Anti-fouled propeller

[Dockyard Doris]

Hello, my propeller is covered with anti-foul paint.
Should the prop be painted or should all the paint be removed ?
Your thoughts on this matter is greatly appreciated.

 

[Spirit of Glenans]

Hello, my propeller is covered with anti-foul paint.
Should the prop be painted or should all the paint be removed ?
Your thoughts on this matter is greatly appreciated.

Your propeller should not be antifouled with the same type of product as the hull, as it contains copper and is likely to cause corrosion. The correct kind of a/f to have on a propeller is a hard type, such as Trilux or Mille-Drive, specially formulated for the job. The alternative, especially for a bronze prop, is to strip it of paint entirely and polish it, then apply something like lanolin, or something (snake oil ? ) that someone will come along shortly to recommend.
The prop on my own boat is an aluminium one on the end of a saildrive and is a/f'ed with Trilux, same as the drive.

 

[sailorman]

Your propeller should not be antifouled with the same type of product as the hull, as it contains copper and is likely to cause corrosion. The correct kind of a/f to have on a propeller is a hard type, such as Trilux or Mille-Drive, specially formulated for the job. The alternative, especially for a bronze prop, is to strip it of paint entirely and polish it, then apply something like lanolin, or something (snake oil ? ) that someone will come along shortly to recommend.
The prop on my own boat is an aluminium one on the end of a saildrive and is a/f'ed with Trilux, same as the drive.

What is the composition of your bronze propeller

 

[Tranona]

No problem using ordinary AF on yellow metal props, just that it is not very effective. It is very difficult to get it to stick and the action of using it erodes it very quickly. The hard products such as Trilux as suggested are much better in this respect and are essential if you have an aluminium propeller.

 

[jeanpaulcopie]

For bronze propellers, the best antifouling I found is "Velox". Expensive but longlasting and very effective in all waters.

 

[Caladh]

For bronze propellers, the best antifouling I found is "Velox". Expensive but longlasting and very effective in all waters.

+1 for Velox but adhere strictly to the undercoat AND top coat instructions - otherwise it flakes off as I've found!

 

[Tammany]

I was always under the impression not to antifoul a bronze prop but clean it regularly? Will have to look into this velox stuff

 

[sailorman]

I was always under the impression not to antifoul a bronze prop but clean it regularly? Will have to look into this velox stuff

Prop-o-drev / mille drive works, my "previouis owner" left some onboard & i have used it ever since 18 yrs to date

 

[Mandarin331]

Used anhydrous lanolin for the last ten years with no fouling, bought off eBay at a fraction of the price of the yacht stuff.

However like all antifouling effectiveness probably varies from one region to another.

 

[Dockyard Doris]

Many Thanks for your input. I shall scrape the stuff off and see what is hidden underneath as it is the same stuff as the hull.
That's one more job to do when I get back.

 

[Dockyard Doris]

Used anhydrous lanolin for the last ten years with no fouling, bought off eBay at a fraction of the price of the yacht stuff.

However like all antifouling effectiveness probably varies from one region to another.

Is the difference affected by the area with regards salinity and/or sunshine ?
What do people around the river Humber area use? we don't often get a lot of sunshine, although this week is the exception !!

 

[Tranona]

+1 for Velox but adhere strictly to the undercoat AND top coat instructions - otherwise it flakes off as I've found!

Try Trilux first. A lot less work than Velox and seems to be effective.

 

[ex-Gladys]

A lot of this depends on the location... A lot of products have been mentioned here. On previous boat I did the lanolin thing, using a hot air gun to "melt" it on. I may as well have put barnacle food on, for the effect it had. A friend with a boat also in Mersea used Velox, and found pretty much the same effect, I've used the very expensive Propspeed (when my Autoprop was new) which fell off despite being applied by the distributor. I've used Trilux 33 brush on most and that has generally been very successful, except I've had trouble getting it to stick to the Autoprop. So, this year I've tried Seajet Triple Pack...

 

[jeanpaulcopie]

Velox is expensive, but , to my mind the best!

