Barnacles grrrrr!!!

KINGFISHER 9

KINGFISHER 9

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It's about time somebody invented something to keep barnacles at bay! I'm due out in a couple of weeks for a full bottom job (!) after being in for 12 months - 40ft Beneteau Flyer, 2 x D4-300s - Revs are down to 2500 and speed couldn't get above 15 knots! This was yesterday and haven't been out for about 6 weeks, it was slow then but not this bad! Some of it must be weed underneath but mostly I reckon it's barnacles on the legs and props. Unfortunately my swim platform is so big I can't do anything in way of cleaning while she's afloat. Anyone else in the Med with the same problems?
 
Kingfisher 3 said:
It's about time somebody invented something to keep barnacles at bay! I'm due out in a couple of weeks for a full bottom job (!) after being in for 12 months - 40ft Beneteau Flyer, 2 x D4-300s - Revs are down to 2500 and speed couldn't get above 15 knots! This was yesterday and haven't been out for about 6 weeks, it was slow then but not this bad! Some of it must be weed underneath but mostly I reckon it's barnacles on the legs and props. Unfortunately my swim platform is so big I can't do anything in way of cleaning while she's afloat. Anyone else in the Med with the same problems?
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This is what we endure where we are - both about 3 months after a wash and scrub:

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I think the potatoes are Jersey Royals....

But we can buy Agua Fuerta off the shelf in the supermarket which is a dilute hydrochloric acid which dissolves them in seconds - bought in the UK as brick acid.

It has got a lot better in recent years though - above images around 6 years old
 
Propspeed antifouling seems to be the only thing that works on duo props. It's not cheap and can only be applied by an official applicator as it's a bit tricky to do right.
 
I'm in Spain next week supermarket shopping ... I'll check out the Agua Fuerta ... what section should I be looking in?
If that's yours after 3 months I shudder to think what mine's like! I'll have to make block bookings with the haul-out guy this year! I must ask the man who's doing the pre-season top, tail and polish job about propspeed. Thanks for the info.
 
P.S. ......... did you have anything on those legs? I got mine done with 2 coats of Trilux (what I paid for anyway!) ... it'll be interesting to see if it's any good ... judging by my revs and speed I'd think probably not!​
 
Kingfisher 3 said:
I'm in Spain next week supermarket shopping ... I'll check out the Agua Fuerta ... what section should I be looking in?
If that's yours after 3 months I shudder to think what mine's like! I'll have to make block bookings with the haul-out guy this year! I must ask the man who's doing the pre-season top, tail and polish job about propspeed. Thanks for the info.
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I have some advice on the use of Agua Fuerte

First - I think that this pic beats John's

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To be fair, that was the first year that the marina had opened (8 years ago) - it is a bit better now.

Aqua Fuerte
Buy it in any Spanish supermarket
I usually buy it from our local Mercadona
This is what it looks like from Mercadona

DSC07319_Small_zps1qwk0jw2.jpg


It is acid so treat yourself to some good rubber gloves and eye protection - I bought a box of those safety glasses from ebay.
Visit to the local Chinese cheap bazaar (they seem to be all over Spain) and get some cheap 2 or 3 inch paint brushes.
Also a toilet brush can be useful.
We also use "left over" plastic yogurt pots to decant the Agua Fuerte.

The procedure
Get the boat pressure washed to remove most of the growth.
However, the pressure washer can't get all the barnacle residue off.

In the early days, we used squirt the Agua Fuerte at the barnacle residue and stand back.
Whenever Agua Fuerte touches calcium, it smokes (sorry - I never did chemistry at school)
Although this process is very satisfying, it doesn't do much.

The trick is to keep the Agua Fuerte moving.
If left alone, it quickly builds up an inactive layer.
Using something a soft as a 2 inch paint brush you can have a huge effect.
I fill a plastic yogurt with some Agua Fuerte
Then I dip the paint brush into the plastic yogurt pot and spread it onto the barnacle covered surface.
Using the paint brush, I keep agitating the Agua Fuerte until all the barnacle residue has fallen off.
Surprisingly it comes of really quickly.
More difficult areas can be got at using a toilet brush - dipped in Agua Fuerte.

Using the above process, I can get out 36 inch dia props, the rudders, shafts and some of the trim tabs done whilst the guys in the boat yard are still pressure washing the rest of the boat.
See here

DSC07282_Small_zps5vtxwb9t.jpg


Hope that helps
 
Don't lay down a gauntlet Mike - I think I have some other images lurking around that show even worse fouling...! Anyway, its certainly not as bad nowadays in SCM I'm sure you would agree.

