Prop cleaning update

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All U Get

All U Get

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Oct 2, 2008
3,811
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
Hi all,
I posted a topic on prop cleaning a while back
http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=134930
and had taken some pictures of the prop and shaft after being hauled. We used a putty knife, bronze brush, and three different scrubby pads. It was surprising to see how much growth there was and how little zinc anodes were left.
I do have a question, in the last pic I placed an arrow where the shaft enters the boat. There were mussels and barnacles in there so we tried our best with a screw driver to get them out. Is there any way to prevent this or can this opening be made less attractive to these marine creatures?
 

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Rick486

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Oct 1, 2007
1,865
Boston Whaler Super Sport Pt. Judith
Hi All:
A couple quick questions.
1. The fins on your strut. Did you attach those? Are they mechanically fastened to the strut, or brazed on? I'd like to have something like that on my strut.
2. I notice you place your zincs toward the middle of the exposed length of shaft. Do you notice any vibration in the drive train under power? I ask since placing the zincs toward the middle of the unsupported length of shaft can lower the natural frequency of vibration which may manifest itself in a vibration if that frequency is in the neighborhood of the shaft rotational speed, especially when the zincs begin to erode.
Thanks
 
Ed Schenck

Ed Schenck

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Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
Don't think the critters are doing any harm on the back of the stern tube. But maybe a higher copper content paint slathered in there would help. An ablative probably won't work because there is nothing to slough off the coating. It is too protected. So you could try a heavy coating of some hard paint.
 
All U Get

All U Get

.
Oct 2, 2008
3,811
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
Rick486 said:
Hi All:
A couple quick questions.
1. The fins on your strut. Did you attach those? Are they mechanically fastened to the strut, or brazed on? I'd like to have something like that on my strut.
2. I notice you place your zincs toward the middle of the exposed length of shaft. Do you notice any vibration in the drive train under power? I ask since placing the zincs toward the middle of the unsupported length of shaft can lower the natural frequency of vibration which may manifest itself in a vibration if that frequency is in the neighborhood of the shaft rotational speed, especially when the zincs begin to erode.
Thanks
Click to expand
Hi Rick486,
Our boat is new to us this year and I didn't remember the strut fins until we saw it out of the water Wednesday. I'll find out about them next time I'm in RI. This boat spent it's life in Portsmouth, RI so chances are you may have seen it out on the water.
The zincs have to allow water to flow through the strut bearings (Cutlass?) yet be close to some support. I would imagine this is the ideal because we didn't notice any vibration changes this season. We were at a mooring and/or cruising about all summer so we expected to see little wear on the zincs and if you look close they were nearly ready to fall off. There's plenty left on the prop but the screws are on the outside edge in very thin material. On the line cutter there appears to be one that is less than dime size. But they did their job protecting the prop and shaft.
All U Get
 
A

alexco38

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Sep 25, 2008
1,096
CS 30 Toronto
Did you have shore power connected most of the time. Have a look at "Galvanic Isolator". Just google it.
 
Rich Stidger

Rich Stidger

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Feb 10, 2004
4,235
Hunter 40.5 Warwick, RI
Tom,

I can't suggest a way to keep the shaft exit area clean, but I do have a cleaning technique that has worked well for me. In the first picture below you can see that my boat has a restricted clearance area around the shaft that is very hard to reach and clean. I think this is similar to your boat.

I devised a tool that can be made easily to do the job. The second picture shows this tool. I made it from a piece of black 1.5" PVC pipe. I cut it in half lengthwise and fastened one half to a wooden handle. I put a 1.5" strip of plumber's cleaning strip along the inside of the PVC and this gets inserted into the narrow shaft exit area. See the third photo.

I move the cleaning strip to expose a fresh surface and I scrub the entire length of the shaft. It turns out shiny and spotless!

The plumbers cleaning sandpaper cloth is available in rolls at any plumbing supply, hardware store, or Home Depot. One roll will almost last you a lifetime.
 

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navigator97

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May 24, 2004
470
Hunter 33.5 Portsmouth, RI
For the last 2 seasons, I have used Pettit "Barnicle Barrier Paint" on the shaft and prop. So far the results have been very good. The previous season my shaft and prop had a LOT of growth (hard & soft) but not nearly as bad as Warrens. That is the worst I have seen. But the difference could be the difference iv Chesapeake waters and Narragansett waters.
 
Ed Schenck

Ed Schenck

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Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
That's not Warren's boat. Nice try but we have seen that before. :)
 
All U Get

All U Get

.
Oct 2, 2008
3,811
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
alexco38
No shore power at our mooring or while traveling. We did have it plugged in for three weeks waiting to be hauled.
Rich
Good idea, the stern tube goes in a couple inches.
Ed
We have Micron on the bottom and it did excellent, no growth. I'll look into some different paints. Too bad the seal is so far back in the tube.
All U Get

BTW why doesn't anything grow in the square that wasn't painted. We've seen this on our other boat, too. Sometimes three years between paintings.
 

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Squidd

Squidd

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Sep 26, 2011
890
AMF Alcort Paceship PY26 Washburn Wi. Apostle Islands
:eek:WOW...

Kinda makes me glad I'm in the Great Lakes fresh water...
 
All U Get

All U Get

.
Oct 2, 2008
3,811
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
Rick486 said:
Hi All:
A couple quick questions.
1. The fins on your strut. Did you attach those? Are they mechanically fastened to the strut, or brazed on? I'd like to have something like that on my strut.
Thanks
Click to expand
Found a pic and can only speak for the starboard side, bolted.
All U Get
 

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Ctskip

Ctskip

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Sep 21, 2005
732
other 12 wet water
What would be the reason for the fins?
Do they help in backing up?

Keep it up,
Ctskip
 
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