My MBY report on antifoul - update

[Hurricane]

That was last season

This year, I decided to simply clean and lightly polish them.
Then just before launching, I sprayed some TK Antifoul over them (only took 15 mins to spray the TK over all the metal work)

As expected, the TK Antifoul didn't do anything magic.

So now, I have come "full circle" and decided not to put any coating on them at all.

Earlier this summer, a friend showed me how to clean the metalwork quickly and efficiently.
We have always used a locally bought acid called Aqua Fuerte (literal translation "Strong Water")
In the past, we have just squirted it over the metal surface that we want to clean and then let it soak in.
Using that technique, the acid removed some of the barnacles but we have always followed up with mechanical methods.
My friend explained that a small amount of Aqua Fuerte in a pot and then using a 1 or 2 inch paint brush gently agitate the acid on the prop using a circular motion.
This way, the acid continues to work and within a short time any barnacles dissolve leaving a shiny surface.
Any previous layers of paint make this process impossible.
So, at the moment, JW has no treatment on her underwater metalwork and I've decided next season to use this process but then to polish everything as much as I can to get a slippery surface.

Our marina is a little different from most in that we get very cheap lift and scrubs - in fact most of us get one free lift and scrub each year.
So during the season, I will have the boat lifted and clean the props etc just before we go cruising.
I may even pay a little extra to have the boat left in the slings over lunch (Spanish lunch is 3 hours long!) and during that time, I can give them a little extra "Agua Fuerte" treatment.

Summarising
I think that painting the underwater metalwork with anything is just a waste of time - especially when you need to remove any old paint prior to the next treatment.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I think that painting the underwater metalwork with anything is just a waste of time - especially when you need to remove any old paint prior to the next treatment.

Oh bugger, I had hoped you were going to discover the holy grail of Med boating

 

[Nick_H]

I had Velox Plus applied in early June 2013, it worked perfectly for the rest of the 2013 season, no fouling whatsoever and didn't wear off with about 80 hours use. By end July this year, with another 20 hours, it was still going strong (I didn't lift and antifoul this year for reasons I wont go into), but there were a few tiny barnacles starting to form, so I scrubbed the props before leaving on our annual cruise. Having scrubbed them, of course I've encouraged more growth, so they are fouling now, but for best part of a year the Velox Plus worked really well. I intend to use it every year now.

It's a 2 part process, an etch primer then the paint, and of course it's important to get the props clean first, although they were only acid treated in 2013, no sanding or polishing.

 

[Medskipper]

I've been boating 30 years or so and during that period of time I must have discussed this issue over and over again with so many people! The general consensus is its a total waste of time painting props and shafts on a power boat because nothing will stay on long enough!
But I do applaud you for your dogged approach and determination! I'm on the boat at the weekend for a couple of weeks if you are about?
All the best

 

[Hurricane]

I've been boating 30 years or so and during that period of time I must have discussed this issue over and over again with so many people! The general consensus is its a total waste of time painting props and shafts on a power boat because nothing will stay on long enough!
But I do applaud you for your dogged approach and determination! I'm on the boat at the weekend for a couple of weeks if you are about?
All the best

Shame
We have just missed each other.
I got home on Tuesday
I'm not sure if we are going out again this year - been on the boat most of the summer - Some of June - Virtually all of July and August and most of September (counting it up thats 12 out of 16 weeks)
Just put the boat to bed in case we don't go back again this year - SWMBO wants a holiday!!!

 

[Hurricane]

I had Velox Plus applied in early June 2013, it worked perfectly for the rest of the 2013 season, no fouling whatsoever and didn't wear off with about 80 hours use. By end July this year, with another 20 hours, it was still going strong (I didn't lift and antifoul this year for reasons I wont go into), but there were a few tiny barnacles starting to form, so I scrubbed the props before leaving on our annual cruise. Having scrubbed them, of course I've encouraged more growth, so they are fouling now, but for best part of a year the Velox Plus worked really well. I intend to use it every year now.

It's a 2 part process, an etch primer then the paint, and of course it's important to get the props clean first, although they were only acid treated in 2013, no sanding or polishing.

I used Velox in my first season - didn't get the same kind of success that you seem to have had.
The pics of the props above - had a really good job done on them - 2 part epoxy - then an intermediate primer and finally a very hard racing antifoul.
You could have hit the paint with a hammer without any chance of removing it.
But just 100 miles later it looked like the pics above.
I really don't believe anything sticks to props (and to a lesser extent the other metalwork)
However, thrusters props do seem to keep antifoul on - Trilux is good but I use the Blakes hard racing with good effect

 

[Medskipper]

Shame
We have just missed each other.
I got home on Tuesday
I'm not sure if we are going out again this year - been on the boat most of the summer - Some of June - Virtually all of July and August and most of September (counting it up thats 12 out of 16 weeks)
Just put the boat to bed in case we don't go back again this year - SWMBO wants a holiday!!!

oh well can't be helped! Just leave the keys to JW and John and I will keep her engines exercised for you, stop all that nasty fouling! layful:layful:

 

[John100156]

So, it's a party on the back of JW next Saturday Barry, here's the last one we had a couple of months ago..... Just need to find where Mike hides the keys to the Jetski....!