A:  Our e-commerce site is implemented on Yahoo! owned and operated computer systems.  Over the past ten years, Yahoo! has become the Internet's leading on-line business services company.  Your credit card information is sent encrypted to their computers from your browser via HTTPS.   After your order is processed, no credit card information is retained by either Yahoo! or BoatZincs.com.

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A:  Yes, we accept debit cards for purchases online.   However, please be aware of the following limitations imposed by your debit card issuer as explained by the Federal Trade Commission:

"Customers who use debit cards for on-line transactions will find that when they place their order, their debit card is “authorized/blocked” for the exact amount of the transaction. When the vendor ships the order, the customer’s debit card is credited with the sale. The authorize/block is a common banking procedure. It may look like two separate transactions if you view your debit card account on-line immediately after the vendor ships your order. These two transactions most likely will resolve themselves in a day or two and the initial authorized/blocked amount will disappear. Sometimes, it may take up to 15 days, especially if you changed your order after placing it and the credited amount is different. If you have limited funds in your checking account, overdrafts may occur."

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A:   You’re probably wondering “How can you charge so much less?” than other marine product stores and still be in business, right?

First of all, we sell only boat anodes. We specialize in the distribution of just one type of marine product. We know boat anodes A to Z. This product knowledge makes us very customer-responsive and cost-efficient. Need an anchor for your boat? Well, go back to Google.

Second, we buy tons of boat anodes. They arrive at our shipping dock transported on tractor trailer trucks dispatched from the foundries. We use our volume purchasing power to get you the lowest possible prices.

And, third, we run a tight ship. We spend our marketing budget carefully to ensure every advertising dollar pays for itself. We streamline our order processing system by asking you to enter your own order (thanks!). And we don't waste money on unnecessary things like mailing out product catalogues.

The result... We're proud to tell you we're a small but profitable company that expects to be in business for many years to come. This is due to having value- conscious customers like you.

We’re passionate about our boat anode business and we hope it shows.

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A:  Yes, we are a store in the literal sense.  We maintain an extensive physical inventory of every product we sell (except Commercial Anodes which ship direct from our foundries) so that we can ship immediately to you.  Should we run out of a particular item, we immediately list it on our website.  If you have any questions or concerns about our ability to ship your order, call us at 978-841-9978.

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A:  It is our policy to ship every order complete within 24 hours of its receipt.  Orders received by us before 4:00 PM ET ship that day.

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A:  By default, we ship all orders complete.  If you require a partial shipment, let us know.

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A:  United Parcel Service (UPS) specializes in the reliable delivery of packages like ours.  Late 2004, the United States Postal Service (USPS) introduced a package delivery service called ‘Priority Mail Flat Rate Box’ that many of our customers find attractive.

As to which carrier to use – it’s your choice, not ours (unless of course you place an order over $100 with free shipping - then we ship the fastest and most economical way).  During checkout, you can compare the shipping fees.  Here are the pros and cons of each service as we see them:

UPS Ground

+ Long history of reliable package deliveries
+ Often less expensive for orders going less than 1,000 miles
+ Often less expensive for orders over $100.00
+ Late-day ordering (pick-up at 5:00 PM ET)
+ Online tracking of packages at www.ups.com
– No Saturday deliveries (M-F only)
- No PO Box deliveries

USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate Box

+ Often less expensive for orders under $100.00 and going over 1,000 miles
+ Often faster delivery for orders going over 2,000 miles
– New parcel service implemented by letter carriers
– Restrictive packaging -- only a few different box sizes permitted
– Harder to track package until it is delivered

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A:  Yes.  Select "Customer Pickup” on your order as the shipping method and tell us when you need it.  We’ll have it waiting for you at our warehouse at 53 Knox Trail, Acton MA 01720.

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A:  Yes, please call anytime!  We take many, many telephone orders and can be reached at 978-841-9978.

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A:  Yes!  Sacrificial anodes must be impurity-free to properly work, and all our anodes are made only from Mil-Spec alloys.  Click here to learn more about the importance of Mil-Spec A-18001K for corrosion protection of your boat.  Our zinc anodes are also compliant to ASTM B418 Type 1.  Our Aluminum anodes conform to Mil-Spec A-24779(SH), and our Magnesium anodes conform to Mil-Spec A-21412(SH).

