Featherstream propeller antifouling

ianfr said:
Hi

We are about to fit a Featherstream propellor, and would appreciate guidance from anyone who has one of the best antifouling solution.

Thanks in anticipation

Ian
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Chichester harbour based on a swinging mooring.
Tried mirror polishing....rubbish
Tried lanaolin grease...even worse
Tried velox after sanding and using special metals primer....fell off
Went back to my tried and tested method used on the old fixed propeller....promocon underwater primer, a coat of trilux, overcoated with two thin coats of regular antifoul. The primer and trilux protect the prop and the regular antifoul is all but gone by the end of the season along with any growth...works for me.
 
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Velox + special metals primer has worked well for me this year. Previous years had problems with it coming off. Guess thinckness + keying is fairly critical.
 
Pye_End said:
Velox + special metals primer has worked well for me this year. Previous years had problems with it coming off. Guess thinckness + keying is fairly critical.
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I'm sure you are right but I wasn't impressed with the bits that didn't fall off (barnacles mainly) so went back to what was working before
 
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Chaktoura said:
Chichester harbour based on a swinging mooring.
Tried mirror polishing....rubbish
Tried lanaolin grease...even worse
Tried velox after sanding and using special metals primer....fell off
Went back to my tried and tested method used on the old fixed propeller....promocon underwater primer, a coat of trilux, overcoated with two thin coats of regular antifoul. The primer and trilux protect the prop and the regular antifoul is all but gone by the end of the season along with any growth...works for me.
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Does Primocon stick to metals? What grade paper to make it stick? Confession - I had new Featherstream fitted last summer but couldn't bring myself to sand down shiny new brass and stainless -steel; I'm expecting the worst when I have a brief lift out in preparation for the Spring
 
Just to add to previous reply - on my old fixed bronze prop I used Hammerite Special Metals primer which stuck successfully - it's just that the Velox didn't stick to the primer. But i don't think Special Metals primer is meant to be used on stainless steel.
 
I use Udder Ointment - yes, bovine nipple cream; check it out in Amazon - on my Featherstream. I believe it’s helped a lot - but really, this is like an anchor thread where everyone thinks their own solution is great without having tried alternative ones. I have to confess that in last year’s bumper barnacle harvest, the prop suffered more barnacles too, but I don’t get weed on it. Udder Ointment works because of the lanolin - and probably also because of an antibacterial compound in it. And a small tub will last you for years.

On no account would I put paint onto a propellor. Seriously, you buy a finely engineered smooth foil and then you rough up the curves that drive water flow, and add massive friction to its surface too? Can you imagine what would happen if you painted an aircraft’s propellor? - it wouldn’t generate force on the air anything like as effectively. If you’re going to do that to a metal prop, you might as well carve the thing out of wood and save money. But maybe that’s just me.
 
eddystone said:
Just to add to previous reply - on my old fixed bronze prop I used Hammerite Special Metals primer which stuck successfully - it's just that the Velox didn't stick to the primer. But i don't think Special Metals primer is meant to be used on stainless steel.
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It works a treat on my Featherstream. Again I use the Special Metals Primer + Velox a/f and have never regretted it, much better than previous formulations, the primer sticks very well to all parts of the prop and the Velox sticks a treat to the primer.
 
I've not been able to bring myself to rough my prop up. I spend a few hours with some Brasso then use lanolin-based nappy rash cream.

It doesn't honestly work well, but it's very cheap!
 
I'm also based in Chichester Harbour and this year was the worst yet for fouling of hull and propeller,
I have used lanolin, trilux and that red stuff you have to heat up, all very poor. High polish; worse!
antifoul; ineffective, so am throwing more money at the problem now with seajet triple pack, living in hope
but expecting another fine crop!
 
BelleSerene said:
On no account would I put paint onto a propellor. Seriously, you buy a finely engineered smooth foil and then you rough up the curves that drive water flow, and add massive friction to its surface too? Can you imagine what would happen if you painted an aircraft’s propellor? - it wouldn’t generate force on the air anything like as effectively. If you’re going to do that to a metal prop, you might as well carve the thing out of wood and save money. But maybe that’s just me.
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Because a fairly clean painted prop is considerably more efficient than one covered in barnacles.

What makes you say that aircraft props are not painted?
 
Pye_End said:
Because a fairly clean painted prop is considerably more efficient than one covered in barnacles.

What makes you say that aircraft props are not painted?
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Thank you. Actually, that was wrong; I’d been reading recently about light aircraft modern props. But there’s paint and there’s paint, and marine antifoul doesn’t exactly leave unblemished foils as the fine enamel paints that people who need to care about their prop use. I agree of course that anything’s preferable to a barnacle-encrusted prop thrashing a mane of seaweed around the sea!

Comparing against an unprotected prop is valid if your choice is antifoul or nothing. But we know we can do better than nothing. Comparing against a lanolin/ disinfectant-based prop is valid if the choice you’re considering is between antifoul paint and eg udder ointment.
 
My featherstream prop has stainless steel blades which keep remarkably clean without antifouling. The bronze hub does get a few barnacles but not worth worrying about.
BTW why do barnacles like bronze but are supposed to be repelled by Coppercoat?
 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/137605927@N05/

The prop was underwater all season, from Inverness Firth, Stornoway and down the Outer Hebs, then back up the Caley canal. There was no growth at all, where the boat had had a lot of long, light growth when alongside in Tarbert Isle of Harris.
These props are great, and I'd really think twice about destroying the finish on it by painting it! Could be an idea to chat with Nick at darglow?
 
Hayling said:
I'm also based in Chichester Harbour and this year was the worst yet for fouling of hull and propeller,
I have used lanolin, trilux and that red stuff you have to heat up, all very poor. High polish; worse!
antifoul; ineffective, so am throwing more money at the problem now with seajet triple pack, living in hope
but expecting another fine crop!
Click to expand...

I have experienced the same myself this year in Chi Harbour. For the propellor I found that one thing that helps is if you use the boat/engine often, weekly, then is keeps growth somewhat less. I have been using Trilux on an older style feather stream with alloy blades. But 6 months and the paint is falling off. Maybe I will try this Hammerite special metals primer next time.
 
After three years the barnacles keep growing!

year one: polished as from factory: barnacles

year two: af with velox and Hammertite primer but could face abrading the surface: barnacles

year three: abraded as instructed, velox and Hammertite: barnacles

this year? thnking of either international primer and prop o drev or hempers primer and eco prop which says no biocide so presumably non stick surface?


both are in aerosols which might allow for multiple thin quick drying coats. The hamertite primer sticks to the blades but the velox comes off.

the boat is on a Portsmouth swinging mooring and used every week but not every day and the prop performance goes off by mid to late season.

so ecoprop or prop o drev?
 
Just reflecting on my own experience having used Hammerite primer and Velox on previous fixed bronze prop/shaft/P bracket - lots of barnacles/tube worms. Seem to be a consensus that spaying will lead to better adhesion and you can get thinner to allow Hammerite to be sprayed but I found the it stuck well even though brushed on and abraded with 180 grade rather than recommended coarse. The problem is the Velox sticking to the primer - I can't be sure but maybe growth is just where the Velox has just fallen off so next time will spray it on.

Supplementary thought - has anyone with a feathering prop had a problem with fouling jamming the mechanism? I asked Darglow about this and they said it wouldn't because its full of grease.
 
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