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**Wotname** · 19-02-2008, 02:11

maybe.....

Latitude9.5 · 19-02-2008, 06:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wotname

Hmm... looks like a copper coated bronze prop painted with propspeed, highlighted with a pink magic marker, used only north of Florida, run periodically at cavitation speed and soaked in anti-barnacle scent is the way to go.
Where can I get some anti-barnacle scent...
Seriously, it looks like the prop will be off to the electro-platers soon - only concern is - if its such a good idea, why wasn't it common practice for the last 50 years.

Oh don't forget, the guy here at the marina told me to ground jalapeno peppers and put them in the paint, that's how he keeps his bottom clean (i think he meant the boat).

Actually that was one of the people who told me about the magic marker.

ssullivan · 19-02-2008, 07:54

I actually just slap bottom paint on my prop. Works pretty well. Some of the paint comes off, due to water passing by the prop, but those are the areas that don't get growth due to the water action anyway.

The bottom paint stays put in the parts of the prop where the barnicles take hold, and discourages their growth.

I also slap the paint on the shaft, but of course not on any zincs.

fstbttms · 19-02-2008, 07:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Latitude9.5

I've never been anywhere in south florida where that applies.

It doesn't apply in the SF Bay, either. I don't know where DavidM is getting his information.

Latitude9.5 · 19-02-2008, 08:01

i've used bottom paint on the prop in the past, but whenever i haul the boat the only left is the primer, the paint falls off pretty quickly... at least in my case.

ssullivan · 19-02-2008, 08:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Latitude9.5

i've used bottom paint on the prop in the past, but whenever i haul the boat the only left is the primer, the paint falls off pretty quickly... at least in my case.

Since we have some varying results, I will add:

I use Petit (or West Marine rebranded Petit) ablative paint on my bottoms and props. I apply with no primer, and let dry a few days before launching.

With that exact process, most of the bottom paint stays on the prop (about 2/3 of it)

**David M** · 19-02-2008, 08:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by fstbttms

It doesn't apply in the SF Bay, either. I don't know where DavidM is getting his information.

From my own boat.

**David M** · 19-02-2008, 08:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by fstbttms

It doesn't apply in the SF Bay, either. I don't know where DavidM is getting his information.

From my own boat. Your welcome to dive on it and see for yourself.

fstbttms · 19-02-2008, 08:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by David M

From my own boat. Your welcome to dive on it and see for yourself.

Honestly, I don't care that much. But in my 14 years in the hull cleaning biz in the Bay Area, I have yet to come across the prop that stays clean all the time. Regardless of how often it is used. Maybe we have different definitions of "clean".

Latitude9.5 · 19-02-2008, 08:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by David M

From my own boat. Your welcome to dive on it and see for yourself.

Power or sail?

I used my dinghy 5 times a day min when we were living on the ball in the okeechobee waterway, i scraped my motor and prop every week, when I didn't it was like towing a boot and when I waited too long it spun the hub on the prop due to the added weight. Granted the st lucie river is a very high fouling area, but this was a boat being used back and forth to shore several times per day and it fouled monthly. This was the case for all of use at the anchorage.

For that matter, I had my prop scraped 2.5 weeks before we left the anchorage and it was fouled by the time we got out of there... to the extent that it vibrated.

**David M** · 19-02-2008, 08:43

Do you ever clean commercial boats that get lots of use?...or yachts that are lucky to leave the dock twice a month? That was my point...with lots of use they do stay clean.

I know that is impractical for most yacht owners, but it is still a valid point. Yes, I have had a few barnacles on the shaft and the propeller hub but it has never been a significant amount and never enough where it becomes a concern with respect to drag.

fstbttms · 19-02-2008, 09:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by David M

Do you ever clean commercial boats that get lots of use?...or yachts that are lucky to leave the dock twice a month? That was my point...with lots of use they do stay clean.

OK, maybe you're the exception. For myself, I have performed over 20,000 underwater hull cleanings in the SF Bay and I'm telling you, props do not stay clean. And I have yet to see a prop anti fouling solution that is a miracle cure. Just my experience and my $.02.

S/V Illusion · 19-02-2008, 09:25

Albeit in relatively colder New England waters, my prop stays clean regardless of what I put on it as long as the boat gets used regularly. When I can anticipate a low activity sailing season, I've used Petit Zinc Coat Barnacle Paint which lasts the entire season with excellent results. I believe it's formulation differs from the typical zinc chromate and so-called galvanize paint such that it doesn't promote electrolysis, adheres well and is relatively cheap.
Short of copper cladding the bronze prop which is an inherently bad thing to do, it appears to me to be the best alternative for this area with the stipulation one uses the requisite pink magic marker as a primer..

**David M** · 19-02-2008, 09:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by fstbttms

OK, maybe you're the exception. For myself, I have performed over 20,000 underwater hull cleanings in the SF Bay and I'm telling you, props do not stay clean. And I have yet to see a prop anti fouling solution that is a miracle cure. Just my experience and my $.02.

Thanks Fast. I appreciate the discussion from an expert like yourself. I have seen you around different marinas. I will say hello next time I see you, thats if you don't already have your head underwater.

David M