cleaning marine growth off knot meter wheel

[Debra B]

What is a good way to clean minor marine growth off the knot meter? It still spins freely, but it seems like only a matter of time. (Yes I do pull it, but not if I am going to be sailing the next day...)

 

[Buck Harrison]

Debra,

After pulling the paddle wheel out, I put just the paddle portion of the entire assemble in a cup of full strength "chlorox" for about 1 minute, then put it in a cup of clean fresh water to rinse the "chlorox" off. The bleech quickly kills all of the soft growth, the crawley stuff, etc. I then take a toothbrush and clean the paddle assembly, and a sharp pocket knife to clean off any small barnicles, and other hard stuff. After everything is clean and dry, I smear a little white (lithium) grease on the paddle and shaft (as best I can) and reinstall it in the hull.

 

[S. Sauer]

Knott Meter wheel

Before we launch in the spring, I clean off all old bottom paint from the wheel and give it a quick (not to thick) coat of bottom paint (which happens to be hard vinyl Baltoplate).I we don't sail for a couple weekends in mid summer, enough gunk may build up on it so it won't spin. The solution, while motoring or sailing, is to pass a spare dock line under the bow pulpit and holding each end in opposite hands, walk it back to where the knot meter is located below; then pull the line forward, let it drift back, pull it forward again.This playing jump rope with the boat is fast and easy and I don't have to crawl around in inaccessible spaces under the settee or V berth. If your knot meter is further back than the front of the keel this trick won't work, so I'd anchor in a protected inlet and attack it while swimming with a swim mask. Check the prop and shaft at the same time but watch out for sharp cotter pin ends.