 

[Topcat47]

I use Lanolin, but the first coat is put on a hot, clean, polished prop (~ 80C). A second and third coat is applied by brush from the lanolin, melted in a "Bain Marie". I do get a couple or three barnies but nothing that sticks well enough to miss the attentions of the club power washer (not something as pathetic as a Karcher).

 

[superheat6k]

The power you are thrusting through the prop will also affect adhesion.

I have tried many different compounds and on a power boat any barnacles on the proper destroy both fuel economy and boat speed. The year I am trying Velox, and I followed the application instructions to the letter.

Lanolin is Ok for a 5 knot yacht prop with a 30 HP engine, but will have been entirely removed within 50 miles on a power boat pushing 200 HP through the prop.

The best stuff I have found for adhesion so far on bronze props is hammerite special metal primer - the barnacles however absolutely love it !!!

 

[Neeves]

The only way to keep any prop clean, whatever it might be treated with is to use the prop regularly. Once barnacles get a hold you are on the slippery slope as if you clean the barnacles you will remove some of the 'protective' coating and you will simply get more fouling.

The best we have found is Velox and we have tried Trilux 33, lanolin (as mentioned barnacles eat it for breakfast), we have tried a number of different versions PropSpeed (PropGold is as good as Prop Speed).

Velox might have instructions that should be followed meticulously - but if monkeys could read they could apply it. It also happens to be worth following what they say. Hammerite is suggested as an alternative primer to the primer that Velox supply (we cannot comment).

You need to be careful of recommendations - someone who uses their yacht for 5 months of the year and then keeps on the hard will have a very different comment to someone who keeps their yacht in a marina 24/7/365.

If you leave your vessel unmoved for a month in the summer - expect barnacles.

Jonathan

 

[jwilson]

I have in the past in the days of TBT tried lanolin on prop, found it fairly useless.

On present sailing yacht - 35 ft and 27 hp - for the last 12 years I have always just cleaned the prop back to bare metal each winter with coarse wet and dry, and put on one or two thin coats of zinc-rich primer, then two coats of ordinary antifoul, Seajet 033 or Micron. Even with plenty of engine hours each year there is no significant fouling of the prop. At launch with clean hull and prop flat out on engine gives GPS 7.9 knots in slack water, 8 months later just before liftout usually down to about 7.5-7.6 and most of that drop off is hull slime and some sea squirts on underside of keel that is impossible to antifoul properly. On liftout the prop antifoul is thin and patchy, but never any barnacles in 12 years, though occasionally one or two very small ones on hull. I don't see that zinc primer followed by copper-based AF is going to harm a bronze prop much.

Wouldn't work on a fast powerboat - they need polished props.....

 

[Flica]

The only way to keep any prop clean, whatever it might be treated with is to use the prop regularly. Once barnacles get a hold you are on the slippery slope as if you clean the barnacles you will remove some of the 'protective' coating and you will simply get more fouling.

The best we have found is Velox and we have tried Trilux 33, lanolin (as mentioned barnacles eat it for breakfast), we have tried a number of different versions PropSpeed (PropGold is as good as Prop Speed).

Velox might have instructions that should be followed meticulously - but if monkeys could read they could apply it. It also happens to be worth following what they say. Hammerite is suggested as an alternative primer to the primer that Velox supply (we cannot comment).

You need to be careful of recommendations - someone who uses their yacht for 5 months of the year and then keeps on the hard will have a very different comment to someone who keeps their yacht in a marina 24/7/365.

If you leave your vessel unmoved for a month in the summer - expect barnacles.

Jonathan

having tried all the proprietary prop antifoulings, I've found nothing works better than being constantly used.
Just polish it well every season (don't use wet and dry) and hot waxing appears to reduce fouling.
Having to replace ones' prop due to excessively aggressive cleaning can cost a lot. I know.
Even light fouling will destroy a prop's performance. So it's probably best, if you don't use the prop on a weekly basis to find a means of diving and cleaning it in situ.