Posted: 05 April 2018 at 19:22
I have removed the saildrive leg on my 341. It had to come out from the top and the engine needed to be moved forward. However, it was not difficult and can be removed and replaced in a day or so. On Echo the engine needed to be moved out of the engine bay to give room to remove the saildrive. On some boats the engine may only need to be moved a few inches, it depends on how much room there is behind it. I think it would be impossible to remove and replace the saildrive from underneath the boat and the engine would still need to be moved in order the split the leg from the engine.

Hope this helps

Steve, Echo of Wight

-------------
Steve. Hanse 341 Echo of Wight, . Deep draft and rudder, white hull, Single aft cabin. Raymarine instruments. Raymarine radar. Garmin AIS. Wheel Steering,   Portsmouth.


Posted By: StavrosNZ
Date Posted: 05 April 2018 at 22:32
Your sail drive housing should last indefinitely unless their is an issue.

before you get stuck in you need to be 100% sure of what has caused this problem:
- copper base antifoul instead of non copper?
- no protection on the aluminium at all?
- electrical leak?
- model with hull anode and AC and DC buzz bars connected? if so sail drive anode will waste away very quickly and once gone sail drive housing will be the new anode.

be sure you have identified and resolved the source of this problem before you bolt on a new one and put your boat back in the water.


-------------
Stephen
2010 H400 #691, Auckland, New Zealand


Posted By: peterlo
Date Posted: 06 April 2018 at 07:42
On our 400e from 2006 we were forced to replace the saildrive leg, too, due to corrosion. The engine was moved forward a bit in order to allow the saildrive to be removed inside the boat - there is no other possibility. 
I was quite worried, understandably, about why it had corroded, but once the leg was out, the reason was obvious: the previous owner (18 months) had NOT primed the saildrive, but had just applied normal, copper antifoul directly on the leg!

Good luck
Peter


-------------
Stormsvalen 167


Posted By: H8jer
Date Posted: 06 April 2018 at 19:21
Originally posted by peterlo peterlo wrote:

had NOT primed the saildrive, but had just applied normal, copper antifoul directly on the leg!
That sounds not good but surely not the lone factor for demise.

Using a lot of shore power, having rudderstock and/or saildrive grounded and no http://https://sterling-power.com/products/zinc-savers-galvanic-isolators" rel="nofollow - Sterling Pro Save isolator will bring bad things in play.

/h8jer




-------------
Hanse 370#487 30HP 3-cabin


Posted By: Ratbasher
Date Posted: 10 April 2018 at 15:10
Unless you address the cause then you’ll become an expert in this process over the years. Looking at the pictures you’ve significantly increased the cathodic area with a large folding prop. I’d hazard a guess that this has overcome the ability of the anodes on the prop and SD to cope and indeed it’s hard to see much evidence of them remaining. Like fouling, some areas just seem prone to electrolysis.

Despite fitting my boat with an isolator and having a marine electrician tell me he can’t find anything to blame onboard I’ve had the same issues and the folding prop is the prime suspect. However, I changed the anodes at 4-month intervals last year to avoid damage to the leg and this winter fitted a hull anode bonded well to that leg. Will report on the success of this later in the year.

Having asked the same question of an engineer that I respect, the only way to remove the leg involves moving everything; its an expensive job. However, at least you’ll have a new gaiter satisfying the need to have that done.

As I reminded myself yesterday on putting the boat into the water only to find the mast needs to come down to replace 9 year old but frayed standing rigging, if you can’t take a joke you shouldn’t have bought a boat. Good luck though.




-------------
H400 (2008) 'Wight Leopard', Gosport UK


Posted By: Rubato
Date Posted: 10 April 2018 at 17:41
I have the same folding prop with the same 2 anodes (cone on the hub of the prop and on the saildrive just in front of the prop), no issues...  plugged in year around...

