I am looking for suggestions on antifouling treatments for my MaxProp and shaft. The local boatyard suggests PropSpeed by OceanMax. Last year, I polished the prop and shaft with Flitz metal polish followed by a later of Pam cooking spray as suggested by our dealer, but by mid-season the prop was coated with a thick layer of barnacles.
Anti-fouling treatment for prop
- Thread starter Larry Jackel
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I almost forgot to add....
This year I purchased Pettit's zinc coating for props and shafts. Last year I used Trilux (Interlux) with much less than satisfactory results. Bottom line- I have no idea what to try next. Nothing I have ever used (short of the old tin-based stuff in the 80's) does a very good job. Does anyone have any comments about the Pettit zinc coating?
This year I purchased Pettit's zinc coating for props and shafts. Last year I used Trilux (Interlux) with much less than satisfactory results. Bottom line- I have no idea what to try next. Nothing I have ever used (short of the old tin-based stuff in the 80's) does a very good job. Does anyone have any comments about the Pettit zinc coating?
How to protect a prop/shaft
...from barnacles and other growth is a real dilemma -- at least for me. I asked my yard a few years ago about using PropSpeed and the price they quoted was about $300 -- way out of my ballpark. I don't think PropSpeed is available in retail quantities. Since that time, I have had "limited" success by wet sanding my bronze prop/shaft down to bare metal, cleaning it with mineral spirits and then putting on two coats of Interlux Primocon followed by two coats of whatever hard modified epoxy bottom paint I happen to have around. When my boat was hauled at the end of the last two seasons on the brackish Chesapeake Bay, most of the paint had been worn off and I only had a half dozen or so of barnacles on the shaft/prop. To me, this was a "success."
...from barnacles and other growth is a real dilemma -- at least for me. I asked my yard a few years ago about using PropSpeed and the price they quoted was about $300 -- way out of my ballpark. I don't think PropSpeed is available in retail quantities. Since that time, I have had "limited" success by wet sanding my bronze prop/shaft down to bare metal, cleaning it with mineral spirits and then putting on two coats of Interlux Primocon followed by two coats of whatever hard modified epoxy bottom paint I happen to have around. When my boat was hauled at the end of the last two seasons on the brackish Chesapeake Bay, most of the paint had been worn off and I only had a half dozen or so of barnacles on the shaft/prop. To me, this was a "success."
My experience
I have had some success in keeping the barnacles off my prop and shaft. I read somewhere that copper-based paint used on a metal shaft creates just enough electrical potential to interfer with the antifouling property of the copper. Thus, there has to be a non-metal primer under the copper paint. For the last three years I have been using two coats of Interlux Primocon primer followed by two coats of Trilux outdrive paint. This is spray paint and makes application very easy. The coats were over freshly cleaned bare metal that had been wiped with solvent. I had only two or three barnacles over the entire six month season in the salt water in the Barnegat Bay region of New Jersey. I also sprayed the engine and AC intakes and the speedo with just the Trilux and had no marine fouling. The primer and paint stuck like glue to most of the prop but was flaking from the shaft at the end of the season. I use my boat every weekend and I'm sure that helped. This year I am going back to another technique that has worked in the past - Bare metal, covered with two coats of Interlux Interprotect 2000E and then two coats of my hard epoxy bottom paint. I have a lot of this stuff and the Trilux is pricey. Do not spray under or over your shaft zincs.
I have had some success in keeping the barnacles off my prop and shaft. I read somewhere that copper-based paint used on a metal shaft creates just enough electrical potential to interfer with the antifouling property of the copper. Thus, there has to be a non-metal primer under the copper paint. For the last three years I have been using two coats of Interlux Primocon primer followed by two coats of Trilux outdrive paint. This is spray paint and makes application very easy. The coats were over freshly cleaned bare metal that had been wiped with solvent. I had only two or three barnacles over the entire six month season in the salt water in the Barnegat Bay region of New Jersey. I also sprayed the engine and AC intakes and the speedo with just the Trilux and had no marine fouling. The primer and paint stuck like glue to most of the prop but was flaking from the shaft at the end of the season. I use my boat every weekend and I'm sure that helped. This year I am going back to another technique that has worked in the past - Bare metal, covered with two coats of Interlux Interprotect 2000E and then two coats of my hard epoxy bottom paint. I have a lot of this stuff and the Trilux is pricey. Do not spray under or over your shaft zincs.
