GET INFORMED
Education for POYC Members
Galvanic Corrosion — A Layman’s View
Thursday October 29th, 6:30 to 8:00pm
– open to members and nonmembers –
Host: POYC Education
Galvanic corrosion, stray current, bonding, zincs, galvanic isolators—it can quickly become a confusing subject. This class will take a simplified, layman’s look at the basic chemistry and electrical principles behind corrosion on our boats. We’ll start with the familiar idea of a battery and use it to understand what happens when different metals are placed in seawater, why one metal can disappear while another is protected, and what changes when we connect our boat to shore power.
From there, we’ll look at the larger electrical picture: how connecting to a dock can connect our underwater metals to other boats and marina systems, and how galvanic isolators and isolation transformers interrupt or control those connections. We’ll also discuss the newer equipment-leakage protection requirements and breakers being installed at many marinas, and why electrical leakage that may once have gone unnoticed can now cause a shore-power breaker to trip.
This won’t be a class about telling you how your boat should be wired or bonded. Every boat is different, and those decisions belong with a qualified marine electrician. The goal is simpler: to understand enough about what is happening and why that you can recognize problems, ask better questions, and work more effectively with your electrician when setting up, improving, or troubleshooting your own boat.
Questions?
Education@POYC.org
Upcoming Educational Events
| Event | Location | Dates | More Info | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basics of Galvanic Corrosion and Dock Power Connections | POYC | October 29, 2026 | 6:30 – 8:00 PM | N/A |
| Chart Night: Sharing Our Summer 2026 Voyages | POYC | November | TBD |