PropSpeed - is this for real?

[Piers]

I have never been able to find anything that acts as a good antifoul for my props. BUT, a friend pointed out PropSpeed which, from the data, appears to work.

Anyone with experience of this product?

 

[Chris_d]

I wonder if its just a Lanolin based product by a different name. There was a thread on Lanolin recently and it seemed to perform similarly well.

 

[jfm]

Piers I have used it and have some "before and after" pics. It was ok, but hardly worth the high cost imho. In a mad rush here, will post pics later!

 

[Hurricane]

Do a search on this forum
I think you'll find its not what its cracked up to be.

I tried to get some a few years ago and all the wanted was to get someone to do it for me - not what I wanted and as a result they never quoted.

 

[Nick_H]

If its the same as prop guard, ie. a lanolin based product, then they don't seem very effective to me. I had props, p-brackets and rudders done in May, and was scraping barnacles off all of them by September.

 

[pissativlypossed]

I used propguard on my stern gear in February and when I lifted her out last month there was only slight fouling with a slimey coating, no barnacles had adheared. Compare this with last year and the results were good.
I completed the application following the instructions to the letter, heating all the metalwork with a blow lamp before application. I think it works and will do the same next year.

 

[Nick_H]

I used a contractor, and I don't know how thoroughly they prepared the metal surfaces, so this could be a factor.

This is the stern gear after treatment before going back in the water. Rather bizzarely the shafts, which were not treated, were almost free of barnacles several months later?

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

FWIW, I had Propspeed applied to my boat in Majorca last year and it was a complete waste of money. The surface to be treated has to be carefully cleaned and etch primed before the treatment is applied and this took many man hours. In all, the total cost was not far short of £1000
After only a few weeks, the usual barnacles started adhering to the props and when I scraped them off, it seemed to remove the Propspeed layer as well with the result that the props were as badly fouled as ever a few weeks later
I suppose that Propspeed delayed the onset of fouling by a few weeks but that was certainly not worth what I paid. It's also possible that my treatment was'nt properly done but I'm not going to spend the money again to find out as £1000 pays for 3-4 cleans per season by a trustworthy diver

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Clean the props - and I mean CLEAN down to bear metal, then acetone wash them. Then etch prime them and then use Trilux, but...you need to add the HOTTEST chilli oil you can find. I can't tell you here where to get it but you could try Google for Oleoresin Capsacin or try "pepper spray" on eBay. Add a half fluid ounce to each litre and mix with an electric stirrer. Paint on and get the props back in the water within 48 hours.

Job done. Nothing will stick to them - nothing will want to!

 

[AdeOlly]

I used it on my outdrives this year but not my painted ali props. I've been pleased with the performance, esp compared to the untreated props, and its performed better than the aerosol spray antifoul products I've tried before.

Problem on outdrives is the application of the stuff as you can't apply strong heat to the outdrives, and propshield solidifies the instant it's applied. I'm working on a couple of ideas around this using a solvent base to allow anhydrous lanolin to be sprayed on with a trigger spray.