-------------
Steve

Hanse 400e, #168


Posted By: Ratbasher
Date Posted: 10 April 2018 at 21:22
Originally posted by Rubato Rubato wrote:

I have the same folding prop with the same 2 anodes (cone on the hub of the prop and on the saildrive just in front of the prop), no issues...  plugged in year around...


I wish I was so fortunate and a shame that Lukemi’s boat is so badly affected. As I indicated, it may be that we’re just berthed in areas where electrolytic forces are so much stronger thus eating the anodes at a much greater rate. The fitting of a folding prop certainly increases the cathodic area. Having eliminated all other causes on my own boat I’d advise Lukemi to investigate further and not regard a SD leg as a consumable item. In the absence of an obvious cause, frequent anode changes are necessary and I’ll be interested to see the results of the additional hull anode on my own boat.

Of interest, there’s a two-part SD anode that doesn’t need the prop removed for fitting.

-------------
H400 (2008) 'Wight Leopard', Gosport UK


Posted By: lukemi
Date Posted: 11 April 2018 at 14:42
Thanks for all the replies. We have ordered the parts and hopefully they will start work next week on the repairs. I have also purchased an isolation transformer as follows. I would like any feedback for anyone who has used on of these before.
 
http://www.charlesindustries.com/main/iso_guard.html" rel="nofollow - http://www.charlesindustries.com/main/iso_guard.html
 
In retrospect I reviewed changes in my marine environment over the last 12 years. The boat was pulled every 2 years for cleaning and zinc replacement. Here's what I saw.
 
         Year          Description                Changes
           2             > 1% Anode loss         38' Sail on left and right of Stella
           4             > 3% Anode loss         None
           6             > 3% Anode loss         New 38' Sail on left. New 27 Sail on right
           8             > 3% Anode loss         New 37' Sail on left
          10            20% Anode loss           New 40' Cruiser on Right (second year).  
          12            100% Anode loss         None.
 
I can't say much about these numbers but they seem very suspicious. I would post new pictures but I don['t see the picture poster icon now?????? Has something changed???
 
 
 


Posted By: lukemi
Date Posted: 11 April 2018 at 14:53
I guess I need to use the long form for pictures. Here are the cleaned up pictures of the Sail Drive. Note how the entire zinc is gone. This had never happened in the previous 12 years. In the second picture you can see the holes from the electrolysis action. One note from my bottom painter. I always used Interlux non-metallic paint on my sail drive. He indicated that some of the paint had come off. He strongly suggested to ALWAYS clean then put a Primer Cost before the barrier coat. 
Mike
 


Posted By: Ratbasher
Date Posted: 11 April 2018 at 15:08
Good luck with it all. It’s worth bearing in mind though that there’s distinct differences between galvanic and electrolytic corrosion. The former can usually be traced to equipment onboard but the latter could be due to anything in the vicinity and has the potential to eat up metals at a truly alarming rate. Bringing in a corrosion specialist to check it all out would be money well spent.

-------------
H400 (2008) 'Wight Leopard', Gosport UK


Posted By: Rubato
Date Posted: 11 April 2018 at 17:53
Just to be clear, "no issues" means that the sail drive is still looking good. However, the zincs themselves barely last a year so it's at least an annual event to refresh them.

Good luck guys, that's an expensive item to have to replace!


-------------
Steve

Hanse 400e, #168


Posted By: Sea-U
Date Posted: 12 April 2018 at 10:31
Regarding the folding prop....
I have a 3 blade Flex-O-Fold prop.
I have had my boat since 2012 and I have not yet changed the saildrive anode. Probably will this year.

But I never stay connected to shore power. I have and arrangement with 3 solar panels.

The fault must be either other boats or some electrical problem on yours.


-------------
Sea-U is a 370e #532 located SW Norway



Print Page | Close Window

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.06 - https://www.webwizforums.com
Copyright ©2001-2023 Web Wiz Ltd. - https://www.webwiz.net