What treatment for prop ???

[moonshine]

Hi there,

Currently out of the water. I'm undecided on what to apply to a bronze and ss shaft to prevent/minimise fouling.

Last year I applied Prop Shield, red grease, and the prop grew a fine crop of barnacles, sea squirts and a heavy coating of calcium. 13 months in the water, no mid-season scrub. Admittedly the boat did not get used a lot over the winter or this spring, the attached shows the 'damage' !!! Hull was in remarkably good shape with a few barnacles and slime.

What are the forum's experience and suggestion for upper Crouch ?

Look forward to hear your recommendations.

Alasdair

 

[wingdiver]

WE have had Propspeed applied to ours and have been very pleased.
The first time was late 2006 and when we were next lifted in May 2009, it was clean.
We had it recoated then as we were told it should last 4 years and our next planned lift was May 2011. We came out last month and all fine again so have left it without redoing it as we will next be out in May 2013 which is 4 years.

 

[eastcoastbernie]

Figuring that the people who lift out hundreds of boats every year are in the best position to see the state of other people's hulls and props at the end of the season, I once asked our marina crane driver what his thoughts on antifoul and prop treatments were.

In his opinion, most antifoul treatments give similar results, so you might as well go for the cheapest. But remember we are talking marina here, not flowing river where antifouling is worse.

His view on props was that most of the preparations weren't up to much and that the best treatment was to clean up the prop until it was bright, shiny metal and then to coat it with waterproof grease.

Seems to work for my boat.

 

[Tradewinds]

Figuring that the people who lift out hundreds of boats every year are in the best position to see the state of other people's hulls and props at the end of the season, I once asked our marina crane driver what his thoughts on antifoul and prop treatments were.

In his opinion, most antifoul treatments give similar results, so you might as well go for the cheapest. But remember we are talking marina here, not flowing river where antifouling is worse.

His view on props was that most of the preparations weren't up to much and that the best treatment was to clean up the prop until it was bright, shiny metal and then to coat it with waterproof grease.

Seems to work for my boat.

I'm at the same marina so I presume you were talking to Chris.

I've had my boat for nearly 20 years - the last 12 in East Coast waters. Up to last year I usually anti-fouled the prop with mixed results. Sometimes it seemed OK'ish, sometimes it wasn't. I've tried soft, hard & the Trilux stuff (but not Prop-o-Drev).

In June last year I fitted a bright new shiny prop so decided to leave as was & coat it with cheap motorbike chain grease from Halfords. When I was hauled out at the end of May this year it had fouling on but nothing that wouldn't have come off with a good hard motor I think - no barnacles, just soft stuff. The engine hadn't been used in anger since last September & she'd just sat in her berth throughout the winter until the spring. The prop cleaned up like new with very little effort - no limescale remover needed.

The jury's still out I think - last year wasn't very active use-wise. I won't be back in the water until mid-July but I'll try the chain grease again.

BTW - the antifoul was Jotun Seaforce 30 - excellent.

Prop at haul-out May 2011

 

[moonshine]

Thanks for the replies.

I guess it comes down to a choice of 4 options : do nothing except polish to smooth finish ; antifouling paint ; some form of lanolin grease ; PropSpeed.

The price of PropSpeed is too steep for my pocket, est. £300, it would have to work for years to be a choice, and I am not convinced that it would be 100% effective in the semi-stagnant inner reaches of FYH.

As I had a pot of Propshield, which is based on lanolin, I have gone with that again and will endeavor to use the boat more and/or give the prop a spin regularly.Next year I'll trackdown some cheaper lanolin

Here's to slippery props !

A

 

[Tradewinds]

Thanks for the replies.

I guess it comes down to a choice of 4 options : do nothing except polish to smooth finish ; antifouling paint ; some form of lanolin grease ; PropSpeed.

The price of PropSpeed is too steep for my pocket, est. £300, it would have to work for years to be a choice, and I am not convinced that it would be 100% effective in the semi-stagnant inner reaches of FYH.

As I had a pot of Propshield, which is based on lanolin, I have gone with that again and will endeavor to use the boat more and/or give the prop a spin regularly.Next year I'll trackdown some cheaper lanolin

Here's to slippery props !

A

5 choices.

Mine was an aerosol can of motorcycle chain grease costing £6 As recommended on the YBW forum by another member .

 

[davidwf]

Just lifted yesterday boats been in since last september, Prop was treated with propshield results below, jury's out on this. Would it have been worse without it? I doubt it. Also scrubbed hull three times with a hullmate Jan, March and Mid May because the A/F seemed to give up the ghost around January lots of weed started growing. Very impressed with the way it cleaned the boat evenly no weed just some slime, mind you that slime was a bit hard to get off and took a fair bit of pressure washing. Seem to recall same issue last year as some was left behind that I had to sand off. I wasn't at last years lift.

Will be switching from Blakes Tiger to Micron today as not happy with A/F. Have half a pot of Propshield left might as well use it I suppose.