PROP BLADE PREP

[twodzusfittings]

I have recently acquired a used three bladed prop that will fit my boat. It will be a while until the boat is hauled for bottom work at which time I will swap the props out. I would like input on how to prep the prop in order to avoid barnacle build up and fouling. I've met other sailors who have had great results in using Prop speed, but the amount you have to buy would cover four to five props, is not cheap and in my opinion wasteful for one prop.
So I turn to all of you. What do you do? A step by step process explanation along with branding product recommendations would be really great. Here it's not about selling a brand but the experiences you have had with what works well and what does not. Thanks.

 

[dlochner]

The least expensive and short lived, maybe one season if you don't motor a lot, is one of the zinc spray paints, Pettit makes one and there are several other brands, including Rustoleum Galvanizing spray paint.

We're using Crystal Prop this year as we travel. Easier to apply and less expansive than Prop Speed, but still expensive at about $120. It is a new product, so there is isn't much experience with it.

 

[twodzusfittings]

On my currently mounted prop, I used the Rustoleum Galvanizing Spray, however I believe I might have applied it in a wrong manner. I sprayed it directly on. After some drying time (a week), when mounting the prop, the applied spray started flaking. Should I have applied a base primer?

 

[dlochner]

On my currently mounted prop, I used the Rustoleum Galvanizing Spray, however I believe I might have applied it in a wrong manner. I sprayed it directly on. After some drying time (a week), when mounting the prop, the applied spray started flaking. Should I have applied a base primer?

Did you clean and sand the prop with 80 grit?

 

[BigEasy]

What do you do? A step by step process explanation along with branding product recommendations would be really great. Here it's not about selling a brand but the experiences you have had with what works well and what does not. Thanks.

Just coated my prop a few weeks ago. I coated with interluxe 2000e two part epoxy. Let it dry until it until not fully cured, but hard enough until it doesn't stick to thumb pressure when touching. Then "hot coat"/overcoat with antifouling paint. Unfortunately, I don't know the longevity because I haul out on a multi year schedule. 2000e is an excellent primer for metal & barrier coat for fiberglass. I always purchase a quart when hauling out to touch up rust spots on the keel, so I have some on hand to coat the prop also. Read about this several years ago in a sailing rag, sorry that I can't provide more detail. Don't expect multi year longevity on a prop with any coating.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Yipes !

With all that work and expense, I find it far cheaper and easier to have someone standing by with a scowl on their face but ready to scrape and lightly wet sand (about 480 grit) the prop until clean.

IMO and living in hope, I believe most of my prop fouling occurs in the winter when the prop does not turn from November to May. A little bit messy at times but somehow seems to depend on the year :

A really dirty prop and shaft is about 15-20 minutes of cleaning by one person. Ends up bare bronze on the prop with a few small stains. We only get 1/2 hour out of the water for a half lift and pressure wash. If we were to try exotic prop coatings, the cost would be well above my pay grade just for the cost of the full haul-outs alone.

 

[jssailem]

Ralph, I believe we live in a promised land regarding many things, including sea temperature, especially in terms of marine growth.

I did this search, and while Prop Speed appeared to be the savior product, the professional application model was favored. Both of these were out of my budget. The budget plan would be Rustolium.

After discussing this with my prop manufacturer, I too went naked (the prop, that is).

After 5 years of submersion, 2-3 times a year, a diver scrubbed the hull. Upon haul, the marina power washed the hull. This is what the prop looked like in 2023.



The waters of the Chesapeake are much warmer. They are fed by streams that flow through farmland and provide chemical runoff conducive to marine growth. I would be looking for a way to mitigate this problem.

 

[BigEasy]

Ralph, I believe we live in a promised land regarding many things, including sea temperature, especially in terms of marine growth.
After 4 years of submersion, 2-3 times a year, a diver scrubbed the hull. Upon haul, the marina power washed the hull. This is what the prop looked like in 2023.