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A:  There are two dimensions to this topic.

First, the larger the surface area of an anode, the higher its electrical current capacity and galvanic holding voltage.  For most boats, you want your anode surface area to be sufficient to maintain all underwater metals between -900 mV and -1100 mV relative to a silver/silver-chloride reference electrode.

Second, the longevity of a sacrificial anode is a function of its weight -- the greater the weight the longer its life.

Due to differences in water salinity, temperature, stray currents, and other external influences, you only know the right weight by actual trial.  Periodically inspect your zincs, and when they have corroded to under 50% their original weight they should be replaced.  To lengthen the replacement interval, increase the weight of zincs used.

If you have a steel or aluminum hull vessel that operates in salt water, use our Calculation Formula and/or give us a call.   We've designed hundreds of corrosion protection solutions for metal boats and underwater metal structures such as docks, boat lifts, and retaining walls.

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A:  The best way is to measure it.  With a silver/silver chloride reference electrode it is relatively easy to get highly accurate voltage readings from all your underwater metals and determine if they are corroding or not.  Learn more here.

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A:  Make sure your anodes have good physical and electrical connections.  An anode with a poor electrical connection cannot provide corrosion protection.  Clean the area where you anode will be mounted by lightly sanding or wire brushing.  Also, do not paint your anodes as they cannot perform unless exposed to water.  Covering anodes with bottom paint renders them useless.

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A:  The intrinsic characteristics of the three different anode metal alloys used in the marine environment are listed below:

Anode Alloy	Voltage(1)	Density	Energy Capacity	Relative Life to Zinc
Zinc (Mil-A-18001K)	-1050mV	0.258 lbs/in3	368 A-h/lb	100%
Aluminum (Mil-A-24779SH)	-1100mV	0.105 lbs/in3	1108 A-h/lb	120%
Magnesium (Mil-A-21412)	-1600 mV	0.063 lbs/in3	500 A-h/lb	25%
(1) Open circuit galvanic voltage produced relative to a silver/silver-chloride electrode in seawater.

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A:  Your choice of anodes requires consideration of three issues:

1. The kinds of underwater metals on your boat (e.g., stainless steel, bronze, aluminum, mild steel);
2. The kinds of water you operate your boat in (e.g., salt, brackish and/or fresh); and,
3. If your boat can galvanically couple to other boats around it (i.e., connected to AC shorepower without a galvanic isolator).

For vessels with AC shorepower connections and no galvanic isolation, use Chart A (pdf). For vessels with no AC shorepower connections, or AC shorepower connections with galvanic isolation, use Chart B (pdf).

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A:  The purpose of a bonding system is to ensure that metals on your boat are at the same voltage potential.  This provides two major benefits:

1. electrical safety for the above water metals, and
2. corrosion protection for the underwater metals.

When bonded, underwater metals cannot be damaged by stray electrical currents originating from within the boat (e.g., a defective bilge pump, float switch or wire splice).  When the bonding system is then connected to sacrificial anodes, all bonded underwater metals are protected against galvanic corrosion.

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A:  When your boat is on dry land, it’s simple.  Use a digital ohmmeter with very long leads.  Connect one lead to any ‘underwater’ metal in your bonding system (e.g, hull zinc anode).  Then successively connect the other lead to each and every other underwater metal connected to your bonding system and verify a reading of 1 ohm or less (ideally a perfect circuit near 0.01 ohm.)  Do not include the resistance of the ohmmeter leads themselves.

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A:  The hard scale commonly found on the surface of zinc anodes is Zinc Carbonate (ZnCO3).  Carbonate (CO3) occurs in all bodies of water and originates from atmospheric carbon dioxide gas (CO2) naturally dissolving into the water.  In general you do not need to be concerned about this scale as it only affects the maximum output amperage of the anode, not the anode’s required trickle output necessary to maintain effective corrosion protection.  Zinc Carbonate is water insoluble, but can be readily removed by either alkalies or acids.

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