Propspeed
I also recenty tried Propspeed on my ss Autostream feathering prop. After only 4 months diver reported it was covered in growth & hard to remove. I dont think I will bother again. This compares with the antifoul on the hull(International Longlife) which was performing well & usually gives me about 2 yrs if scrubbed every 6-8 weeks.
I also recenty tried Propspeed on my ss Autostream feathering prop. After only 4 months diver reported it was covered in growth & hard to remove. I dont think I will bother again. This compares with the antifoul on the hull(International Longlife) which was performing well & usually gives me about 2 yrs if scrubbed every 6-8 weeks.
Petit Zinc Coat Barnacle Barrier paint
for what it's worth, I just had the boat pulled this week for a short haul to replace zincs after being in for the past 12 months. Had applied the Petit Zinc Coat over a coat of primer on our MaxProp last year and when the boat was hauled Tuesday, there were 3 barnacles on it, one of which was on the place where the Maxprop zinc should have been but that's another story... I'd say it works as well as anything else, if not better, but your mileage may vary. It was visibly apparent that much of the zinc coat still remained on the prop after one year. If anyone does try it, I'd strongly recommend a primer to ensure you don't exacerbate any galvanic action on the prop.
for what it's worth, I just had the boat pulled this week for a short haul to replace zincs after being in for the past 12 months. Had applied the Petit Zinc Coat over a coat of primer on our MaxProp last year and when the boat was hauled Tuesday, there were 3 barnacles on it, one of which was on the place where the Maxprop zinc should have been but that's another story... I'd say it works as well as anything else, if not better, but your mileage may vary. It was visibly apparent that much of the zinc coat still remained on the prop after one year. If anyone does try it, I'd strongly recommend a primer to ensure you don't exacerbate any galvanic action on the prop.
My prop is all stainless steel
but I will check to see if it requires a primer. Right now, I don't think it does. It is an AutoStream feathering and with the stainless shaft, everything is stainless. If I remember correctly your MaxProp is bronze.
but I will check to see if it requires a primer. Right now, I don't think it does. It is an AutoStream feathering and with the stainless shaft, everything is stainless. If I remember correctly your MaxProp is bronze.
Has anyone ...
...tried POR-15 as a sealer coating before applying antifoulant? POR-15 is a super hard coating that does not allow water to permeate. It is also an electrical insulator and can therefore discourage electrolysis to the prop and shaft. http://www.stoprust.net/POR15_Info/POR15_Paints.htm
...tried POR-15 as a sealer coating before applying antifoulant? POR-15 is a super hard coating that does not allow water to permeate. It is also an electrical insulator and can therefore discourage electrolysis to the prop and shaft. http://www.stoprust.net/POR15_Info/POR15_Paints.htm
Rich and Alan
Rich point taken - in my own little world, I always think in terms that props are bronze Alan sounds like zinc phosphate etching primer to me
Rich point taken - in my own little world, I always think in terms that props are bronze Alan sounds like zinc phosphate etching primer to me
Hey Warren...
come on up to the Top of the Bay for some real brackish water. Two years in a row I've had no barnacles or other growth on the prop or shaft. You need to get out of that salt water! <VBG>
come on up to the Top of the Bay for some real brackish water. Two years in a row I've had no barnacles or other growth on the prop or shaft. You need to get out of that salt water! <VBG>
Don, OK but I will still check on the primer
Thanks for the input on the zinc coating. Since we are in the same general area, it sounds like this stuff has a decent shot of working for me. Now we just need the weather to shape up. I have a launch date of May 7th and my cover is still securely in place.
Thanks for the input on the zinc coating. Since we are in the same general area, it sounds like this stuff has a decent shot of working for me. Now we just need the weather to shape up. I have a launch date of May 7th and my cover is still securely in place.
scrubit
take a snorkel & a wire brush it cleans it nicely...once a month keeps it shiny and it only takes 10 min or so...no money out of pocket & no hazardous chemicals for our beautiful oceans
take a snorkel & a wire brush it cleans it nicely...once a month keeps it shiny and it only takes 10 min or so...no money out of pocket & no hazardous chemicals for our beautiful oceans
Ya know, Greg, I would scrub it too in 85 degree
water of Key West. If we are lucky we see 74 degrees in the northeast and much of the season is around 70. I suppose that wouldn't discourage some self-scrubbing sailors, but I'd rather not.
water of Key West. If we are lucky we see 74 degrees in the northeast and much of the season is around 70. I suppose that wouldn't discourage some self-scrubbing sailors, but I'd rather not.
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