Barnacles

[Coyote63]

I have a new Alerion Express 28 equipped with a sail drive and two blade folding prop. After noticing a big decrease in propulsion, I had the boat hauled to find both the prop and sail drive completely encrusted in barnacles. The yard removed them, But i would appreciate suggestions on how to prep both the sail drive unit and prop to avoid this next season.

Thanks

 

[RAD]

Dive under during the season and clean with a small putty knife.....I have tried all kinds of stuff before launch but they still manage to show up, I didn't use the boat that much till July and I found a lot more than I'd like to have seen when I did dive under and as the bay/sound warms up they multiply

 

[RichH]

1. Make sure that you arent 'overzinc-ed' as too much zinc anode surface area will promote barnacle attachment to those 'protected' metals and adjacent surface areas. Get a "reference cell" and READ what your current FROM the zincs is, etc. :

http://www.boatzincs.com/corrosion-reference-electrode-specs.html

to help keep barnacles from affixing the best is a zero amperage differential or very very very very 'small' amperage leak from the boat.

2. I use Petit "Zinc Rich Barnacle Barrier" on my prop. Others prefer "propSpeed"

 

[wannabesailor]

Bag it & Teflon It

If you are leaving your boat in the water unused for any extended period of time then just tape or zip-tie a black plastic garbage bag over the prop and strut/drive---don't forget to remove it when you recommission the boat !--if you don't then at the very least you will be polluting and you may suck some platic bag up your engine water cooling intake (not a good idea):cussing:Anyhow when you remove the bag---presto---nice clean shiny prop

If I am going to be using the boat then before I splash it I coat the prop and shaft with Teflon Grease---it won't last forever (especially on the prop) and I can't swear it works but it seems to have worked for me ---who knows ????

I have a new Alerion Express 28 equipped with a sail drive and two blade folding prop. After noticing a big decrease in propulsion, I had the boat hauled to find both the prop and sail drive completely encrusted in barnacles. The yard removed them, But i would appreciate suggestions on how to prep both the sail drive unit and prop to avoid this next season.

Thanks