Coating prop with lanolin - should it be polished?

[Poignard]

This year I'm going to coat my prop with lanolin.

I've cleaned it up but haven't polished it to a high shine.

It occurs to me that if its very shiny it will lessen the grip of the lanolin. Having fine scratches would provide a 'key' for the lanolin and increase the time before it washes off.

Right or or not?

 

[blackbeard]

I haven't tried lanolin - it's been suggested on the very forum that it might be a sort of Barnacle Growmore fertiliser - however if you want to try it, pure anhydrous lanolin (used to be able to get it from the chemists, some of them seem reluctant to stock it now, you can still get it mail order, mine came form Baldwin's) is cheaper than the yachtie version. Needs to be in your tool kit anyway (great for putting on mooring shackle (seized of course) threads which you might wish to be able to undo later), also great on chapped hands, sore bots etc., so putting a bit on the prop won't cost much.

Shiny or not - doubt if it will make much difference - lanolin sticks to anything, especially your clothes.

 

[sailorman]

This year I'm going to coat my prop with lanolin.

I've cleaned it up but haven't polished it to a high shine.

It occurs to me that if its very shiny it will lessen the grip of the lanolin. Having fine scratches would provide a 'key' for the lanolin and increase the time before it washes off.

Right or or not?

Dont warm it up onboard

 

[Poignard]

Dont warm it up onboard

I wasn't going to do that but why shouldn't I?

I plan to heat up the prop with a heat gun and daub the lanolin onto it.

 

[vyv_cox]

I wasn't going to do that but why shouldn't I?

A boat burnt out last month, also setting fire to a neighbouring boat, when heating lanolin for application to a prop.

 

[Poignard]

A boat burnt out last month, also setting fire to a neighbouring boat, when heating lanolin for application to a prop.

Hmmm.

That bear's thinking about! Thanks.

 

[sailorman]

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?390342-Two-boats-on-fire-in-swanwick-marina

 

[Madeo]

Tried lanolin - didn't work for me, but made fouling easier to scrape off!

 

[Quandary]

I use Propshield on the Saildrive leg, a good coat (1/3 tub) does about three seasons, melt it in a bucket of boiling water then touching up and smoothing any thin bits with a blowlamp, I tried it on the folding prop.for two seasons but each time it lasted a few weeks perhaps 15-30 hrs. of motoring but is all completely gone shortly afterward, so these days I just polish the prop with 1200g. wet and dry followed by Brasso. Perhaps the water is too warm up here?
In my experience of using it for 7-8 seasons the fire risk is minimal, never seen it flare or burn though it will go black if you overheat.

 

[johnalison]

You don't need a torch for lanolin. My wife's hair drier works fine. Smear the gunk on with fingers or a cloth and then use the heat to soften it and smooth with fingers. Wash hands.