Cleaning the props and flaps while boat still in the water

[marcochi76]

Hello,
my boat has a nice hydraulic platform that, when all down, creates a very confortable access to the outdrives area.
I would take advantage of that to clean the outdrives, propellers and flaps while the boat is still in the water. But I would like to avoid any trouble...

The outdrives and their propellers are protected with antifouling.
Is it possible to gently clean them without removing antifouling? Or should I avoid it?

On the flaps I have no antifouling. What tools would you suggest me to use?

I would also need to clean the structure of the hydraulic platform.
Again, what would you suggest me to use?

THanks!

 

[simonfraser]

nice boat, shows us some pics when that has been in the water for a while

 

[julians]

It'll depend just how badly fouled things are,

But If it's still at the slimy stage then a scouring pad sponge will do the job and itll just wipe off.

If it's got to the stage of barnacles and other hard growths then I have no ideas,. my drive is currently at this stage, and a scouring sponge doesn't even make a mark. I used wire wool on the props quite successfully though, but wouldn't want to us it on the drive itself for fear of scratching the paint.

 

[Portofino]

I have used a paint scraper / spatula .Also a cake knife as it’s better with its triangle shape and curves to get into nooks and crannies and seems to fit the concavities of the props better than a straight edged scrapper .
Nothing ( antifoul ) seemed to work on duoprops in the Med .So I would regularly snorkel in and clean them up .

Bare stainless flaps just used a scrapper .
Always where possible with hydraulic rams park them IN / closed.If hard accretions get on the extended rams and you retract them they will destroy the rubber seals and start to leak .
Cleaning an extended ram is no fun as it’s a convex surface and as said it must be immaculate or = seal damage .
You can scape them with a piece of aluminium shaped to the cylinder curvature .

 

[Portofino]

 

[DavidJ]

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Make sure the scrappers are stainless steel. The normal ones rust in minutes with salt water.

 

[jrudge]

I use a plastic scraper or metal depending on the surphace

 

[I’m no expert]

Don’t use your fingers……

Don’t ask how I knows this.

 

[AndieMac]

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Make up a short length of light line to run through the holes at the end of the handles, into a loop just big enough to get the width of your hand through to be around your wrist, so you don’t drop the scraper.
If you are doing shafts and props below the hull, you will need to use both free hands to position yourself and grab the boarding ladder etc.

 

[marcochi76]

nice boat, shows us some pics when that has been in the water for a while

Here are some photos taken yesterday, after 2 months in the water.
Sorry for all the water reflections...it was a wonderful sunny day

As you can see, I have lot of barnacles (or similar...) on the arms of the moving platform.
The outdrives seems quite clean (except the "joint" against the hull), but there are some areas (in grey in the photo) where it seems that the antifouling disappeared. Is it normal?

 

[Portofino]

Looks normal .
You might loose a knot or two if that .Cleaning up the propellers is a must though.