Should I anti-foul my prop?

Gonna make some of you envious now ....

Just lifted my 25ft'r and she sat for most of the time unused ... which is usually death to props and AF ... but Wey Hey ... look at this ... and I have not pressure washed or doner anything at all ... this is straight from water :

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The AF is not available over counter before you ask ... no good PM'g me either ...

My point in showing is to illustrate how the rules on AF have made what you get over the counter = 'rubbish' .....
Fresh water? On the Menai Strait we knew that a few days in Port Dinorwic, fed by a mountain stream, would almost totally eradicate fouling. When we kept our boat on the fresh-water Haringvliet we rarely had any fouling at all, despite sailing on the sea most weekends.
 
Gonna make some of you envious now ....

Just lifted my 25ft'r and she sat for most of the time unused ... which is usually death to props and AF ... but Wey Hey ... look at this ... and I have not pressure washed or doner anything at all ... this is straight from water :

View attachment 202397View attachment 202397View attachment 202397

View attachment 202395View attachment 202395

View attachment 202396

View attachment 202398

View attachment 202399

The AF is not available over counter before you ask ... no good PM'g me either ...

My point in showing is to illustrate how the rules on AF have made what you get over the counter = 'rubbish' .....
Jotun Seaforce 60/ Hempel Olympic or something similar? That's what I use when I can get it
 
Fresh water? On the Menai Strait we knew that a few days in Port Dinorwic, fed by a mountain stream, would almost totally eradicate fouling. When we kept our boat on the fresh-water Haringvliet we rarely had any fouling at all, despite sailing on the sea most weekends.
Loads of boats have come into Y Felinheli for the winter. Most won't need to clean off next spring as the fresher mountain water cleans the sea water residents away. Can't say the same for quite a few less active residents that have a dose of tube worm on their keels and props.
 
Interesting thread- my prop was badly fouled so was looking for advice as well
I'm going to give vyv's method a try and see how it goes
 

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Wow, that looks bad!

I stayed afloat for 18 months over the past 2 years, with a lift and spray clean halfway through. After over 300 hours of motoring over 2 seasons there was very little paint left on the prop. I used Primocon as a primer with Trilux as a topcoat. However the level of fouling was not bad - a few barnacles, and marks where they had been. I suspect regular use helps. Hammerite SMP for next season - I sense from this thread that its the preparation and primer that matters most.

I did try lanolin once after a mid seaon liftout but it showed little difference to bare metal.
 
Wow, that looks bad!

I stayed afloat for 18 months over the past 2 years, with a lift and spray clean halfway through. After over 300 hours of motoring over 2 seasons there was very little paint left on the prop. I used Primocon as a primer with Trilux as a topcoat. However the level of fouling was not bad - a few barnacles, and marks where they had been. I suspect regular use helps. Hammerite SMP for next season - I sense from this thread that its the preparation and primer that matters most.

I did try lanolin once after a mid seaon liftout but it showed little difference to bare metal.
I used to use Trilux. I thought it had been withdrawn from sale but upon investigation now I see it is for sale to professionals only, and it very much more expensive than I remember. What a shame.
 
I used to use Trilux. I thought it had been withdrawn from sale but upon investigation now I see it is for sale to professionals only, and it very much more expensive than I remember. What a shame.
If it works it might still be excellent value for money on props and sdaildrives

Velox and Prop Speed are also expensive.

Jonathan
 
If it works it might still be excellent value for money on props and sdaildrives

Velox and Prop Speed are also expensive.

Jonathan
Our local chandlery stock what is called International Hard Antifoul in a 375ml tin, I wonder is this in place of Trilux. They do Trilux in a spray can, which I have never tried since for the prop and saildrive etc, I prefer to use a brush to paint it on in a controlled manner.
 
I used to use Trilux. I thought it had been withdrawn from sale but upon investigation now I see it is for sale to professionals only, and it very much more expensive than I remember. What a shame.
I have an old tin which keeps going. The Trilux part works, its the adhesion to bronze and stainless that challenges me.
 
Another vote for brick acid to initially clean. I tried numerous AF and primers but none stick successfully to my bronze prop. For many years now I just use a rotary wire brush in a drill, followed by 1000 & 2000 grit pads and a final buff with Autosol metal polish. I found a polished prop to be the most effective lasting a year and only a few growths.
 

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Has anybody tried Pellerclean Seajet Pellerclean ?
When we bought our boat 2 years ago the prop had been painted with a fouling release product 2 years previously, this is what it looked like:

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The colour is the primer, there is a transparent rubbery top coat. It is very effective. I don’t have a current picture, there are some bare patches on the blade surfaces now but not too bad.
 
I have good success with Velox plus (as it is now called) and the associated primer. I have been using this for about 5 years on anew 3 x bladed propellor. I also leave my boat in the water for a bit over years, Scotland, Sound of Jura, Firth of Lorn area. When I lift there are a few barnacles on the propellor, not much and some flaking of the antifouling. I can compare to the old propeller, over the same periods, same area, and after "a bit over two years" there was quite bit of fouling from barnacles which took a lot of time to remove and clean up. I also use Cruiser 250 antifouling on the hull, which works well for me.

I would recommend Velox Plus, follow the instructions to prepare the propellor surface, prime and apply the coating.
 
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