At the recent Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, FLIBS, we had the pleasure of taking a few of our best private luxury yacht charter clients (and dear friends) for a stroll along the docks. The couple had recently completed the construction of another home on a lot overlooking the ocean, and they wanted to purchase a boat for weekend family outings.
We looked at the latest offerings from Germany’s Fjord Yachts, the innovative expandable-deck boats by Italy’s Evo Yachts, and the trendy Holland-designed boats of VanDutch.
However, the model that really caught the attention of our friends was a sleek, aluminum-hull day cruiser built by Vanquish Yachts – the Vanquish VQ54. The boat is simply stunning – there’s no other way to describe it.
As we stood on the dock discussing the boat and the available color options, a passerby stopped and gazed at the boat. “Beautiful,” he exclaimed. “Too bad it’s made out of aluminum – electrolysis is bad for boats.”
As the man walked away, our friends seemed a bit confused. “What’s wrong with electrolysis?” asked the wife. “It’s a great way to remove unwanted hair!”
“It’s a little different with boats,” we said, and then we explained marine electrolysis, and the possible damage it can cause to a boat or yacht.
For humans, Medical Electrolysis is a clinical method of removing individual hairs from a person’s face or body. A device is used to destroy the growth center of hair with chemical or heat energy.
For boats, Marine Electrolysis is the result of potential current existing between two different objects. It is often caused by stray electrical current, and can be extremely destructive (causes corrosion) on boats made out of aluminum.
The results generated by medical electrolysis are all positive – people can remove unwanted hair, and it is a permanent fix. With marine electrolysis, the results are not so good – and if not caught quickly, the corrosive effects to an aluminum boat can cause great damage (holes, water leaking into the boat, etc.), and require expensive repairs.
Aluminum boats are also susceptible to another related culprit – Galvanic Corrosion. This can occur when two dissimilar metals come into contact with an electrolyte and create a natural electrical current. Salt water can work as the perfect catalyst for galvanic corrosion.
Some examples of galvanic corrosion include:
Our experienced clients and friends then asked, “If aluminum has so many problems, why are expensive private luxury yacht charter vessels like Feadship and Heesen yachts built out of aluminum?”
The answer is simple – aluminum is light, but strong (think of airplanes), and unlike yachts built from molds, aluminum yachts can be built to any size, allowing great flexibility and customization that can’t be as easily achieve with fiberglass and other composite materials. As to the corrosion issues, manufacturers can take preventative steps to reduce and even eliminate the threats of marine electrolysis. Yachts are fitted with monitoring systems which constantly check for stray electrical current, as well as anti-corrosion anodes to negate electrical issues below the waterline.
So, while someday you may want medical electrolysis to look and feel your best, you most definitely do not want marine electrolysis – ever…
Thinking about buying a yacht? Consider our, “Try Before You Buy” program and rent the yacht for an extended “test drive” – on your own private luxury yacht charter vacation. Up to 50% of the charter fee can be applied toward the purchase of the same yacht model.
This entry was posted in News Frequently Asked Questions Educational and tagged private luxury yacht charter, Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show, luxury yacht charter, Try Before You Buy Program, Electrolysis, Vanquish, VQ54, Vanquish Yachts, Fjord Yachts, Evo Yachts, VanDutch, aluminum hull, fiberglass hull, buy a boat, fiberglass vs aluminum, medical electrolysis, hair removal, galvanic corrosion, yacht test drive
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