Prop Speed

[Neeves]

I'm on the press release mailing list for PropSpeed, hence knowing that Nautor Swan are now using the product as standard. I'm also interested as it would be useful if the fouling rate of props was similar to that of the hull as then you could treat both hull and prop at the same time.

I was achieving 2 years on the hulls of Josepheline with a top of the range 'commercial' (both expensive and difficult to source as a private user, Hempel's Globic and Jotun's Sea Quantum Ultra, both excellent ) AF but had to beach and clean down the props gently a bit over 12 months (which works for a multihull, and a bilge Keeler) but not for most yachts where you would need to expensively slip).

I've received another mail shot on Prop Speed, good PR consultancy (what's needed for Velux) that Prop Speed has been available for 25 years (I thought it was longer).


I looked at the ingredients about 10 years ago for both Prop Speed and the less common (poor marketing) Prop Gold aka Prop One and one of the 2 silicone based prop AFs listed an ingredient 'potentially carcinogenic' - but I don't recall which. This was some years ago and a replacement may have been found or it may have been proved, (seems unlikely) that it was not carcinogenic. Just be warned and take care - but this is true of any AF.

I have this vague recollection that Chiara's Slave used a silicone AF with out sufficient success.

Jonathan

 

[jon and michie]

I had it put on 2 years ago by a yard when they did my copper coat, it completely failed and was redone the next year and completely failed again. View attachment 185707

What was the product you used that failed in the picture ?

 

[Buck Turgidson]

What was the product you used that failed in the picture ?

Prop one

 

[jon and michie]

Prop one

Thank you @Buck Turgidson - Did you use another type after this ? - I am getting organised for my lift out early next year and thinking of using Prop Speed

 

[noelex]

We used Pellerclean while cruising Scottish waters.

It was excellent for the first 12 months, then it was terrible.

My conclusion was that it was worthwhile if hauling out yearly. If, like us, you haul out every two years, it should still be considered for cold climates where you cannot (comfortably) dive to give the prop a clean during parts of the year. This is especially true if you have a folding/feathering propeller where sometimes even an isolated barnacle can inhibit the folding/feathering mechanism. As we are now in the Caribbean, where there is lots of diving, we elected not to use it (Trilux 33 instead) although I would still prefer to spend my snorkelling time observing the undersea creatures and, of course, anchors, so I may apply it (or a similar silicone coating) on the next haulout.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Just hauled out after 2 and bit years. Velox had originally been applied about 5 years ago on a new prop. It was then cleaned up on a previous haul out, prepared by abrading lightly, primer added where it had flaked, and redone, overcoated with Velox. This time it came out clean, except for slime, no weed or barnacles, and with some light flaking after jet washed. I am very happy with Velox. Scotland, West Coast, waters around Oban area. The hull also came out very clean with International Cruiser 250 on the hull. I don't skimp on anti fouling though.

 

[jon and michie]

Thank you @noelex and @RunAgroundHard - I am based on the Hamble and with the weather being hot this summer weed growth was definintely happening.
My Hull is copper coated so I dont have to worry too much there just abrading with a scouring pad.
Its just the running gear - Props, Shafts, Rudders, P brackets and Trim Tabs.

Jon

 

[Neeves]

Prop One and Propspeed are very similar, both demand meticulous attention to the instructions. Many failures are due to incorrect application (this also applies to Velox).

None are difficult to apply but too many think they know it all and add their own ideas to the mix and then wonder why the coating fails to perform, or falls off.

I'm a certificated Prop One applicator and have used it and Prop Speed. I could not determine a difference between Prop Speed and Prop One. I prefer Velox. We would always take the props off, clean, prepare, coat and handle only wearing clean rubber gloves.

A problem with silicones - you cannot touch them up and the coating is easily damaged.

If you don't use your vessel fouling will indentify any points of damage and you are then on the slippery slope as removal of fouling causes damage

Jonathan

 

[jon and michie]

Prop One and Propspeed are very similar, both demand meticulous attention to the instructions. Many failures are due to incorrect application (this also applies to Velox).

None are difficult to apply but too many think they know it all and add their own ideas to the mix and then wonder why the coating fails to perform, or falls off.

I'm a certificated Prop One applicator and have used it and Prop Speed. I could not determine a difference between Prop Speed and Prop One. I prefer Velox. We would always take the props off, clean, prepare, coat and handle only wearing clean rubber gloves.

A problem with silicones - you cannot touch them up and the coating is easily damaged.

If you don't use your vessel fouling will indentify any points of damage and you are then on the slippery slope as removal of fouling causes damage

Jonathan

Many thanks for this info @Neeves

I have seen this youtube video here -

- where the chap uses a barnacle remover and bar keepers friend - would this have any negative effect on the prop speed application in your opinion or should it be ok ?

like I said I am just at the planning stage and not intending doing this until Jan / Feb next year

Jon

 

[Neeves]

Many thanks for this info @Neeves

I have seen this youtube video here -

- where the chap uses a barnacle remover and bar keepers friend - would this have any negative effect on the prop speed application in your opinion or should it be ok ?

like I said I am just at the planning stage and not intending doing this until Jan / Feb next year

Jon

Not in answer to your question but

Unless you polish your prop to an almost mirror finish, thus removing even the slightest scratch (and filling any microporosity) it is very difficult to remove a silicone finish and thus impossible to get strong adhesion for your next (alternative) choice of coating, say Velox. The very characteristic for using silicone - nothing sticks (in theory) means its difficult to have anything else adhere. You need to be very confident in the performance of any silicone.

The trouble with silicone also lies with the propensity of the coating to accept damage, get a rope, polythene bag or some decent seaweed round your prop and any idea you had of being careful with a silicone will go out the window (or be dropped overboard) as you try to clear the prop with a sharp serrated knife as you bounce around under the hull.

In daylight its easy, or at least possible, to see a poly bag, discarded rope, piece of seaweed - hope you never sail or motor at night.


My recommendation would be to ask around of people who keep their vessels near you, as all of these things - AF - are location influenced and if you conclude some positivity for Velox - give it a go. If it turns out to be disappointing (and nothing new is introduced) you can try a silicone second time round - more difficult the other way round. The active ingredient in Velox is/was the same, or similar, to Trilux it just has more of it, greater concentration, and Trilx was the product of choice before Velx and silicones (though Trilux was never fantastic - used because it did not damage an aluminium sail drive).

If silicones are popular you can easily check as a silicone coated products really stand out under water - quite bright yellow.

Jonathan

 

[Farmer Piles]

Propspeed say it is silicone based but their MSDS sheet says
Phosphoric Acid
-Butoxyethanol

Velox, MSDS sheet says
2-METHOXY-1-METHYLETHYL ACETATE and ZINC PIRYTHIONE
I understand that the zinc compound is used to treat some forms of dermatitis.

Just re-reading this thread - too much time on my hands - the phosphoric acid you refer to is the etching/cleaning that you apply before coating. It comes in the form of a wipe in a sachet.