JOHNPEET
Well-Known Member
what’s everyone doing with their bronze props these days to avoid fouling?
Bronze props - best anti fouling treatment!
- Thread starter JOHNPEET
- Start date
harvey38
Well-Known Member
Keeping them turning ?
Plum
Well-Known Member
That is a bit like asking what is the best anchor
. Lots of different views but my long term experience is to apply no antifouling, ensure the surface is as bright and smooth as you can and clean the prop 3 times per year with brick-acid from Toolstation. I am lucky that where I berth we have good scrubbing posts that are free to berth-holders. Some form of waterproof camera on a pole is very useful in judging when to dry out,www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
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Hurricane
Well-Known Member
Not sure whats best for the UK
But in the Med, we get much more barnacle growth.
I've tried everything.
Antifoul works but it doesn't stick when you use the boat.
Well most of it doesn't stick - some does - the bit that you can't reach when you want to strip the coating off before recoating.
And that it bit is really difficult to reach and remove - right in the crutch of the prop.
So, my solution is to do nothing.
In fact, I polish them using metal polishing blocks.
That way it is easy to clean them later with an acid wash.
Takes me about an hour to get them back to this condition:
From this
To this in about an hour with the acid wash
The boat needs to be lifted regularly, of course, but our marina has cheap lift and scrubs and one free one each year.
But in the Med, we get much more barnacle growth.
I've tried everything.
Antifoul works but it doesn't stick when you use the boat.
Well most of it doesn't stick - some does - the bit that you can't reach when you want to strip the coating off before recoating.
And that it bit is really difficult to reach and remove - right in the crutch of the prop.
So, my solution is to do nothing.
In fact, I polish them using metal polishing blocks.
That way it is easy to clean them later with an acid wash.
Takes me about an hour to get them back to this condition:
From this
To this in about an hour with the acid wash
The boat needs to be lifted regularly, of course, but our marina has cheap lift and scrubs and one free one each year.
KevinV
Well-Known Member
Interesting that the the stern thruster is clean
Tranona
Well-Known Member
JOHNPEET
Well-Known Member
Yep - they’re definitely clean!
JOHNPEET
Well-Known Member
That is a bit like asking what is the best anchor
www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
Yes, I realise the question could spark a debate , but just interested to know what works for people in the real world from their own experience.
Boat will be moored in the Menai Strait
Mr Googler
Well-Known Member
Keep in the garden ??
Seastoke
Well-Known Member
Then after ten years wrap everything even the props.
Hurricane
Well-Known Member
Yep we do paint thruster props because the force in a thruster isn't enough to remove the paint.
And, as I say, antifoul works - if you can make it stick.
andy59
Well-Known Member
We had an unexpected good result this year, hardly any worm and the brown residue would scrape of with a fingernail
Just polished props and shafts as normal but then applied a good coat of Colinite 885 paste wax and a quick buff off. A bit of an experiment but seemed to work compared to neighbouring boats. In the water for 13 months.
Just polished props and shafts as normal but then applied a good coat of Colinite 885 paste wax and a quick buff off. A bit of an experiment but seemed to work compared to neighbouring boats. In the water for 13 months.
Dino
Well-Known Member
This Sealine popped up on a US based Facebook page yesterday. I think he has bigger problems than hairy props! Looks like his props have disintegrated
Greg2
Well-Known Member
We have never anti-fouled bronze props (U.K. based). We are in a new mooring location now so we will see how it goes this year.
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lynallbel
Well-Known Member
Taper part is clean, so I would suggest props were removed for ground clearance.
Portofino
Well-Known Member
I think it’s prop speed .
Professionally applied to all the stern gear in bathing platform SS steel supports .
The gold on the rudder stocks and bathing platform is the primer .The blue / green is the final coat .
Previously I never bothered as all before had simply ( my DIY attempts) simply spun off .Just dived in with a scraper .
How ever it was great last season gained a few knots as it lasted pretty smooth all summer .
Was only €300 all in Labour + materials .
Big yard in Loano though know what works .The AF seemed to work better as well so I have booked it in again for the same + anodes .
stuartwineberg
Well-Known Member
On a sailing yacht my formula is brick acid, then hammerite special metals primer then trilux. Not sure how that would stand up to nobody speeds
Bandit
Well-Known Member
It depends on where you are. In Guernsey clean them at the end of the season, give the boat a wash in mid season never much fouling or barnacle growth.
Frederick911
Well-Known Member
Ok not bronze props related but good boat name !
