Log Paddlewheel

[LinTeal]

My boat is on a swinging mooring in Chichester Harbour.During the season the paddle wheel for my log jams every 3 weeks or so resulting in needing to be extricated and the assorted sea life removed.Any ideas as to how to reduce the problem ie can I use any substance on the wheel to discourage sea life.

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[pvb]

Antifoul...

It's easy to paint paddlewheels with antifouling - and it works! Take it out, give it a light sanding, and then antifoul it. You might need to do it twice a season.

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[TheBoatman]

I always remove the paddlewheel and insert the blanking plug. It never gets weeded up and the inconvienence of removing a couple of litres of water are well worth it.

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[MIKE_MCKIE]

Blanking plug?? Where from, how to get? I have a Nasa Clipper Duet paddlewheel log & have searched hi & lo for just this item, so far to no avail. Boat is staying afloat this winter & need to remove log to anti foul as previous post, but playing little boy with finger in the dyke severely restricts my ability to clean & antif the said paddle wheel. (Apart from sailing I am normal & only have the 2 hands!)
Any advice very gratefully received.
Brgds
Mike

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[dickh]

Have you spoken to NASA direct? I seem to remember I had one on a boat I had several years ago - failing that try and get a defunct impellor and use that.

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I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[charles_reed]

Antifouling it is dodgy and makes your log even more inaccurate than it already is.

Your best bet is to replace the transducer with the blanking plug every time you leave the boat. With a little practice and normal levels of manual dexterity you shouldn't get more than a teacupful of water into the transducer box in making the changeover

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[pvb]

Dodgy?

Can't see how antifouling the impeller can be "dodgy". I've been doing it for years, and my log is as accurate as I'd like it to be. It's necessary to remove the impeller to antifoul it, but this only involves unscrewing the little pivot screw. I use a couple of coats of thinned-down antifouling, to get a smooth finish.

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[Alex_Blackwood]

Re: Dodgy?

I note that C.R. refered to a TRANSDUCER, he may therefore be talking about an ELECTROMAGNETIC LOG. Not a good idea to paint the transducer. Just a thought but has anyone tried coating the impellor with a film of silicone grease?

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[charles_reed]

Proximity devices

rely on "counting" the number of times the magnetised elements in the wheel pass the transducer sensor element.

Build up of antifouling is alleged to reduce the signal.

It all depends on how accurate you're trying to make your log.

In any case I've yet to find an electro-mechanical log which is accurate through a boat's speed range, wherever you mount the transducer.

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