How do I clean my prop?

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Travelling Westerly

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Went for a dive yesterday to inspect the condition of the hull fittings and antifoul etc.
I was suprised to see the condition of the prop and drive shaft. The prop was brand new only fitted a year ago (Volvo folding 3 blade with no anode). It was covered in white worm (?) casings etc as was the shaft. No amount of scrubing with my Scotch pad would shift it. It works fine but looks nothing like the bright bronze one that went on last year LOL.
Question is 2 fold,
1. How can I clean them both up whilst underwater?
2. How can I clean them both if I dry the boat out. I have 240 mains available whilst its on the beach in case mains powered tools are recommended.

Thanks
 
Scraper (Toolstation) in the water.

Out of the water...vinegar, scraper, wire wheel or flapper wheel on a drill.
 
Cornishwesterly said:
Went for a dive yesterday to inspect the condition of the hull fittings and antifoul etc.
I was suprised to see the condition of the prop and drive shaft. The prop was brand new only fitted a year ago (Volvo folding 3 blade with no anode). It was covered in white worm (?) casings etc as was the shaft. No amount of scrubing with my Scotch pad would shift it. It works fine but looks nothing like the bright bronze one that went on last year LOL.
Question is 2 fold,
1. How can I clean them both up whilst underwater?
2. How can I clean them both if I dry the boat out. I have 240 mains available whilst its on the beach in case mains powered tools are recommended.

Thanks
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Bobc said:
Scraper (Toolstation) in the water.

Out of the water...vinegar, scraper, wire wheel or flapper wheel on a drill.
Click to expand...
emandvee44 said:
Muriatic acid and a paint brush - but watch out for the fumes!
Click to expand...

Vinegar will be slow.. It's a relatively dilute solution of a very weak acid

A domestic descaler containing a stronger acid such as citric acid , lactic acid or formic acid will be faster

Better still a central heating boiler descaler containing sulfamic acid, which is stronger than any of the week organic acids

Fastest of all, a dilute solution of hydrochloric acid ( also known as muriatic acid in the days when dinosaurs roamed the earth :) ) which you will find in some brick and masonry cleaners.
 
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What are your intentions once it is clean?

If you intend to paint it you will almost definitely need to abrade it as a key for the primer, from memory, quite coarse 100 mesh. So rather than get is nice and shiny - miss out the middle step (necessitating acid) - and simply grind it down.

A paint stripping wheel on an angle grinder will be fine (though a bit difficult under water)

I'd commend Velox (you will find threads on Velox if you use the search engine) - though check with yachts nearby and see what is successful near your mooring - AF does tend to be location specific. Velox is a more concentrated form of Trilux 33

Jonathan
 
Your description sounds like tubeworm. Is this in Cornwall? A major problem in the Mediterranean, where it is probably the worst fouling type. As Jonathan suggests abrade with fairly coarse papers, wet and dry should work underwater.

At haul out Velox offers the best protection against tubeworm, although not perfect. I suggest that Hammerite Special Metals primer is better than Velox' own. I have posted often on this so a search will find it.

Here is a pic of my prop with this treatment after 5 months afloat.
 
In the warm waters of the Caribbean my pal needed to clean his prop. He placed a bag over the prop securing it tightly with wire. A tube was already inserted in to the bag that ran to the cockpit. Once back on the boat he poured muriatic acid down the pipe and waited for an hour. Once he removed the bag, the prop was clean
 
geem said:
In the warm waters of the Caribbean my pal needed to clean his prop. He placed a bag over the prop securing it tightly with wire. A tube was already inserted in to the bag that ran to the cockpit. Once back on the boat he poured muriatic acid down the pipe and waited for an hour. Once he removed the bag, the prop was clean
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...and the fish were dead
 
Bobc said:
...and the fish were dead
Click to expand...
But with some really, really good luck, maybe the acid helped dissolve some of the plastic in the sea (or does muratic acid have no effect on plastic?)
 
Cornishwesterly said:
Went for a dive yesterday to inspect the condition of the hull fittings and antifoul etc.
I was suprised to see the condition of the prop and drive shaft. The prop was brand new only fitted a year ago (Volvo folding 3 blade with no anode). It was covered in white worm (?) casings etc as was the shaft. No amount of scrubing with my Scotch pad would shift it. It works fine but looks nothing like the bright bronze one that went on last year LOL.
Question is 2 fold,
1. How can I clean them both up whilst underwater?
2. How can I clean them both if I dry the boat out. I have 240 mains available whilst its on the beach in case mains powered tools are recommended.

Thanks
Click to expand...
Cleaned mine when it was removed from the water end of season and I used a hard plastic paint scraper. The plastic is tough but won't scratch the prop. I personally wouldn't use abrasive power tools. Also when out of the water you I have also used "HG Professional Limescale Remover" from eBay. Works well on the remnants left after removing the bulk with the scraper.
 
Thanks guys, great advice & much appreciated.

It is in Cornwall so taking a dip to clean is my prefered first line of attack with drying out using the legs my fall back plan.

I'll look into treating as suggested when I dry her out next. Untill then I'll up my underwater cleaning dips.

Thanks
 
I am a bit surprised that you say you have no anodes. All the Volvo three bladed folding propellers I have ever seen, including my own, have three curved anodes attached to the hub. If the prop is heavily fouled, you may not realise they are there. I would certainly replace these, they are a well document weakness of the prop, and mine do not last a year, but you may be in a more favourable location.

As far as cleaning goes, I take the prop off once a year and use Wessex Prop Cleaner, which is undoubtedly one of the acids already suggested. I then use a scotchbrite course cloth to clean it back to a reasonable shine, and then apply Dr Barnacle's Grease. After six months, I dry the boat out, give the prop another clean with the scotchbrite pad and re-apply the grease along with re-greasing the hub and renewing the anodes. I have used this method for several years and the prop is still in excellent condition.
 
richardbrennan said:
I am a bit surprised that you say you have no anodes. All the Volvo three bladed folding propellers I have ever seen, including my own, have three curved anodes attached to the hub. If the prop is heavily fouled, you may not realise they are there. I would certainly replace these, they are a well document weakness of the prop, and mine do not last a year, but you may be in a more favourable location.

As far as cleaning goes, I take the prop off once a year and use Wessex Prop Cleaner, which is undoubtedly one of the acids already suggested. I then use a scotchbrite course cloth to clean it back to a reasonable shine, and then apply Dr Barnacle's Grease. After six months, I dry the boat out, give the prop another clean with the scotchbrite pad and re-apply the grease along with re-greasing the hub and renewing the anodes. I have used this method for several years and the prop is still in excellent condition.
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Hi Richard

Thanks for your reply. My Volvo 3 blade folder does not have any anodes nor the ability to have any fitted. The smaller models do but the one I have is quoted as impervious to corrosion as its some type of durable bronze. I have had it from new as supplied and fitted by a Volvo Penta main dealer and watched as it was fitted along with a brand new D2 50 engine and gearbox. I, like you, enquired as to why this size prop does not have an anode and was informed as above.
Have a look at the Volvo website and you will see the model I have as there is no anode available for it. As I say the smaller models do though.

I will look into the wessex cleaner as suggested - cheers
 
I also recommend brick cleaner (dilute hydrochloric acid) . Got mine from Wickes. Obviously done out of the water. Hold/mount a tray under the prop containing a mug-full of acid then use a brush to paint it onto the prop allowing the runoff to go back in the tray. Rotate the prop as you go so always doing the lowest blade.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
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