J/109 Sailboat discussions with your one stop source for J/109 information. Where J/109 owners may buy and sell boats, equipment and sails. The forum is a separate registration and log in from the Class website.
the good news is that Yanmar has offered a new replacement zinc for the saildrive that is split so the prop does not need to be removed to replace it. The bad news is that it costs $142. For a zinc. Cheaper to have a diver remove the prop and replace the $22 one piece zinc. What are they thinking?
I am able to buy split zincs for $52 from zinc warehouse in CA. The $150 is for the entire conversion kit, and is a one-time investment in the event your boat has a one-piece zinc.
Pulled hull #244 in January after 18 months in saltwater. The sail drive lower zinc was 80% depleted. The upper zinc was 30% depleted. For the last 14 months the Xantrex Link 20 battery monitor fuses were always pulled when not underway and the Grouper zincs were always hung over the side in port. Shore power was not connected except during battery charges. There was ~ 1 cu. ft. of exposed lead on keel which may have contributed to zinc depletion. The sail drive and flex-o-fold prop survived with no obvious corrosion. Yanmar Marine Service Advisory Number: MSA2010-007