While things that turn may stay cleaner, I don't think the shipwrights who told you Propspeed only works on things that turn are correct. Obviously there's only one way to prove it. Now we've used it on things that don't turn and found it effective.
Have you cleaned your Prop lately?
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While things that turn may stay cleaner, I don't think the shipwrights who told you Propspeed only works on things that turn are correct. Obviously there's only one way to prove it. Now we've used it on things that don't turn and found it effective.
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In that case the advice I was given to not have it put it on the rudder was incorrect. Still, the rudder never takes much to clean off, but I always did feel that Propspeed on it should work. The shoe always has to be scraped, I am resigned to that, especially as I don't do it anyway.
How do you find it on the rudder BB..?
BruceK
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If you are right it was a "lose-lose". I was set to do the lot and had the impression the shipwright fessed up last moment, against his own interest, I would waste $ doing the static parts. I`ll never know unless I ignore the advice and do the lot next time.
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When we did my props we only used half a kit of Propspeed, ie part of one can of the etch primer and 75% of the topcoat. My detailer was doing the AF and propspeed at haulout and he was happy to take the unopened and unused half of the kit. But next time we will prep all of the metal and use the full kit. I'm sure there will plenty of the Primer to do it. If we run out of the top coat before all the miscellaneous metal is done then it can have something else. I'm thinking of doing the bronze thru hulls as well....
Well, first a caveat. We had boats on the lake and knew nothing about Propspeed and very little about bottom paint. Then we moved to the coast and we've never had a boat here without using Propspeed. So, all we can compare to is other people and to try to guage we base it on professional captains and engineers with far more experience than us. If it's metal, we use it. That includes everything from thru hulls to stabilizers. We don't personally know how some of those items would be without, just how they are with. From what we've observed and been told, props and shafts are where it helps most but as long as we're paying to have a boat hauled and have it applied we just feel it's a good investment everywhere. We do not have a problem as a result.
I think one reason many don't use it other places is that they're focused on performance and economy as their purpose for use. Barnacles on rudders and thru hulls and thrusters and stabilizers don't play much of a role there. We know we live in a very bad area for growth so we just try to keep everything clean. Out bottom cleaner says it sure makes his job easier.
A couple of other things we've been told is that it's not very protective against abrasion such as items hit or sandy bottoms kicked up. Also, if you're docked at a marina with a high degree of electrolysis, the Propspeed will not stay on.
The diving and the Propspeed are not a cheap route. Those expert with Propspeed charge accordingly, just like the best painters do. We do feel we ultimately save though with less need to haul out and less frequent bottom painting. Even more than that, we avoid time with the boat not available for use. The slick top coat is only one part of the entire process and package.
Found a photo to specifically address your rudder question. This boat in the photo had Propspeed used on the right side only as a test. This was the boat when hauled after 6 months.
One comment. Do not haul and let the areas dry before wiping the Propspeed areas clean. Make sure that's done while still wet.
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Wow...I'm a convert...I'll advise the new owner, (thinking positively here, although very slow progress selling), to do rudder as well at least.
Oh, the boat in the photo is a Riviera in Australia, too.
FF
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"the boat in the photo is a Riviera in Australia, too."
Be sure to specify the hemisphere when ordering prop goop
reverse Coriolis effect might invite hard growth.
Be sure to specify the hemisphere when ordering prop goop
reverse Coriolis effect might invite hard growth.
drb1025
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Here is the running gear after cleaning. I also painted the struts and rudders this time.
As the last 7 yrs are my first time boating in freshwater I had not realized how kind freshwater is to a boat's bottom and gear. My props stay clean! In saltwater I was often cleaning props and bottom. Saltwater provides great actions. SF Delta's freshwater sloughs give peace and serenity. I'll eventually be staying in salt again... but no time too soon; still enjoying freshwater kick-back! Wife loves it!!
Pgitug
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My diver here in Florida has extensive knowledge of propspeed. It works well on all metal parts. The only important issue with propspeed is that your diver use a soft rag to clean off the surface. One swipe with a scouring pad and the propspeed finish is compromised.
sdowney717
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Propspeed is 2 parts.
A base primer sealer and a silicone top coat.
I see DOW has some silicone based anti fouls.
