I know there are many posts in the archives. BUT I am looking for some updated info on treating your prop for the season. I was wondering if any new and or better ideas have arisen? Do you polish and wax or paint? What has worked the best for you in the past? Do to the changes in paint formulations and wax finishes there has to be some change from the past performance
Prop treatment
- Thread starter rad2285
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Solve this problem and you will be WEALTHY
I have tried both soft and hard bottom paint with limited success. Also tried Desitin and cayanne pepper. I think these work for part of a season in the northeast, but my running gear always looks bad at haulout. Years ago I used an outdrive spray (I can't remember the brand) and you would have thought that it contained barnicle food. This year on the recommendation of an owner near me in my yard I have applied Interlux brand of TriLux. Six coats, took a whole can. He claimed that his prop came out clean. He also said that some years are much worse than others for prop fouling. I was surprised to see that TriLux does not contain tin. I always thought that was what you needed to use on aluminum outdrives, and that the small spray cans were all you could legally purchase. Since what I have been doing isn't working, I figured that I may as well try something else. In my yard the fiberglass repair and boat maintenance people have tried a supposedly new product called "Prop Speed" on several boats this year. I will check them out in the fall to see how they made out. I haven't googled it yet, but I'm sure you can find some info about it.
I have tried both soft and hard bottom paint with limited success. Also tried Desitin and cayanne pepper. I think these work for part of a season in the northeast, but my running gear always looks bad at haulout. Years ago I used an outdrive spray (I can't remember the brand) and you would have thought that it contained barnicle food. This year on the recommendation of an owner near me in my yard I have applied Interlux brand of TriLux. Six coats, took a whole can. He claimed that his prop came out clean. He also said that some years are much worse than others for prop fouling. I was surprised to see that TriLux does not contain tin. I always thought that was what you needed to use on aluminum outdrives, and that the small spray cans were all you could legally purchase. Since what I have been doing isn't working, I figured that I may as well try something else. In my yard the fiberglass repair and boat maintenance people have tried a supposedly new product called "Prop Speed" on several boats this year. I will check them out in the fall to see how they made out. I haven't googled it yet, but I'm sure you can find some info about it.
This works
Pettit prop spray, very lightly 3 times. Also helps if you have a diver clean monthly. I've tried everything, this works.
Pettit prop spray, very lightly 3 times. Also helps if you have a diver clean monthly. I've tried everything, this works.
Walk around...
a big boat yard and look at props and shafts: about half are bottom painted, the other half are not. Look at which ones have footprints from hard growth. My bronze prop and shaft were bottom painted when I got the boat a few years ago. Seemed to be soft ablative paint. I put another coat on last year and had no growth at all. Paint lasted all season, also no growth. This year, I stripped it to bare metal (looked like a paint build-up). Sprayed on Interlux Primocon Primer (2 coats), and then applied a hard modified epoxy bottom paint. Don Casey does not recommend bottom painting shafts/props due to possible electrolysis. But I think the Primocon will act as a protective barrier between the copper based paint and the bronze shaft/prop. We'll see at the end of the year....
a big boat yard and look at props and shafts: about half are bottom painted, the other half are not. Look at which ones have footprints from hard growth. My bronze prop and shaft were bottom painted when I got the boat a few years ago. Seemed to be soft ablative paint. I put another coat on last year and had no growth at all. Paint lasted all season, also no growth. This year, I stripped it to bare metal (looked like a paint build-up). Sprayed on Interlux Primocon Primer (2 coats), and then applied a hard modified epoxy bottom paint. Don Casey does not recommend bottom painting shafts/props due to possible electrolysis. But I think the Primocon will act as a protective barrier between the copper based paint and the bronze shaft/prop. We'll see at the end of the year....
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