The $40 maintenance item that saves a $4,000 repair.
Your anodes are the cheapest part on the boat.
Galvanic corrosion happens when dissimilar metals are electrically connected in water. The sacrificial anode is designed to corrode first so your drive, prop, lower unit, and underwater metal parts do not.
If anodes look untouched after a season, check bonding and metal-to-metal contact. If they are half gone, replace them before the expensive metal starts paying the price.
Material choiceMatch the metal to your water.
Best universal choice for many mixed-water boats. Good when a boat trailers between fresh, brackish, and saltwater.
Freshwater only. More active, so it protects in lakes and rivers but can disappear quickly in saltwater.
Traditional saltwater material. It may not dissolve fast enough in pure freshwater to protect the drive correctly.
Choose the kit that matches your drive.
Tecnoseal Bravo 3 Complete Kit
For post-2004 Mercury Bravo 3 dual-prop drives. Choose aluminum, magnesium, or zinc based on water type.
- Complete kit with hardware
- Verify 2004+ Bravo 3 fitment before ordering
- Do not mix anode materials on the same drive
Tecnoseal Bravo 2-3 Pre-2004 Kit
Older Bravo 2 and pre-2004 Bravo 3 drives use a different pattern than newer Bravo 3 kits.
- Use the pre-2004 fitment
- Magnesium for freshwater, zinc for saltwater
- Inspect old hardware and bonding while replacing
Tecnoseal Bravo 1 Aluminum Kit
For Mercury Bravo 1 single-prop drives. Aluminum is the simple mixed-water option for many trailer boats.
- Fits Bravo 1 drives
- Good universal water-type choice
- Clean mount surfaces before installing
Performance Metals Alpha 1 Gen 2 Kit
For MerCruiser Alpha 1 Gen 2 drives. Confirm Gen 2 fitment because Gen 1 drives use a different kit.
- Complete Alpha 1 Gen 2 kit
- Popular fitment for many stern-drive boats
- Replace when half consumed
Performance Metals Verado 6 Kit
For Mercury Verado 6-cylinder outboards. Twin-engine boats need one kit per engine.
- Verado 6-specific fitment
- Good shortcut for offshore center consoles
- Verify 6-cylinder platform before ordering
Tecnoseal Yamaha V6 Kit
For Yamaha 200, 225, 250, and 300 HP V6 outboards. Confirm V6 fitment before ordering.
- For Yamaha V6 outboards
- Single and twin installations
- Do not use on different Yamaha platforms without confirming fitment
Replace before you have to.
Inspect anodes at least annually in freshwater and more often in saltwater. Replace when about half consumed. Clean contact points and never paint over anodes.
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