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Kieran, if you want to have real fun [sic] try obtaining bronze through-hulls 
for a boat. The odd thing is, when you start asking manufacturers what alloy 
they are using some of them pretend this is a great trade secret. (Which any 
university chemistry lab could unveil over a cup of coffee or a pizza 
delivery.) Others will tell you what they use, and if you check the alloys 
out some of their brasses are bronzes, and their bronzes are brasses. All 
sorts of trade names (naval bronze, red brass, etc.) exist for alloys, and 
some include both tin and zinc leaving anyone to guess which yellow metal 
they should be called.

We eventually chose a through-hull the same way you would might a sextant: By 
the maker's reputation. But if I ever had to do it again, I'd just say 
"plastic!" and give up in frustration. At least sextants don't usually suffer 
from galvanic problems due to constant submersion.

   

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