What is your antifoul secret for props and shafts?

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Wotname

I guess you don't have fresh water mussels in your area

Certainly plenty of them in Lake Ontario. I still think like a salt water boater and leave nothing except anodes unpainted below the waterline. Pretty sure we were the only boat in the yard with 0 zebra mussels anywhere at harbor last year.

[Locquatious]

We used PropPurr™ on our bronze prop. Very easy to apply and not so expensive. It only works on copper alloys so it won't prevent growth on a stainless shaft. It is a foul release coating, so it reduces the amount of growth when the prop is used and makes the surface very easy to clean.

[Panope]

Panope's (bronze) propeller is always bare, and does not foul much (just some slime and one or two barnacles at 2 months), while other nearby bare surfaces will foul profusely.

Since bronze is mostly made of copper, does that mean the propeller has some built-in antifouling properties?

Or does it stay clean(ish) because it often spins at high speed?

[Locquatious]

Bronze and copper alloys may prevent growth of some plant life. An active prop washes off some of the growth that attempts to cling to it. PropPurr™ chemically bonds a thin silicone layer to the copper in a bronze prop. It creates a slippery layer that reduces the chances for the fouling to gain hold. Any surface that just rests in the water will accumulate growth.

[rslifkin]

On a frequently used boat a prop will always stay a bit cleaner than an equivalently treated surface elsewhere on the boat due to its faster movement through the water. As an example, at haulout I'll have slime on the hull and trim tabs, but very little on the props or the leading edges of the rudders with the same paint on them.

[FTS]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Propspeed is not an anti fouling coating. It has no biocides and will not retard fouling growth. It is a foul-release coating and therefore anything that attaches is very easily removed however.

Reading between the lines I should have either paid a diver to go over the hull and running gear or gone over the side myself periodically, correct?

Originally Posted by wholybee

. . . The real question is, was the fouling easily removed, or did you need to use a grinder and scraper to get it off?

Hard fouled with lots of small barnacles. Nothing over 1/4" in diameter, but plenty of them. A grinder wasn't required, most of them popped off with moderate effort but lots of scraping.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by FTS

Reading between the lines I should have either paid a diver to go over the hull and running gear or gone over the side myself periodically, correct?

Correct. And/or frequent running of the engine in gear.

[SV Confianza]

We have not tried propspeed just because of the mixed results we always hear. The petit barnacle barrier is the best we've tried, but only lasts about 6 months. Then it's back to keeping it scraped.

[Island Time O25]

For the past 7 or so years have had decent results with Walmart zinc fence touch up cans. I do 2 or 3 coats with 20-30 mins drying time between the coats, depending on the temps that day. Not a 100% life free at the end of the 5-6 months season but good enough not to affect the boat speed, vibration, etc. Best part - the cans are usually under $7 or thereabouts compared to similarly ingridiented (97.5% zinc) WM cans of "marine zinc".

[JBsurfin]

Originally Posted by FTS

I had Prop Speed professionally applied last year. By the time I hauled out two weeks ago the propeller and prop shaft on my little boat were badly fouled.

I have the good fortune to keep my boat in a family run marina, and the owner's comments on Prop Speed reflect what everyone else has said. Prop Speed is a good product but difficult to get applied correctly. He suggested Pettit Barnacle Barrier so I'm trying that out this year.

One thing I am curious about: is it possible that local conditions may make one product work better or be less effective? FWIW I'm on the lower Chesapeake.

He suggested Pettit Barnacle Barrier so I'm trying that out this year. Been using this for about the last 3 season. April through Nov - NJ. Minor build up that came off withthe power washer. West Marine carries it and during the spring sale, drops to under $28.00 Use multi light coats not to exceed 3.

[walkabout08]

Originally Posted by hd002e

I have heard anything from going bare to slapping (hair removal) hot wax on the prop, horse antibiotics to copper oxide dust mixed with antifoul paint. I haven’t had much luck with anything besides the suoer expensize and hard to apply pellerclean. Now I am out of the water and would like to try something else. What are your recommendations?

I use Rustoleum brand cold zinc primer. Same thing as the Petit product but 1/2 the price here in USA

[Mal Reynolds]

Originally Posted by walkabout08

I use Rustoleum brand cold zinc primer. Same thing as the Petit product but 1/2 the price here in USA

Huh. Makes me wonder if periodic application would extend chain life.

[Phil_Fr17]

Like everyone else, I used Propspeed, then tried unrefined lanolin (wool grease).
One is very efficient, very expensive, the second one is cheap, efficient but it stinks and is difficult to clean.

[sinnerman]

From what I understand, for Propspeed to work, you have to run the propeller often (i.e. "use" the boat), for it to fling off any growth.

Stuff will still grow on it, but will not have a strong enough adhesion to the prop to withstand the props rotation.

However , if the boat sits idle for long periods of time the propspeed loses its efficiency.

Not sure if true, just what I heard...

cheers

[Jeff Pfeil]

Propspeed reigns, if applied properly. I'm in Puget Sound, by the way. I had Propspeed applied a few years ago by a yard that didn't follow the instructions, it didn't last. Then, nearly two years ago, I had it applied by a yard that followed the instructions to the letter. Temperature, moisture, timing, etc. I just had the boat hauled for bottom paint and the Propspeed is still about 90% (on prop, shaft, strut and thruster props). Over 800 NM on the boat since the application. Incidentally, I try to take the boat out for a quick spin every two or three weeks even through the winter, just to knock off any growth.