1. My new boat has only 30 hours on it and the top of the lower unit is already turning chalkey white (I hate this). Is this from heat? With 30 hours and only about 30 seconds at full speed... I'm just surprised it's turning chalkey. The dealer says it's normal. Since this boat is primarily used for skiing and cruising at 40 mph and less, do I need a drive shower?

2. The anchor came loose last weekend and the skeg on the lower unit got scratched from rocks. Nothing horrible...but I just don't like the fact that I have a new boat that the skeg is scratched up and the top of the gear case is turning white. My nice new Bravo One looks like it's five years old. Can I paint the skeg with a spray can of mercury black paint or will it not stick properly?

Any input would be appreciated, Thanks!

Do you leave the boat in the water??? I don't know why you have chalky white stuff on your drive. I have nearly 200 hours on my boat ( salt water only ). It is stored in a building with racks when I am not useing it. My drive looks like the day I got it. I have a drive shower, but I can't see that making a hell of a difference.

Boat sits on a hoist, so the lower unit is completely out of the water except for when we are using it. Boat is used in fresh water only. I always thought the paint turning chalky white was from heat from the upper set of gears. I thought a drive shower would keep this area cooler so the paint didn't get hot and chalky!?

I think that you are correct about the heat cause the white chalky area on the top of your drive. My old boat had a stock 454 mag Bravo1 and would get the top of the drive white until I installed the drive shower.

My guess is that the white on your boat is mostly cosmetic and you're probably not damaging the drive, but the drive shower can't hurt anythins so I would add one if possible. It should get rid of the white stuff.

I would think that you can use about any black spray paint for your outdrive skeg, but haven't done this before. You may need to re-apply the paint periodically if it doesn't stick well. Good luck!!

I used to have the chalky upper on my Bravo outdrives.
Mostly around the vent screw.
Drive shower really helps - No More Chalk!
Lime Away will clean off the chalk.
Dennis

I didn't think that drive showers would help eliminate this chalking problem. Maybe they clean by dumping pressurized water on top of the drive as well as cooling it down. Food for thought anyway...

The chalky white residue is from NOT HAVING A DRIVE SHOWER. The top of the Bravo gets so hot when you are running without one that the water steams off of it and leaves mineral deposits behind thats what the chalky white is.

It does'nt matter if your only runnig 40 it still gets incredibly hot.
I have Innovative Marine showers on my drives and there is no chalk whatsoever. Do yourself and your drive a favor and get a drive shower.

Mine first started to chalk up at about 20 hours
spent some good money and bought the Innovative Marine showers. I really liked the fact they looked stock.
They cleaned up on their own and my drives are still factory gloss black.
Showers are a must on ANY boat
I dont care if you spend 50 bucks or 300 showers cool the fluid down alot.

Sand the scratches out of the skeg, use Merc primer and Merc spray black.

Shower will completely eliminate chalking.

Chalk washes off easily (as said above Lime Away or CLR will get stubborn deposits off).

muratic acid works best for cleaning drives. works well on props also. rinse well plenty of water