Outdrive Covers

[MedDreamer]

Out on the boat at the weekend with some mates and whilst at anchor I scraped the props to get rid of the barnacles and was amazed to find an extra 7 knots (on my old boat it usually gave me about 3).

This led to a discussion about ways of keeping barnacles off and someone suggested large bags (something like a binliner with a drawstring) over the outdrives when the boat was left in the marina. Their thinking being that this would keep the light and floating organisms off the legs. I said that if that worked then someone would already be doing it but it got me thinking.

Do you think something like that could work, or are there other issues? Forgetting to remove them before firing up the engines could be messy

 

[peterg]

I'm sure I've seen something like what you describe on TV a couple(few) years ago....may even have been on a Boat Show TV prog /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[landlockedpirate]

They tried using this method in the Med a few years ago, I havent seen them in use lately so I guess that it did'nt work ?

 

[Coupe]

I think it could work and worth a try - little to lose imho.

Why not make up a warning sign which you display at the helm to ensure that you don't start up with the drives covered.

 

[mjf]

I thought of doing this a few years back - I never did it as was easy to sit up a beach with the leg raised and wire wool the crud off. I was going to modify your plan by having bleachy water in the bag and tying the string maga tight.


Be interesting to see if it works.

 

[scej]

There used to be a system that was around in the early 90's that was a bag that you had floating in the marina berth and you pulled the back up when the boat was in. from memory there was a box on the dock with chemicals which fed in to the bag and was circulated by a pump of some description. seemed like a good idea but i only ever saw two of them in marinas in poole. system never took off and they disapeared around 1993.

 

[whisper]

I've been thinking of doing this for a while but have never got around to trying it. Really need the opinion of a marine biologist on whether it would stop the b******s from growing.
Is there any such individual on the forums I wonder?

 

[Jonmendez]

I used to do exactly this witha twin engined Triana on outdrives, yes it works a treat but there are sevral difficulties to overcome. I used the black BBQ covers that you can get in ASDA £2.49 each with drawstrings. you need the large size. It works purley on being dark, things still grow but slower!
Problems
1) Can you reach - my Triana outdrives stuck straight out the back with no bathing platform and a boarding ladder between so when berthing stern to in a marina you could reach - Just!
2) You had to raise the legs all the way to get them on and lower them after.
3) The bags would rot and would only last 3 months
4) You need the bottom corners cut off otherwise when you try to remove them they are heavy and just rip.
5) You need a friendly marina as when you go out you are leaving two very smelly barnacle encrusted bags on the pontoons.
6) Slime still builds up, although this comes off fairly well with a brush on a stick.
7) Its a pain in the a*** each time to do you want to go out and when you return.

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Sounds like a good idea! I can now report that my V. Hot Chilli powder mixed in the AF paint has also worked. Not one single barnacle anywhere on 4 propellors!

 

[duncan]

sounds good but how do you get the AF paint to stay on the props?

or are they alloy?

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Yes, they are alloy. I use an etch primer then the AF. It doesn't all stay on over the season, but 90% or more does.