propeller anti fouling

[bgrimwade]

I know this is a perenial problem but it seems to never end.
I had been recommended to use propspeed on my 40 ft yacht and applied it myself following the instructions - it lasted about 3 months
i repeated it again this year using n experienced yard who claimed a good success rate in application - again it lasted 3 months
At S$450 it obviously cheaper to hire a diver that apply it again
when I was in Hong Kong I had a Japanese product applied to the prop which lasted about 9 months - unfortunately the product name and information was entirely in Japanese so I never found out what it was called. I recently heard of two new products - seajet prop and jotun prop antifouling. Seajet may have been the product i used in HK as I believe they are a Japanese company but have no information on the Jotun product.
I am cruising in SE Asia and have not come across either
Has anyone else found a product that works in SE Asia waters?

 

[Andydent2000]

Someone I know used axel grease applied with a brush. It worked a treat.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

The big question is how fast is your boat? Prop fouling is a big issue in the Med and AFAIK nobody has yet found a solution that works for more than a few weeks on a fast planing boat with high rpm props. What may work on a displacement boat with a slow turning prop will probably not work on a faster boat. Certainly I've tried different treatments including Propspeed but with very limited success. If you find something, please tell us

 

[Neeves]

Propspeed is big in Australia and seems to enjoy some ssuccess. Sadly it costs of the order you describe.

Someone I met at a boat show, in Oz, who was peddling a competitive product suggested that PropSpeed (and its technology) was Japanese, came in large drums and was decanted into smaller packs (of which you bought one). The suggestion was the purveyors of Propspeed are simply a, clever, marketing company.

I spoke to a couple of the 'conventional ' antifouling (AF) companies at a recent boat show, asking the question you are asking (what works?) none have a solution, its the holy grail of AF. One company said they had a protocol within the international organisation on which was listed products that they could not use (this was an internal list not externally imposed). Item(s) on the list formed components in the manufacture of Propspeed - which might explain why few others make it. Trilux 33 wroks quite well, and cheaper than Propspeed, but with a high speed prop you would have difficulty getting it to 'stick', even slow speed props have problems.

We have tried PS, we applied ourselves. it works well - except if you break the surface (hit something in the water) the 'nick' in the surface on the prop blade will attract growth. I might add we are a sailing cat (so different environment - but same problem).

Using the boat is the best thing you can do, leaving it idle (especially in SE Asia - warmer water) is an invitation for everything to take up residence (on your prop)


Not very encouraging, sorry.

 

[epervier]

I was recommended to try this;-

http://www.force4.co.uk/9073/Force-4-TK-Line-Antifouling-Spray-Clear.html

I applied it during our summer this year (two weeks in March)it was warmer than now, two coats on both props, 3 months on, as clean as a whistle, but as others have said, I do use the boat, not every week, but thus far I'm impressed with the lack of weed/tubeworm/barnacles.

And it ain't dear!