Prop fouling ..... crustaceans etc

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kidnapped

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I have just been down to the boat for a sail on Sunday, all the family are there, ready to go ..... then little thrust astern, little for'ard, revs max out at 50%! It's the dreaded sea creatures. Had it hauled just six weeks ago for antifoul and prop clean. Has anyone any ideas on how to prevent/reduce this occurence?? Hauling out twice a year is adding 10%+ to my annual berthing fees!! HELP /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
I had the same problem for the past 2 years despite spraying fancy branded antifouling on the prop - half way through the season it was coated in crustacea and weed.

This year I just gave it a good layer of waterproof grease instead and touch wood the problem seems to be solved.
 
I have the same problem at Marchwood in Southampton Water.

I get a mask and snorkel on and scrape the blighters of with a chisel lashed to the end of me boat hook.

Magic
 
Yep, and of course even if you do put on the clever lanolin or whatever, yerd still need the mask etc to be able to go and see if it's working. I wd says that a wetsuit, mask, snorkel are fairly essential items on board really. You need two masks actually, for whern the first one sinks....
 
I put Anhyrous Lanolin on the prop in March 2003 and the boat hasn't been out of the water since. A year and a half against a marina ponton and sea loch swinging mooring since then.
The prop remains clear as a whistle... its on a double ender so I can see the sterngear from the dinghy.
 
I'd be leery of heating the prop in situ. I suspect that there's a risk that as it expands, it'll get pushed up the taper by the nut. Do that a few times and getting it off could prove entertaining - at least for those onlookers with a taste for shadenfreude...

FWIW, I just changed props & I'm trying grate cleaner - Xebo is it? I'll report back on its performance in spring
 
We had Cornish Maid hauled out two weeks ago. We had a very heavy weed growth all over the bottom (another story, now resolved), except for our prop which had received a heavy layer of lanolin as recommended by Brunton's. It does seem to work very well, and we had been down almost to the Med, warm weed-growing waters no less.

Can buy it in swindleries such as Aladdins Cave where we got ours. When you apply it, allow it to warm up, it's much easier. At least, so says HWMBO, who is delegated to do the messy jobs. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Would'nt you just be better knitting a wooly jumper for the prop? Built in lanolin and extra protection from crustaceans.
 
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