crazy prop growth

[Hoist]

Took the boat out the water today and I have never seen a prop suffer so quickly

This is just after 10 weeks in the water, rest of the hull was totally fine, a small bit of the usual gunge but the prop became an eco system!

Normally I clean the prop thoroughly and then use auto glym car polish to attempt to seal it. There have been a lot of horror stories locally about the prop paint attracting growth but this is ridiculous.

A friend also has had to pull his boat out of the water as he lost 0.5kt motoring and sailing. With all this growth our boat would not rev and could only manage 5kts cruising instead of its usual 6.





And before anybody shoots me down about using autoglym, here is the prop on my last boat which I auto glymed every year for 5 years...

 

[yotter]

I have noticed that according to the temperature sensor on our Raymarine log, the water temperature is quite high at up to 20 degrees C recently (Sound of Mull)....Global Warming? Not sure if such a small rise would lead to your growth. I antifoul the prop with International Trilux 33, which seems to reduce fouling, but will no doubt erode with engine use over the season.

 

[vyv_cox]

It looks like tubeworm, the fouling we predominantly see in the Mediterranean. Velox is effective against it but not sure of current availability in UK.

 

[Tranona]

Velox works. Typical after 6 months in the water. Some tube worm and barnacles on the hub which is Trilux. Hull is Coppercoat.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

It looks like tubeworm, the fouling we predominantly see in the Mediterranean. Velox is effective against it but not sure of current availability in UK.

Just to note that "tubeworm" is a generic thing; there are many different species and genera that produce them. So what works in one area with one species might not work in another with a different species.

 

[yotter]

Velox works. Typical after 6 months in the water. Some tube worm and barnacles on the hub which is Trilux. Hull is Coppercoat.
View attachment 139592View attachment 139593

Is there a reason you do not put the Velox on the hub also. I may consider changing to Velox at next haulout if it performs better, although Trilux seems fine and I can also use it on the saildrive leg since copper free.

 

[johnalison]

I tried Trilux last year and about 2/3 of it adhered so I used the same this year. I only launched in May and went out yesterday. I reckon our speed under power is down 3/4 knots already, which is rather depressing as I’m not really getting enough use to justify a haul-out, though the boat has been out for short runs at least weekly.

 

[vyv_cox]

Just to note that "tubeworm" is a generic thing; there are many different species and genera that produce them. So what works in one area with one species might not work in another with a different species.

I'm a metallurgist, not a naturalist!? If it's tubular it's a tube worm!

 

[yotter]

I tried Trilux last year and about 2/3 of it adhered so I used the same this year. I only launched in May and went out yesterday. I reckon our speed under power is down 3/4 knots already, which is rather depressing as I’m not really getting enough use to justify a haul-out, though the boat has been out for short runs at least weekly.

I wonder if International have reduced the active ingredient, I only use a small amount from the same old tin for many years, so perhaps it has more active ingredient in it. Unfortunately its almost empty. I do have some old Trilux stuff in the garage, but its green not blue, but no one will see that after launching

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I'm a metallurgist, not a naturalist!? If it's tubular it's a tube worm!

And I'm happier if they're fossils! Fortunately taxonomy is the same for fossils and living organisms.

 

[Tranona]

Is there a reason you do not put the Velox on the hub also. I may consider changing to Velox at next haulout if it performs better, although Trilux seems fine and I can also use it on the saildrive leg since copper free.

I have found over the years that the hub gats less fouling than the blades and fouling has little effect on performance. If I had kept the boat I probably would have done the hub as well. Just taken delivery of a new Featherstream and will applying Velox to both the bronze hub and stainless blades.