We normally look for Agua Fuerte on an aisle near where the bleach and other cleaning products, mops and the like are found.

I am being lifted in a few weeks time before a run down to Valencia, I know I am fouled, because I ran out in the bay a few weeks ago and could only manage about 8 knots. I will take some photos, but don't expect as much as those images above, I'm due to AF again end of this season so will go with wash and scrubs until then.

I will use Trilux again on my metalwork, which works reasonably well, until you go for a decent run then much of it washes off, particularly on the props, as you would expect.

I know Jez (Whitelighter) is trialling another product soon, but I'm not holding my breath, I reckon we have exhausted most selections and as Mike has said, probably best just to go with polishing. I wait with bated breath!

Of course, it can depend on many variable: where your marina is, the time of year, how to you use your boat and even the location in the marina. I think it's best to poll those that have similar patterns of use in your marina - then wade through their recommendations.
 
Thanks to Hurricane for the Agua Fuerte pic ... I'll know what to look for now and we've just started using Mercadona in Roses for the few things we can't get in France.
 
Hurricane said:
IMG_5667_Small_zpskirgm6ie.jpg



Here's 12/12 in SoF --- just to put some balance in for prospective Med boaters .
Stern gear a little fouled .Hull just slimy .
Inbetween I just snorkel or dive in with a scraper , to polish up rhe stwrn gear .Takes 1/2 hour in all
Boat gets one annual AF /anode lift .
This pic is over 6/12 winter with out use or my snorkel clean .
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Can still achieve correct rpm ,speed reduces by a knot or two initially then they kinda self clean .
Dilute HCl is sold for €3-4 /L by the yard -everybody here just acid cleans .Nobody paints anything on .
Just leave it all bare .

Here I used some old Trilux ( from my outdrive days ) on the P bracket + shafts --- it did not work ,so now we just leave it .
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Under water mid summer - just a fine white ,but smooth bloom on the surface - dosen,t seem to make any difference .But the shiney "brass" look soon goes .
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So back to SCM --- how many times do you lift out ?
What sort of "hassle factor " does that level of growth generate ?
I mean you turn up and boat performs like a diesel glugging slug ,won,t plane or needs WOT to get 22 knots .
Have you considered the EGT,s (exhaust gas temps ) at or near WOT --- a raised EGT -overloading is a marine diesel killer .
Presume engines are made to "suffer " raised EGT 1st ---then decision for haul out /clean is made ??

I notice % load increases and slightly higher EGT,s if the boats been left for say 4-6 weeks in the season .Time for a snorkel + clean .Engines are talking to me asking for a stern gear clean .:encouragement:
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Sorry I'm a bit late with this but I can't recommend Propspeed highly enough:
www.tidemillyachtharbour.co.uk
I've had three applications in the nine seasons that my Fairline P46 has been used from Plymouth to Portugal, Spain, Italy and now Greece where she is now having another application. Just make sure that the application instructions are followed to the T and don't pressure wash the props, shaft and rudder. No barnacles and any other slight growth will just wash off with a hose and scrubbing brush.
 
I've seen Propspeed recommended elsewhere but I've tried websites of 3 UK chandlers, Force 4, Mailspeed and Marine Superstore and 2 French ones, Uship and Bigship, and none of them appear to stock it ... must be able to get it somewhere!
 
You won't be able to buy it in chandlers as it can only be applied by authorised aplicaters. As the preparation and application is so critical they don't want people not applying it correctly and having poor results and poor publicity.
 
I have heard good things of Velox from Marine Superstore Port Solent and Chichester. I don't suffer from quite the degree you have, but enough to double my fuel consumption and seriously knock my speed.
 
superheat6k said:
I have heard good things of Velox from Marine Superstore Port Solent and Chichester. I don't suffer from quite the degree you have, but enough to double my fuel consumption and seriously knock my speed.
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Thanks for that ... my man (French) mentioned using Velox when I saw him last week ... I haven't heard of Velox and assumed he was getting muddled with Trilux which is on the legs at the moment and not doing much good as far as I can tell! Reading the blurb Velox looks useful ... we'll see! I'm also going to check out getting a couple of visits from a diver during the year ... the boat stays in for 11 months and we use it through the winter ... out last week in blazing sunshine but at half speed due to fouling!
 
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