Hempel Prop Treatment

Hurricane

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Just looking through this month;s MBY and I saw a Hempel add for Silic One.
Nothing special but I noticed that they are selling it for props.
So a short Google found this youtube video:-


I wonder if it actually works.
As far as I'm concerned, the biggest problem is getting a product to actually stick to the propellers.
My experience with all treatments is that most of coating comes off but then leaves some stuck in places where it is very difficult to remove for subsequent treatment the next year.
But this is the first time than a big name like Hempel has come out with a propeller treatment.
IMO, this is worth watching - maybe Hugo or someone at MBY can get someone to try it.
I won't - not yet anyway - I'm sure that I will polishing them again this year - especially as we are planning a longish trip away.
 
I applied this June 19. After the first run half the paint on the props had come off. Within a few runs most was gone. The rudders behind had lost about half after a few runs. The only mitigation I can offer is the the sterngear is Buzzidrive so the props are rotating at 3300 rpm max when a ‘cruising boat’ may well be half that speed.
The silic one on the hull has lasted well but I’m going to wait a full 12 months before reporting further here.
The boat is a Hunton 37 based in Cannes and does 47 knots.
cheers Jonathan
 
Mike,

I have mentioned it before, I've had great success using Velox on my props. Nothing missing, minimal growth even after 4m in our v.dirty port.
Trick is to put both primer and a/f in spray cans and spray them on, don't apply with a brush or roller. Tried that two years before, didn't make the first 10miles...
The other good thing is that you need minimal preparation next year!

Not sure about this one, too many coats, and rather thick, doubt it will make it.

V.
 
I applied this June 19. After the first run half the paint on the props had come off. Within a few runs most was gone. The rudders behind had lost about half after a few runs. The only mitigation I can offer is the the sterngear is Buzzidrive so the props are rotating at 3300 rpm max when a ‘cruising boat’ may well be half that speed.
The silic one on the hull has lasted well but I’m going to wait a full 12 months before reporting further here.
The boat is a Hunton 37 based in Cannes and does 47 knots.
cheers Jonathan
Thanks for reporting that.
It (kind of) confirms my suspicions.
Apart from Vas' experience, I'm not sure anything really works.
 
Mike,

I have mentioned it before, I've had great success using Velox on my props. Nothing missing, minimal growth even after 4m in our v.dirty port.
Trick is to put both primer and a/f in spray cans and spray them on, don't apply with a brush or roller. Tried that two years before, didn't make the first 10miles...
The other good thing is that you need minimal preparation next year!

Not sure about this one, too many coats, and rather thick, doubt it will make it.

V.
I used Velox 10 years ago - it was the first treatment that we tried.
It failed - half of it had gone before we got to Menorca from SC.
That said, I did paint/roller it on.
Didn't spray it.
I believe that the Velox primer is an acid that reacts with the bronze to get a good bond.
Just didn't work for me.

So, for this year anyway, it is back to polishing.
 
Thanks for reporting that.
It (kind of) confirms my suspicions.
Apart from Vas' experience, I'm not sure anything really works.
mind, I'm mostly at D speeds with a 2:1 ratio, so props turn at 1500/2 rpm and not 3K!!!
On various occasions I will go up in plane for 5-10mins at a time, velox seems to survive that.
 
I have tried it for 2 seasons, just in case the speed it flew off the props after first application was a fluke.

Useless.

Velox for this season.
 
Just looking through this month;s MBY and I saw a Hempel add for Silic One.
Nothing special but I noticed that they are selling it for props.
So a short Google found this youtube video:-


I wonder if it actually works.
As far as I'm concerned, the biggest problem is getting a product to actually stick to the propellers.
My experience with all treatments is that most of coating comes off but then leaves some stuck in places where it is very difficult to remove for subsequent treatment the next year.
But this is the first time than a big name like Hempel has come out with a propeller treatment.
IMO, this is worth watching - maybe Hugo or someone at MBY can get someone to try it.
I won't - not yet anyway - I'm sure that I will polishing them again this year - especially as we are planning a longish trip away.
Mike, I tried this last year. Had little impact on the worm casts which are the biggest challenge for me in The Hamble. Primer was a booger to get off. Really adhered to the props, but no deterrent to the wildlife.
 
I used Velox 10 years ago - it was the first treatment that we tried.
It failed - half of it had gone before we got to Menorca from SC.
That said, I did paint/roller it on.
Didn't spray it.
I believe that the Velox primer is an acid that reacts with the bronze to get a good bond.
Just didn't work for me.

So, for this year anyway, it is back to polishing.
Mike, I had Velox some years ago, and was very pleased with it,
I remember that the guy who applied it, explained about a very spicific procedure, failing that would give a bad result, (don't remember the details)

the next year we were in Montengro, and there it was difficult to get the stuff,
2 years ago a tried to buy it myself, but could not get it without too much complication, and the yard near Naples didn't know / didn't want to do that....
otherwise I would have applied Velox again
 
I don't know about the Hempel prop treatment but I have Silic One on my hull.

I'll be doing a lift and hold in March to see how it is doing. I shall post photos to show how it is faring...
 
Like all these things, RTFM.
I went to buy some of this stuff in force 4.
I rarely come out for more than a lift and hold but the insurance was paying - this was a rare opportunity to treat my props.
They didn’t have the wash the instructions require in stock and wanted me to spend about 130 quid on their assurance that “no one else uses their wash”.
Of course they don’t if it isn’t stocked!
I declined to buy it.
RTFM. You really don’t know better.
Will be interested in Superheats report as you can bet on him doing it properly.
 
I keep on using TK clear prop antifoul spray. Firstly as after I have polished the my prop its lovely to treat it with a couple of coats of effectively a clear lacquer... the second benefit is when the boat is pulled out after a season on the Hamble the prop is worm & barnacle free with a thin surface covering of what I can only describe as limescale.

The tin states it only last 3 months, I think that's an honest timescale of any prop treatment.

I have tried prop shield years back but I actually think that feeds the critters that like attaching themselves to props.
 
I keep on using TK clear prop antifoul spray. Firstly as after I have polished the my prop its lovely to treat it with a couple of coats of effectively a clear lacquer... the second benefit is when the boat is pulled out after a season on the Hamble the prop is worm & barnacle free with a thin surface covering of what I can only describe as limescale.

The tin states it only last 3 months, I think that's an honest timescale of any prop treatment.

I have tried prop shield years back but I actually think that feeds the critters that like attaching themselves to props.
That's what I use too. Props and bowthruster. I think it helps but it's no magic bullet.
 
when the boat is pulled out after a season on the Hamble the prop is worm & barnacle free with a thin surface covering of what I can only describe as limescale.

I WISH

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That was our first lift back in 2009 - no treatment at the time and things are better now but you can see what I mean.
We used to berth at Mercury on the Hamble - thats nothing in comparison with the warm temperatures of the Med.
 
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