what is it and is it obsolete?

[PMF1984]

2.5 inches by 18.5 inches, weighs 4.5 pounds

 

[Frosty]

I've seen sintered bronze plates that bolt through a hull as part of the ground for an antenna system (as I remember it anyway)

The ones I have seen look more like solid bronze with a sort of fibery texture, but I wonder if it's a variation on that. Maybe homemade? The idea is to get more surface area.

Here is a commercial one. It would be fastened on the outside of the hull underwater.

 

[PMF1984]

Frosty, thanks for the reply.

This came off a 1939 Matthew’s. I turned the boat into wood stove size units in 1979. There were quite a few previous owner fabricated systems on the boat.

One thing I don’t think it was is a radio ground. There was no radio on the boat when I bought it.

 

[FlyWright]

A mounting bracket for a strainer like perhaps a Groco?

 

[PMF1984]

No this was outside the hull, see the copper bottom paint on it.

And the long bolts tell me they went through the planking.

 

[psneeld]

Not many choices....my guess is home made grounding plate like sintered bronze for LORAN or general noise....agree with Frosty.


Back in those days, boaters had AM radios that could have benefited from it...so maybe.

 

[PMF1984]

Ok, thanks for the thoughts.

Looks like the scrap pile for this one.

 

[C lectric]

What is the material? A bit of filing should give an answer.
Bright relatively soft is likely aluminum.
Reddish and relatively soft may be copper
Reddish brown may be a bronze.

 

[PMF1984]

Red, to red brown.

So copper or bronze.

Came off the boat in 1978, when things were cheap.

 

[Sofa King Fishy]

Keel cooler- I.e.: external temperature regulator for exhaust.

 

[High Wire]

Looks like a sea chest cover designed to keep big stuff out. Bronze.