Bonding

[greg ricci]

      Hello guys ,   I didn't dig into my new project yet ,  87 AS Advance !
   Like I said in an earlier post , I'am not a skier but love the boats .   My question is ,
   We're the AS's built with all thru hull metal fittings bonded ?    As I will be using the               boat in salt water from May to Sept. In New Jersey !
 Thanks,
      Greg Ricci

[RonT]

No, that was an option seldom sold as nearly all boats were originally sold into fresh water ski lakes.

[greg ricci]

    Ok ,  something else I have to add to the list !
 Thanks for the reply Ron !
   Greg Ricci

[RonT]

I have found that our boats only need bonding when they are left in salt water for extended periods of time, If you are trailering & not leaving the boat in overnight you will be ok, just flush the engine good & hose her down. Except now you will find rapid corrosion on you trailer if it's a standard painted steel trailer.

[greg ricci]

Yes it is a steel trailer but wheels will be greased when it go's in and out and also rinsed well with fresh water !     Yes the boat will be in the water for extended periods ! 
 By the way ,  all you guys on this forum are great ,  I can't stop reading it !
One more question then I'll go away ,   I think I read somewhere in AS Forum that the shaft log is "aluminum" , is this correct ?  My AS Advance is a 1987 .
Thanks again for all that you guys do !
    Greg Ricci

[Mike Harry]

I believe the "log" you are thinking of are what some refer to as "exhaust logs" which some of us have and others have cast iron.

Someone correct me if Im wrong, this is the only thing I can think of that would have been associated with "log" and aluminum...........

oh, and dont go away. Welcome aboard we hope you stick around!

[RonT]

The shaft log is aluminum & is glassed in place. When the boat was built IF the optional bonding was ordered the wire was wrapped over the log then glassed with a short length of wire run over to the stringer & tied into the main bonding wire. If the boat were in my shop now & someone wanted this done I would slide the packing hose up the shaft, clean the short alum. tube, wrap the skinned wire around the tube 2-3 times leaving a length sticking out the back side, then slide the hose back over the wrapped wire.

As for the trailer the damage begins between the carpeted boards & the frame as the salt water will collect & stay there.

[greg ricci]

Thank you guys , for the come back !   Ron you mention the shaft log as "short" ,  I was hoping it would be long enough to accept some sort of home made aluminum clamp !
 This I hope would prevent any problems having dissimilar metal at the shaft .     
I would then connect the copper wire to the clamp !   
Ron ,  give me your thoughts on this ,  PLEASE !
  Thanks ,
       Greg R

[RonT]

The shaft log is relatively small and completely encased in fiberglass except for the short (1.5" approx.) round tube portion sticking out the front for the hose to clamp to. Note that the shaft does not touch the shaft log unless the engine is way out of alignment. So the only thing you are protecting is the shaft log by itself, which is worth protecting as this is a difficult part to change out. If you want to use aluminium conductors on the shaft log I guess a piece of aluminium sheet stock maybe 3/4" wide by 4" long could be placed on top of the shaft log round opening, slide the short rubber hose over that, clamp it down tight & attach a bonding wire to the alum. band sticking out.

[greg ricci]

   Yes that's what I meant !
  Thanks , Greg

ps. And thank you Mike for getting
back to me yesterday , sorry I forgot
to thank you too !

[Mike Harry]

No worries, goes to show you what I DONT know  Im just glad Ron is here to correct all my mistakes!