Hanz Schmidt wrote in
:

What would make a zinc dissolve while at sea?? We have no generator or
inverter.

A zinc screwed directly to the other metal parts like your prop, forms a
shorted battery with sea water as the electrolyte. The zinc is
CONSTANTLY being eaten away as long as the boat is in its corrosive sea
water bath. At sea, away from the added marina leakages, the temperature
of the bath and varying salinity cause the rate the battery runs, eating
its zinc plate to change.

Would a SSB cause it?

No, the battery runs quite well 24/7 on its own.

No other boat or land around..

Yes, just the acid bath of sea water. It eats all metal it touches.


Hanz