Clean Prop

[Ralph]

At the London Boat Show I was advised against anti-fouling my prop. It appears to be bronze and I have removed it, removed dead sea creatures and polished it. Is there anything other than polishing that can be done to disuade barnicles etc?

PS

We are forming a Gib'Sea Association if any one is interested. Call 07768 737037 for details or reply to this post.

 

[JerryHawkins]

Lanolin

Anecdotal evidence suggests that smearing a lanolin based product all over it helps. Haven't tried it myself.

Jerry

 

[vyv_cox]

Re: Lanolin

Have also seen a recent report that hot Vaseline was very effective.

 

[Trevor_swfyc]

I have done the same for many years now and the prop is highly polished, but even so at any point which is not so polished like the nut, and shaft entry point, the barnicles will get a hold. I have been told that LANOLIN rubbed onto the surface is very effective so I will be giving this a try.
I find that the prop needs repolishing about every other month which is not a problem as my mooring dries on springs.

Power to your elbow
Trevor

 

[Chris_Robb]

Re: Lanolin and Vaseline - They work

I have a large 3 bladed propellor - the growth in previous years by the end of the season was both barnacle and weed.

This year I polished it using a fine wet and dry, and smeared vasaline all over it. Launched Feb 2001 - Hauled out Feb 6 2002. 4 small barnacles present - but nothing else. Works a treat.

This year I am going to use Lanalin and put in on with the gentle use of a blow torch, after spending a little time poliching it again.

I also had a clean bottom for the first time in 4 years, Blakes Titan.

Location - Entrance to Chichester Harbour, but with 3 months in Chi marina overwinter.

 

[NickHarley]

Re: Lanolin

I heard the rumours about Lanolin/Vaseline & tried it myself last spring on a polished prop... didn't seem to work - within 6 months had quite noticable hard fouling on it. Might be going back to a specialist antifouling this year (had some beige coloured stuff on it when I bought it - possibly epoxy based (pig to get off) - did seem to work though).

Probably other factors like how often its used & where its moored etc. though ?(Mine's used on average about one a fortnight & stored Chi. marina. ).

 

[Twister_Ken]

Vaseline didn\'t work for me. nm

§

 

[Viking]

Re: Hot Vaseline?

It must be a bugger trying to keeping the vaseline 'hot' in the water?

 

[romany123]

Re: Hot Vaseline?

I have been told by others on our moorings ,that racing anti foul works....Im going to try it this year,anybody else gone down this road, would be interested to hear


Dave

 

[Chris_Robb]

Re: Vaseline didn\'t work for me. nm

KY jelly????

 

[tony_brighton]

I've tried a specialist product previously with some success - VCPropODrev. Prop was coated aluminium (fixed 3-blade) and the coating was breaking off exposing the ali. Had the boat for 2 years after treatment - no growth that a quick wash off at lift-out time couldn't cure.

 

[billskip]

Hi Ralph Im going to smeer my prop with some grease I got from a food stuffs machine company .the guy who sold it said this stuff has to stay put under steamcleaning conitions...so we will see...maybe the foul will eat it!..

I have a gibsea 126 ketch 1982

Bill
www.macsyachting.com
www.aegeansailing.co.uk

 

[LadyInBed]

But was it HOT nm

 

[Twister_Ken]

No, but can that really make a difference?

After all it'll only stay hot for a nanosecond when it hits cold bronze.

Or are you supposed to boil your prop in a saucepan full of the stuff?

 

[jools]

Why ever not anti foul your prop? the worst that can happen is that it will eventually fall off again. I've done it for years and because I use the sails a lot more than the engine it fares very well. I apply it with a roller then rub it smooth with wet and dry paper. You may get barnicles appearing towards the end of the season as it starts to ware off. If you can get hold of a small quantity of hard high speed anti foul for the prop this will be even better.

 

[LadyInBed]

3 to 1 mix with chilli pepper NM

 

[AndrewB]

Use it.

Barnacles don't like being whirled around at 4000 rpm - who would? Use your prop regularly during the summer months and they won't get established on the blades.

 

[longjohnsilver]

Re: Use it.

Andrew, what you say is logical, I have a motor boat and use it 2 or 3 times a week. Unfortunately those little barnacles don't seem to mind the constant turning, they still seem to stick just the same!

 

[chippie]

Re: Twister Ken

An old timer I met reckoned that boiling the prop in lanolin after polishing was the way to go. I still think locality has a lot to with whether it is successful or not.

 

[johnsomerhausen]

Re: Vaseline didn\'t work for me. nm

I've tried them all through the years: polishing, teflon, lanolin (once mixed with poepper)m, desitin (a baby cream containing zinc oxyde) but not vaseline which is quickly dissolved by water, and I always got a fair share of barnacles
at the end of the season. For the lasst 2 years, I've used Pettit Paints' "Trinidad", a hard copper antifouling and my propeller hass stayed reasonably clean utinl the end of the season. When not cruising (whre the engine gets its fair shar of use), I'm daysailing and not using the engine since the boat is on a mooring which I can sail to.
john