Boaters Tips and Tricks

Bronze and Brass Uses on a Boat

We’ll need to start with a word every boater should memorize, DEZINCIFICATION.

You know how we put zincs on our boats because of electrolysis (which happens a lot in salt water), and that we use zinc because it’s the first go to metal the electrolysis likes to chomp on. Well it turns out brass has a fair bit of zinc mixed into its metal. So if you ever come across a brass piece on your boat that looks bright pink instead of the proper gold coloring you’ve uncovered a piece of hardware that’s had anywhere from some to all of its zinc removed through electrolysis.

Often if you tap it with a hammer, it will easily crumble or break. So the first golden rule of Brass or Bronze is- Never use brass for any hardware that comes in contact with salt water above or below the waterline. If you need metal, use Bronze, which has very little zinc in its composition.

Lead is a metal used in Bronze and because it has lead, we never want to use Bronze when working with drinking water systems.

To summarize, saltwater gets Bronze, fresh water gets Brass. Cold water can use plastic, hot water usually requires metal valves and fittings. Take care to use the right kind for the right use.

If all bronze and brass were one type, it would be so easy to always get the right metal for the right use, but it turns out, the metal industry doesn’t make it easy at all.

This is because some metal is sold as bronze when it’s not. Add to that some brass is in fact essentially bronze. Navel Brass is a type of brass with so little zinc it can be used in salt water situations, whereas Admiral Brass is not to be used in salt water environments. Red Brass is marketed as good enough for salt water situations and it looks similar to Bronze, but you can find many sources who will say Red Brass isn’t good enough, and not all Red Brass is made with the same mixtures.

If this is confusing, you have great company as it’s confusing even to experts. I’ve found it’s easiest to go by manufacturer for Bronze and for Silicone Bronze, Groco valves and fittings have been a leader for decades. For brass, simply  avoid Home Depot or Lowes due to high bi-metals used, and stick with any marine shop, boat yards, or most plumbing shops which will carry genuine brass fittings. Avoid Red Brass if you need Bronze, and avoid buying online. Even Bluesea electronics parts have been found online that are in fact poor quality pirated copies, just like back in the day pirated DVDs. Packaging and the part look like the real thing, but they’re not. Even pirate versions of Parker Jotter pens can be found online today. This could be viewed as the darkside of Amazon everything, buyer beware. Boats have sunk due to dezincification brass parts where bronze parts were supposed to be. Have a look around your engine, your cooling system, make it an easter egg hunt, it might turn up something you’re catching in the nick of time.

Another Boating Tips and Tricks brought to you by Beacon Marine in Ventura California.