21
ALL AT SEA JULY 2022
POWER TALK
With supply shortages and the cost of living crisis, never has it been so important to keep your outboard in great condition. Simon Everett returns with more maintenance advice...
W
ith everyone feeling the pinch, from both sides of the counter, it is going to be more important than ever to be fastidious about engine maintenance. Engines are in short supply and therefore prices are holding firm, and that is a situation that is not going to change in the short term. Various reasons are behind the squeeze, but mainly it is the shortage of chips and hold ups in shipping that are the cause. Therefore it makes sense to look after the machinery you have, and many people are taking this route instead of replacing it with a new one. Saltwater is highly corrosive, but even constant exposure to the damp atmosphere of a waterway will have a detrimental effect over time. Outboard engines are more exposed than inboards, which are in a boat with a dry bilge. The outboard motor is more easily accessed, however, to apply a corrosion reduction preparation. PREFERRED PROTECTION Even multilayer paint systems need some help and there are various products available to create a waterproof barrier and stave off corrosion. I have put my motorcyclist hat on and use ACF50 as my preferred preparation as it has kept the Royal Navy’s aircraft tip-top for decades and is commonly used for protecting motorbikes from the ravages of winter riding where salt is the big enemy; the similarity is striking. ACF stands for Anti Corrosion Formula and it is a chemical preparation that actually halts corrosion and then creates a very thin film that migrates
ACF50 is Simon’s tried and tested favoured product
Stand the sprayer in almost boiling water in a bucket to heat the ACF50 up
Prepared for a simple outboard maintenance job Spray it on all over and then wipe with a clean cloth
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Looking as good as new…
across the entire surface. It does need reapplication every so often, but it just becomes part of the maintenance routine and is very cost effective. For most leisure boats twice a year would be enough. Commercial operators might benefit from doing it every couple of months, but it is so quick it is no hardship. SPRAY SOLUTION My method involves using a garden sprayer. The beauty of the one I use is it has a very fine, brass nozzle that applies the ACF50 much finer than it lands from the aerosol or from the trigger pump. I put about 100cc of ACF50 in the 1.25 litre sprayer and pump it at least 100 times, then stand the sprayer in almost boiling water in a bucket to heat the ACF50 up. This thins it down considerably, allowing it to flow better and spray finer. Just spray it on all over, then wipe it with a clean cloth to take off the excess and to coat the reverse
surfaces, a small paint brush is useful for getting into small recesses too. The beauty of ACF50 is that it is safe on all materials, but you want to keep it off drive belts, so cover them with a bin bag. In the confines of an engine bay, the ability to spray a fine mist to coat awkward to reach places is a godsend and will help to keep your investment looking pristine. It also makes working on the engine that much easier and more pleasant. Electrics are a major factor on boats and the ability to protect the wiring and connections from degradation helps to keep the boat reliable and trouble free; ACF50 is safe on electrical components and will keep your connections corrosion free. For the doubters, our outboards are heavily used and are now three seasons old, and they are in use right through the winter too, yet they still look like new and I expect them to continue to look like this for many years to come.
