Filthy prop

[rogerroger]

I went to my boat for the first time in a month at the weekend and discovered a small rain forest living on the prop... I could not even see it.

Most of the big stuff cleared away with a broom but the prop remained covered in small weed which wouldn't budge. The hull seemed reasonably clean.

The affect on performance was incredible - motoring down from 6 to 3 knots!

I didn't anti foul the prop last winter, largely on the advice from this forum. I guess other than dry out / lift out or getting in the water there's no other way to clean it - and once clean should I try to polish it more or slap on some anti-foul ?

cheers


/forums/images/icons/cool.gif Roger Holden /forums/images/icons/cool.gif
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.first-magnitude.co.uk>First Magnitude</A>

 

[dickh]

I polished my prop until you could have shaved in it before launching, but I cannot rev above 2800 now and max speed is down so I suspect I have fouling on it. I intend to put it on the posts next weekend to check.

dickh
I'd rather be sailing...

 

[philip_stevens]

Roger, this is bound to start another round of "anti-fouling" posts, but.........

At this years' London boat show, I visited a stand showing/selling paint and anti-fouling products. I wanted to know what I could use on my boats' prop.

The information and price list I was given, from Jotun paints, showed that there is a spray-on coating for props. It is Aqualine grey or white spray in 0.4 ltr at £14.18 +VAT (£16.66) or 23.10 Euro (Jan exchange rate) (is there a key press for Euro??).

I will be trying it next year, as I was too late in trying to get it this year.

BTW, I was told that the new EU name for Sea Guardian anti-fouling is Mare Nostrum!! What was wrong with the old name??

regards,
Philip

 

[wpsalm]

couple guys around here ( Trinidad W.I. ) have had their props chrome plated and swear by it . I saw one come out of the water a few days ago after 12 months and not perfect but looked pretty good owner says extra smooth surface of chrome easy to keep clean, regards W,psalm

 

[kgi]

you could have your prop copper plated, this would seem to be a good solution to me, in the St Johns river in the US and in the surrounding waterways this is catching on as fouling there is extreme.........keith

 

[jtwebb]

I tried black lead, as used on stoves etc, on my previous boat and it kept the prop clear. I was, however, 'twitchy' about possible corrosion over a period. As my present boat has a fancy, expensive, three bladed folding prop I have not plucked up the courage to do the same thing. It was last cleaned in Jersey in June and the chap there used an acid followed by much fresh water to clean it and it has kept clean.

J Webb

 

[Rob_Webb]

Rog

I'm just resigned to going for a swim every couple of weeks to scrub prob, rudder and log impeller..... Good excuse for a 'warming' stiff drink afterwards too!

Rob

 

[rogerroger]

it's not the swimming that bothers me - it's how not to get swept away by the tide that runs through Itchenor Reach!


/forums/images/icons/cool.gif Roger Holden /forums/images/icons/cool.gif
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.first-magnitude.co.uk>First Magnitude</A>

 

[billmacfarlane]

I rub the prop with lanolin which seems to be moderately effective.

 

[brianrunyard]

What about copper plating an aluminium prop? Sounds fatal to me, slight scratch in the copper and the aluminium corrodes away!!!!!!!


Brian
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/brunyard

 

[kgi]

absolutely!!!!! i just assumed we were talking bronze props keith

 

[Chris_Robb]

eURO

Try ctrl alt 4

 

[Chris_Robb]

Lanolin works

I have used this for 2 years now, and there is no weed on the prop (launched 1st March) which is a 24 inch 3 blader. You must however prepare the surface well, to get it as smooth as possible. Initially this is quite hard work geting rid of all the barnacle marks.

Then with a blow lamp, apply the Lanolin, which will flow over the prop.

The following year the rubbing down preparation time is easy.

Tried vasaline the first year, and certainly was better than nothing, but Lanolin appears to beat all.

 

[alex_rogers]

Re: Lanolin works

I tried a Lanolin based grease this season - seems hard to tell whether it has worked or not - there is some weed but certainly not as much as before.

 

[John7]

Re: Lanolin works

I used lanolin on a new prop, polishing it first, and it was useless. I must say when we beached the boat the hull was completely covered with barnacles (used Titen!) and so was the prop. The only difference was the hull was easy to clean up. I’m going back to antifouling the prop next year, but which one is still an open question.

 

[Chris_Robb]

Re: Lanolin works

With Vasaline I had only a crop of short very fine grass on the blade, which affected performance noticably. So far - I have not yet dived over to look at the prop (water too cold) but there is no reduction performance under engine at all.

When I applied the lanolin, I applied it by building up layers over the whole prop, using the blow torch, so its on pretty thick, and looked like the prop had a thick (but smooth) transparent plastic coat all over it.

 

[Chris_Robb]

Re: Antifoul

I used Titan in 2001 and had almost perfect performance, (Chichester Harbour) This was after 3 years of disaster with XM and Blakes new Seatech product.

Where are you based?

 

[John7]

Re: Antifoul

Maylandsea- on the Blackwater

 

[Chris_Robb]

Re: Antifoul

I suppose the only thing to do is find out what works locally. Certainly Titan was good for Chichester. I did find Titan was too soft and any brushing to tidy up the waterline removed the antfouling.

 

[NigelW]

You obviously are not an East Coast sailor. I wouldn't be able to see the prop in the Harwich area water, even if I was inclined to swim in it!

Nigel W