John,
I can assure you that in a couple months, in these waters, your prop wouldn't look so good. Water temp in Lake Pontchartrain is presently 90.5 degrees!

 

[jviss]

I never used anything before, other than cleaning the prop every year, but this year I sprayed it with Rustoleum Cold Galvanizing Compound. I'll let you know....

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

After discussing this with my prop manufacturer, I too went naked

YIPES !

Ralph, I believe we live in a promised land regarding many things, including sea temperature, especially in terms of marine growth.

Are you with us as far as bottom paint goes ? @Terry Cox Cox and myself were called liars and almost got tarred, feathered, and run out of town for saying he got 8 years out of West Marine CPP Plus and I only got 7 years out of CPP. Not to be outdone by Terry, I am now shooting for 10 years out of a double coat of CPP last applied in 2019. Still looks solid as the proverbial brick outhouse in 2024 as shown below :

West Marine CPP Ablative Antifouling Paint - Opinions?

This year, due to my new "retired" and "fixed income" status I've decided I couldn't afford the newly higher priced Interlux Micron CSC bottom paint at $300/gallon, so I opted for the WM CPP @$110 on sale. I am pretty sure it's made by Petit. Does anyone have any knowledge or experience with...

forums.sailboatowners.com

For years I was gullible enough believe what I read by the manufacturers of ablatives i.e. never try to get more than 2 years out a bottom paint.


If it's still got bottom paint on it, it's still toxic. If you see the tracer, get to work.

 

[jssailem]

I painted blue over red March of 2018. It is when I installed my new prop.

I pulled the boat in February 2023 (5 years with Pettit Trinidad) to paint the bottom and do the engine reinstall. Here she is after the pressure wash. Some spots are beginning to show wear.


We will have to see what happens this time.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

I painted blue over red March of 2018.

Just starting to show.

 

[jssailem]

It shows in the areas of cavitation on my hull.

This would be what challenges paint on props.

The cavitation at the trailing edges and tips of the prop chips away the paint first.

 

[jviss]

I was wondering - I don't know the legality of this, but how about just tin plating one's prop? It's more complicated for a Max-prop, of course, but could still be done.

Or, maybe copper plating would be more effective.

 

[jviss]

Interesting thread:
Copper-Plating Propellers

 

[sailme88]

All of the prep work aside, the provenance of the prop could be unknown.. You should bring it to a prop shop to have the pitch verified and insure there are no at first blush cracks. A crack to worsen, break a prop and cause damage. An out of balance prop will be obvious the first time under load. Be proactive...

 

[twodzusfittings]

@sailme88 I took your advice and took my prop to a reputable Prop Shop. They did a full service (edge shape, pitch verification, crack inspection, balancing and polishing). Now I wait for the haul out to exchange my two bladed unit for my new (to me) three bladed unit.I'm still looking into the best and most economical anti growth application.

 

[kappykaplan]

I'm still looking into the best and most economical anti growth application.

Barnacle Barrier works well. It's a spray-on paint.

 

[dlochner]

I'm still looking into the best and most economical anti growth application.

There are several zinc rich spray paints available from Petit, Interlux, and Rustoleum that will work, however if you motor a lot they will wear off rather quickly especially if the water is a bit silty.

This year I tried Crystal Prop, it is a new product that puts on a slick surface much like Prop Speed. The idea being as the prop spins the barnacles and growth simply slide off. It is not as cheap as the spray paints, but cheaper than Prop Speed. After 2700 miles the diver who cleaned Second Star's bottom said there was no growth on the prop, while there were barnacles on the prop shaft which was also treated. The smallest container of Crystal Prop is enough for 2 or 3 props in our size range. Splitting the cost makes this an affordable option.

Crystal Prop Paint Kit | Fisheries Supply

Crystal Prop is a self-cleaning, biocide-free, non-exfoliating, long-lasting paint. Designed specifically for use on Propellers, Shafts, Struts, SailDrives, ...

www.fisheriessupply.com