Fascinating Silicone Applications Barnacles Slip - Dow Corning
I wonder if you coat a zinc etching primer on the prop, then smear on some silicone something, maybe a thin coating of silicone gasket maker.
A base primer sealer and a silicone top coat.
I see DOW has some silicone based anti fouls.
Fascinating Silicone Applications Barnacles Slip - Dow Corning
I wonder if you coat a zinc etching primer on the prop, then smear on some silicone something, maybe a thin coating of silicone gasket maker.
RT Firefly
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Greetings,
I've heard some apply lanolin to their running gear (Props, people...egad!).
I've heard some apply lanolin to their running gear (Props, people...egad!).
markpierce
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Have it done (cleaned and treated) annually when the boat is hauled out of the water. (Dang those primitive marine animals.)
dhays
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That assumes the boat is hauled annually....
Been 12 months since the boat has been out of the water but I did dive under her a few weeks ago and the bottom is 90% clean and noticed the prop had pitting on 10% patchof the antifoul there is a anode on the prop shaft it just looked unusual any thoughts ?
markpierce
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Britannia
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My diver cleans the running gear as part of his service. I just had it done - it had been a while and had significant growth. I'm interested to see if I get better fuel consumption and less soot next time I go out.
markpierce
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dhays
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A question based in ignorance, but why haul it yearly?
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Probably same reason as me - don't let too many barnacles get on there! I left it 18 months last time and had a lot of barnacle bases to remove with a chisel after pressure washing and initial scraping. It took a day and a half. Never again.
High Wire
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You haul to prevent winter ice damage in the north and potential hurricane damage (says the insurance co.) in the south if you don't migrate the boat.
Tidahapah
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Being a timber boat I haul every 12 months but usually get 24 months out of 1 application of Prop Speed and I never dive and clean my prop. Occasionally I will go more than 6 months between boat movements but will run the engine and put in in and out of gear.
Best product that ever came on the market.
Best product that ever came on the market.
Tom.B
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We haul every year just to keep up with how things are going under the boat. Basically just an annual maintenance thing for us.
We had our props cleaned and balanced over christmas. We'll look at them again in the fall... probably.
We had our props cleaned and balanced over christmas. We'll look at them again in the fall... probably.
We boat in a heavier fouling area of Long Island in NY and have tried various things on the props and shafts these past 30 or so years. The past 5 seasons we have had great results with Rustoleum Cold Galvanzing spray in 20 oz cans for about $6 at Home Depot. We use two medium coats on the props and shafts which are pretty thin but last. It is very easy to prep and apply , lasts the full season, and is pretty easy to remove when time to reapply - certainly much easier than the varied products we tried in the past. We do haul each year for winter so I am not sure how much longer than one season (about 8 months) the two coats may or may not last.
Since we do cruise at speeds like 16-18 knots at times and have pyro and boost gages it is pretty easy to detect when the running gear is loading up - the gages will tell you as they are pretty sensitive to the fouling.
Since we do cruise at speeds like 16-18 knots at times and have pyro and boost gages it is pretty easy to detect when the running gear is loading up - the gages will tell you as they are pretty sensitive to the fouling.
dhays
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The Northeast folks I get, my Dad grew up with a 29' wooden yawl on Lake Ontario. It got hauled every fall, then all the seams in the hull redone every spring before it was splashed. Pump like crazy until the leaks slowed down.
I forgot about hurricanes, but I thought that the poster who said that he hauled years from from SoCal?
I am just wondering if I am missing something important. I haul my boat only as needed. My current boat has been hauled once in the past 6 years since I moved it to Washington. That was to install a new prop. Likely the next time it gets hauled will be for a buyers survey (hopefully in the near future).
We use Prop Speed. We clean the props monthly as part of bottom cleaning. We haul annually to just check everything carefully, including all alignment of shafts. We never "scrub" the bottom or anything else that is aggressive and we refresh the Prop Speed annually. We never use anything abrasive on the bottom or on the props. We bottom paint about every three years on average.
Now, we're in South Florida and certainly clean more frequently than would be needed in some other areas.
Now, we're in South Florida and certainly clean more frequently than would be needed in some other areas.
No Mast
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We usually haul out every two years to change the oil in the thrusters, per maintenance schedule, and this requires the boat to be on land. Bottom cleaning every month or two in between and our bottom seems to hold up just fine. We just did it, and we sent the prop to the shop while we were at it.
