Limiting Prop & Shaft Barnicles

[lgsailor19]

Anybody with positive results to this problem?

We sail in the northeast. Ideas? Thanks!!

[TrueBlue]

Scuba gear (or at least mask, snorkel & fins) and a nylon scraping blade . . . provided years of positive results to the barnacle problem on my running gear.

[JohnVT]

If you want to coat your prop and shaft with antifouling paint, you must first isolate the copper from the bare metal. I have used two coats of Interlux Interprotect 2000 barrier coat under my regular epoxy bottom paint with much success. Lately, I have begun to use the spray on outdrive antifouling paints because they are easier to use. You must still use several coats of the primer over the bare metal.
Although the paint will eventually wear off the prop, you can keep the barnacles off by running the boat at least every two weeks.

[Grigrigrigoris]

Hi John,

I do not understand what you mean by "isolate the copper from the bare metal", which copper are you talking about? thanks

[mary jewell]

The bottom paint is high in copper content, and your shaft and prop are not made of copper, that means there are 2 opposing metals, so you must prime to isolate the two metals from one another. I believe that is what he is talking about.

[JohnVT]

Mary got it right. The copper bottom paint seems to interact with the bare metal of the prop and shaft and looses its ability to stop fouling. At least that is the theory. In past years, I tried to just paint the prop and shaft directly and had moderate fouling. The results were much better when there was an insulating layer between the paint and the metal.
The paint eventually wears off of the prop but if you spin the prop on a regular basis, you can keep the growth in control.

[oz_hole]

You can coat the shaft and prop with either Tef-gel (expensive) or anhydrous lanolin (cheap).

[Grigrigrigoris]

Hi, you mean no antifouling at all? How long do they last? Thanks