On Monday. while leaving my slip, I got into the fairway and had no forward propulsion. The dockmaster helped me ease into an adjacent slip and I dove on the prop. It was a showcase of marine life, I could not believe it! We're in "fresh" water way up the Neuse.
It took 8 or so trips down to clean that thing off, which was 3+ inches thick. I'll always inspect before a trip from now on.
Chase
barnacle fouled prop
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Warren S
- Posts: 254
- Joined: Jul 27th, '06, 21:22
- Location: s/v Morveren
Cape Dory 270 Hull #5
Washington, NC
Pamlico: probably similar
Having not laid eyes on anything below the water line since the original survey, I often wonder what my propeller looks like.
The visibility in the water here near Washington (NC) is very poor so I have to ask - what did you use for dive gear? Any kind of breathing apparatus?
I have a feeling the speed log wheel is fouled, and that will require me to stay under for awhile...
The visibility in the water here near Washington (NC) is very poor so I have to ask - what did you use for dive gear? Any kind of breathing apparatus?
I have a feeling the speed log wheel is fouled, and that will require me to stay under for awhile...
"Being hove to in a long gale is the most boring way of being terrified I know." -Donald Hamilton
hooka rig
Despite being in a mostly fresh water canal an hour up river, I have to scrape the prop every 3 or 4 months.
For the lighter scrapings I can hold my breath long enough to do it in a dozen or so dives. For longer expeditions I bought a used octopus rig at the flea market and had a local dive shop add a 50' lenght of hose between the first and second stage.
Thinking I was all smart and full of myself as I described what I wanted to the guy on the other side of the counter. He replied, " Oh you want a kayak rig, we have them already made up or I make one out of what you have". Sheepishly... I replied, yes that sounds like what I want.
With this rig I put the tank on either the dock or the boat and do my maintenance at leasure and it works well off of the inflatable kayak for shallow water diving.
BTW GOOD leather gloves are a must.
Boyd
s/v Tern
CD30 MkII
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
For the lighter scrapings I can hold my breath long enough to do it in a dozen or so dives. For longer expeditions I bought a used octopus rig at the flea market and had a local dive shop add a 50' lenght of hose between the first and second stage.
Thinking I was all smart and full of myself as I described what I wanted to the guy on the other side of the counter. He replied, " Oh you want a kayak rig, we have them already made up or I make one out of what you have". Sheepishly... I replied, yes that sounds like what I want.
With this rig I put the tank on either the dock or the boat and do my maintenance at leasure and it works well off of the inflatable kayak for shallow water diving.
BTW GOOD leather gloves are a must.
Boyd
s/v Tern
CD30 MkII
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
3 months growth
Forgot to mention, I cleaned it in Jun and again in July, but just a few scattered barncles. I usually wait until I get in the anchorage in Cape Lookout where I can see better with a mask or swim goggles.
I could see really well this time, since it hasn't rained. Last time was in the dark down there. Creepy. And 52° water.....
They get big bucks for a prop cleaning, $50 or more down here near New Bern. recommend sturdy leather gloves and some swim shoes or something to protect feet from barnacles on pilings. I nicked my leg and remembered a story related to me at marina about a man who's finger got nicked by a barnacle. He had a lengthy infection followed by amputation. Saw an article in Power Squadron newsletter confirming the story. Not to sound alarmist, but cavalier neither.
Have no special gear for diving save for mask. Will pick up a wetsuit one day when I can afford it.
Go ahead and take a swim Warren before the water gets too cold. It is 70 now and much easier than colder water. As far as the speed log, can you take yours out from the inside?
I'll always jump in and have a look now before a trip...at least seasonally.
This is nice crusing weather now, can ya'll get away this fall?
Best to you, Judith and Morveren,
Chase
I could see really well this time, since it hasn't rained. Last time was in the dark down there. Creepy. And 52° water.....
