Barnacles on the bow thruster prop

[Rivers & creeks]

Before the season we went to work on the main prop - actually SWMBO did and polished it to perfection and I then sprayed it with antifoul pait - special £10 can of it. The result was a prop devoid of growth but after 6 months the thruster props were like a flipping barnacle factory - could this reduce effectiveness because I thought the thruster very anaemic towards the end of the season.

What do we do - polish and spray or is there another solution? - they are metal blades BTW.

Advice gratefully received as I don't want to stick my hand in there mid season - even after disconnecting the battery it still gives me the colly wobbles going near those finger blenders

 

[yodave]

I simply put regular anti-foul paint on ours while doing the hull. Seems to do the job.

Is that something you've tried and didn't work?

 

[Rivers & creeks]

I simply put regular anti-foul paint on ours while doing the hull. Seems to do the job.

Is that something you've tried and didn't work?

Don't ask embarrassing questions. It didn't occur to me that it would get growth

I didn't realise that regular antifoul paint works on a prop, doesn't it have to be copper free or something???

 

[yodave]

I dunno. Tis our first boat (bought early last year). There was matching anti-foul on the thruster when we hauled her out last year, so I simply gave that a blast with a pressure washer and subsequently re-applied anti-foul paint. Had no growth when we craned-out this year ...so it seemed to work for us.

Will need to avoid any year-on-year build up of paint layers I guess.

 

[richardsn9]

Before the season we went to work on the main prop - actually SWMBO did and polished it to perfection and I then sprayed it with antifoul pait - special £10 can of it. The result was a prop devoid of growth but after 6 months the thruster props were like a flipping barnacle factory

Out of interest, what did you use on the main prop that was so effective?

 

[panthablue]

You could try a blow torch to get the barnacles off.

 

[Rivers & creeks]

Out of interest, what did you use on the main prop that was so effective?

A can of spray on antifoul - recommended on here I'll check tomorrow on board

You could try a blow torch to get the barnacles off.

I'll just confirm my insurance is up to date...

 

[sailorman]

A can of spray on antifoul - recommended on here I'll check tomorrow on board



I'll just confirm my insurance is up to date...

International Prop-O-Drev primer & A/f

 

[yachtoys]

Bow thruster performance

If the boat is in the water there is nothing to do but dive and scrape them off when ever it gets slugish. Next time you haul out use PropSpeed, a very good product. it will last for your anual haul out at least.

 

[Chalker]

Plastic or Bronze prop. Copper based A/F is OK
Aluminiuum thruster leg. Copper A/F is a no no.