Paddlewheel Protection

lehighsail

lehighsail

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Feb 21, 2008
413
Hunter 33 Metedeconk River
I'm looking to see what others coat their transducer paddlewheel with to prevent marine growth. Mine just disintegrated after painting for several years with Bottomkote NT and am about to replace it. I have researched the archives and most of the entries are over 10 years old and am wondering if there are any new ideas. Airmar suggests using a water based bottom paint, not ketone based, or else the wheel will disintegrate.

Any other suggestions?
 
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lehighsail

lehighsail

.
Feb 21, 2008
413
Hunter 33 Metedeconk River
During the spring, summer and fall, I usually use the boat a couple of times a week.
 
kappykaplan

kappykaplan

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May 1, 2011
5,046
Pearson 37 Lusby MD
I generally only sail on the weekends (that may change after I retire), so pull the transducer when I'm done for the weekend. I've never put bottom paint on the paddles. Growth gets worse the warmer the water on the creek where the boat is slipped gets.
 
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Rich Stidger

Rich Stidger

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Feb 10, 2004
4,146
Hunter 40.5 Warwick, RI
Years ago I used "Transducer Paint". Tiny bottle, very expensive. Then I stopped using it and put nothing on the paddle wheel. I do pull it when the boat is slipped or on a mooring and put it in when I am onboard. Pulling it every week or so give me a chance to brush off any scum or fouling that is beginning to appear.
 
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D

dlochner

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Jan 11, 2014
13,016
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
As others have said, just pull the transducer and clean it once in a while or when it stops working. lt is only a 15 minute job depending on where the transducer is located and how long CPR is needed after the water shots in through the open through hull.

OK, just kidding about the CPR. Removed and cleaned mine this morning. The volume of water that shoots up is noticeable, however as long as you are prepared with the dummy plug ready to insert it only amounts to a few cups of water. While the boat is on the hard practice a few times so you have some "muscle memory" and can do it quickly. Lubricating the transducer and the plug with some Super Lube, the same kind used to lubricate the head pump will make it all go more easily.
 
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Allan12210

Allan12210

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Jan 22, 2008
1,667
Hunter 34 Alameda CA
Same as the folks above. We were only around on weekends so it got pulled every time we would head for home. Then along came our first GPS. We got lazy and just used that for speed and distance traveled. The paddle wheel still lives under the wood panel next to the shower sump.
 
lehighsail

lehighsail

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Feb 21, 2008
413
Hunter 33 Metedeconk River
I like the idea of pulling and re-inserting on the hard to practice muscle memory. I must confess that when I started to repack my stuffing box in the water once, and it started to leak water into the boat, probably around 1/2 pint(!! OMG), I was looking for my defibrillator. I will try changing out the paddle wheel and blank for cleaning, in the water, at the beginning of June.
Thanks all for the suggestions.
 
thinwater

thinwater

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Mar 26, 2011
3,732
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
I'd take a wild guess that since GPS came out, 97% of paddle wheels don't work and 80% have been pulled permanently. Yes, I understand the difference, but unless a dedicated racer, you can figure the tide in your head and you don't need it. Further, unless cleaned every few days, you'll get a number, but it won't be the true number, and thus is not actually useful.

and BTW, I don't see any ketones on the SDS. Aromatics, yes. I don't recall any antifouling paints using ketones. Xylene is typically the primary solvent.
 
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JamesG161

JamesG161

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Feb 14, 2014
7,774
Hunter 430 Waveland, MS
Mine has crude back flow preventer, that puts less than a half cup of water in the boat when pulling/inserting it, in the water.
Jim...

PS: the propeller has one blade that is magnetic and the transducer counts the "pulses"
 
Scott T-Bird

Scott T-Bird

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Oct 26, 2008
6,295
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
Airmar has that flimsy backflow preventer. Be careful with it, it is easily dislodged. I have never coated the transducer with any paint (although mine has been painted by P.O.). Whenever I go for a swim, I swim under the boat and wipe off whatever slime is accumulating. I just wipe it with my fingers and maybe a cloth and spin it and all is good. It can get difficult to clean thoroughly in the water if you let it go too long. I don't swim in the marina ... I just clean it any time I am anchored in the bay.
 
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capta

capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,947
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
thinwater said:
I'd take a wild guess that since GPS came out, 97% of paddle wheels don't work and 80% have been pulled permanently. Yes, I understand the difference, but unless a dedicated racer, you can figure the tide in your head and you don't need it. Further, unless cleaned every few days, you'll get a number, but it won't be the true number, and thus is not actually useful.

and BTW, I don't see any ketones on the SDS. Aromatics, yes. I don't recall any antifouling paints using ketones. Xylene is typically the primary solvent.
Click to expand
I agree completely with thinwater. I can't think of a good reason to have a distance log onboard a boat today, unless one is a serious racer. Having worked my way up from a sextant, through LORAN, OMEGA, and SatNav, I find GPS to be the cat's meow. With GPS, a compass and a recent compass deviation card, I'm pretty confidant that I'll get reasonably close to my destination. Something close to 12 feet, if I remember correctly. :)
 
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kappykaplan

kappykaplan

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May 1, 2011
5,046
Pearson 37 Lusby MD
thinwater said:
I'd take a wild guess that since GPS came out, 97% of paddle wheels don't work and 80% have been pulled permanently.
Click to expand
You absolutely need speed through the water (paddlewheel) if your electronics are interfaced to show true wind speed and direction.
 
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Scott T-Bird

Scott T-Bird

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Oct 26, 2008
6,295
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
kappykaplan said:
You absolutely need speed through the water (paddlewheel) if your electronics are interfaced to show true wind speed and direction.
Click to expand
My B&G Trident instrument could be set to interface true wind with the GPS speed. I always thought that provides more accurate true wind anyway.
 
lehighsail

lehighsail

.
Feb 21, 2008
413
Hunter 33 Metedeconk River
What a great idea to clean it when you go for a swim, just take a toothbrush along. I'm putting away the defibrillator.
 
tfox2069

tfox2069

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Apr 8, 2011
773
Hunter 40 Deale, MD
+1 on pulling the transducer when putting the boat away. I keep a small tupperware container, sponge and rag next to the transducer and each time I pull/replace it I just soak up the minimal amount of water with the sponge, squeeze it into the tupperware container and dump down the sink in the galley. The amount of water that comes in while you're pulling the transducer or plug with one hand and replacing with the other is nothing to worry about at all. Probably not even one spongeful if you're reasonably quick. And if you're not maybe two spongefuls. I use the rag to plug the limber hole that would drain into the bilge so I can capture all the salt water.
 
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thinwater

thinwater

.
Mar 26, 2011
3,732
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
kappykaplan said:
You absolutely need speed through the water (paddle wheel) if your electronics are interfaced to show true wind speed and direction.
Click to expand
Ahhh... No, not really, if all I need is a rough answer. I can easily do the trig in my head, at least more easily than keeping the wheel working. Most of the time, AW is all that matters, and mostly feel is what matters for reefing. The electronics on my last two boats wee interfaced in that way, and I didn't care.

A racer thing, and if the wheel has any fouling or bind at all... do I trust the answer? Probably not. Most of the time true wind is told by the wavelets.
 
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