Do You 'Bag' Your Props?

[markpj23]

Heard a discussion about bagging props to help prevent growth. What type of bag works - plastic, burlap, what? Is it worth the trouble?

[Pblais]

If you scrape them once a month it usually is good enough. Applied products tend to last 9 months at best. Higher salt and water temperatures makes them grow faster.

[bstreep]

A buddy of mine bags his. Uses black trash bags. Swears by them.

I tried it once, and it DOES work. But, you have to dive twice (once to remove it and once to tie one back on) for each trip. If you don't use the boat much, it's probably worth it. During the growing season down here, I try and do the prop every 2 weeks. I can do it in 6 dives that way. If I let it go, I have to get the hookah out.

[James S]

Never heard of it...but I'll get mine copper electro plated next time It comes off.

[Ram]

im gonna try it next fall for the winter

[Cheechako]

I never did, but wish I had thought of it. If you are staying somewhere more than a week or two max I definitely would! You're going to be inthe water to scrape the bottome before you leave anyway, nothaving to scrape the prop would be nice...

[Jim Cate]

G'Day,

We've only done it once -- last year when we had to leave the boat in Oz (tropical Queensland) for an indeterminate period. Used a kinda heavy plastic bag from some duty free grog bought in Vanuatu, tied it with 1/8 " VB cord. Came back five months later, bag had LOTS of growth on it, prop none! So, yes, it works, but it's too much of a PITA for short term use.

Cheers,

Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II lying Broken Bay, NSW Oz

[Laidback]

Works well, black plastic keeps out light preventing algae growth - Which will happen if one uses clear or white bags. Also attach a thin trip line to remove the bag to save dive when ready to depart.

[hellosailor]

A black plastic bag should prevent algae and barnacles from growing. No circulating water = no food for the barnacles, and no new spawn to drift in. No light means no algae will grow, either.

I've been tempted to pull a black plastic sock over the entire underbody and dose it with bleach, except, I suspect the bleach would start to eat the hull and prop as well. :-)

[why me?]

I've tried it too. It worked great for me. The fisho that told me about it used a trip line that didn't work very well but he said it was good to be there to remind him when he next was going to sea!

[Laidback]

The Bag's trip system - here's a very rough sketch

[why me?]

That looks sensible Laidback.

I just dove on mine to release.

Thanks for taking the time to make the sketch!

[Laidback]

suppose the best reason is to remind one that there is something on your prop that needs taking off before you go anywhere

[s/v Jedi]

Instead of a bag, you can also grease the prop. Just dive down with some water resistant grease in your hands and coat it.

Using a bag, I would want to be able to shred it in an emergency to regain propulsion, so I would test that.

ciao!
Nick.

[LtBrett]

You won't have very good luck shredding a plastic bag with your prop. I wrapped one in a screw inadvertantly two years ago. The bag did shread, but wrapped itself all around my prop and shaft. This compounded the problem by cutting off the water flow to the cutlass bearing and vibrating the heck out of the shaft.

Brett