speed Log paddle wheel fouling (resolved?)

[Corribee Boy]

I sometimes find that loosening the paddlewheel in its housing then turning it through 180 degrees works to free it: no water ingress, though I did initially wonder if it'd work backwards.

 

[ex-Gladys]

I was very impressed with the newer Airmar kit as supplied with my Tacktick fitting... They have a "flap" that reduces the fire hose when you remove either the log or blanking plug to a trickle. I now get no more than about 4 tablespoons on each change, and therefore remove the log fitting every time I leave the boat....

 

[Modulation]

I have cleaned the paddle only once before on a previous boat - but I was very nervous about it, expecting a fountain of sea water gushing up vertically and I feared missing the thread on the temporary cap.

Is it much "safer" than I imagine ?

What is the "best practice" for removing/cleaning/replacing the paddle to avoid a sinking ship ?

In my past boats that was certainly the feeling I had - still did it tho and just mopped up afterwards. I fitted a Raymarine log some time ago and the paddle wheel fitting in the hull has a flap which swings into place when I remove the plug or the transducer. Slows water ingress to a trickle and leaves plenty of time. Difficult but certainly a great idea.

 

[prv]

I was very impressed with the newer Airmar kit as supplied with my Tacktick fitting... They have a "flap" that reduces the fire hose when you remove either the log or blanking plug to a trickle.

I think that's fairly standard. My ancient VDO system from the early 90s has it, although the flap is no longer as springy as it once was so not quite as effective.

Pete

 

[bromleybysea]

My Airmar flappy thing packed up fairly quickly, now I get the "firenhose" treatment. On the mooring in Portsmouth, some small shrimp-like creatures took up residence in the paddle-wheel, when I pulled it out I had dozens of the little bugg*rs running about on the floor. I found that the paddle-wheel fouled up much more quickly on the mooring in Fareham Creek than it ever did in the marina on the River Blackwater in Essex, where the water looks like strong tea.

 

[DaveS]

I sometimes find that loosening the paddlewheel in its housing then turning it through 180 degrees works to free it: no water ingress, though I did initially wonder if it'd work backwards.

+1

 

[pvb]

I just paint mine with antifouling.