They get big bucks for a prop cleaning, $50 or more down here near New Bern. recommend sturdy leather gloves and some swim shoes or something to protect feet from barnacles on pilings. I nicked my leg and remembered a story related to me at marina about a man who's finger got nicked by a barnacle. He had a lengthy infection followed by amputation. Saw an article in Power Squadron newsletter confirming the story. Not to sound alarmist, but cavalier neither.
Have no special gear for diving save for mask. Will pick up a wetsuit one day when I can afford it.
Go ahead and take a swim Warren before the water gets too cold. It is 70 now and much easier than colder water. As far as the speed log, can you take yours out from the inside?
I'll always jump in and have a look now before a trip...at least seasonally.
This is nice crusing weather now, can ya'll get away this fall?
Best to you, Judith and Morveren,
Chase
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tartansailor
- Posts: 1527
- Joined: Aug 30th, '05, 13:55
- Location: CD25, Renaissance, Milton, DE
Prop Cleaning
Here is an alternative for your consideration.
Pull the prop and soak it in a very dilute (10%)
hydrochloric acid, otherwise known as muriatic acid
available at Home Depot or Lowe's in the masonry section.
At the above dilution for a day or two the barnacles (calcium carbonate) will dissolve with no damage to a bronze prop,
and you will be amazed at how shiny it comes out.
The way I pull props is to loosen the nut 2 or 3 turns, put the
trans in reverse and gun the motor for a few seconds.
To each his own of course.
Dick
Pull the prop and soak it in a very dilute (10%)
hydrochloric acid, otherwise known as muriatic acid
available at Home Depot or Lowe's in the masonry section.
At the above dilution for a day or two the barnacles (calcium carbonate) will dissolve with no damage to a bronze prop,
and you will be amazed at how shiny it comes out.
The way I pull props is to loosen the nut 2 or 3 turns, put the
trans in reverse and gun the motor for a few seconds.
To each his own of course.
Dick
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miguel mascaros
- Posts: 44
- Joined: Jan 9th, '07, 13:34
- Location: COMPINCHE 1979 CD30C Hull 119
Centerport Harbor NY
Crusty prop
Way back I posted my solution to the prop barnacles...
We all had comments and good chucles out of them. Some used special prop paints with mixed results, others tryed different conccoctions from shoe polish to perrier.
Lots of fun reading everyone's sence of humor....
Thru years of bottom and prop cleaning I came to realize that not installing a zinc anode on prop and or shaft, both bronze....
Kept the prop free of these creatures...
BTW, once I recall, left the mooring and had zero propulsion either direction. First thought....I lost the prop and after diving on 60F water....Ohhhh no !!!!!BARNACLES!!!!!! @&%$#(*&^%$#!!!!!!
Well it's better than loosing the prop....With my Bowie knife in mouth, doved again and fought the the monsters to the end....
Nice sail afterwards.......
The moral of the story......NO ANODE NO BARNACLES.....
It works for me....
We all had comments and good chucles out of them. Some used special prop paints with mixed results, others tryed different conccoctions from shoe polish to perrier.
Lots of fun reading everyone's sence of humor....
Thru years of bottom and prop cleaning I came to realize that not installing a zinc anode on prop and or shaft, both bronze....
Kept the prop free of these creatures...
BTW, once I recall, left the mooring and had zero propulsion either direction. First thought....I lost the prop and after diving on 60F water....Ohhhh no !!!!!BARNACLES!!!!!! @&%$#(*&^%$#!!!!!!
Well it's better than loosing the prop....With my Bowie knife in mouth, doved again and fought the the monsters to the end....
Nice sail afterwards.......
The moral of the story......NO ANODE NO BARNACLES.....
It works for me....
Cheers/Mike
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Vern/Lenore Durkee
- Posts: 6
- Joined: May 12th, '06, 09:15
- Location: Cape Dory 26 (Quetzal II), Ithaca, NY
anti-fouling paint on outboards?
Hi, I've just read about the problems of barnacles, etc. getting encrusted on props. Here in Cayuga Lake we have zebra mussels. It's not possible to swing our motor up out of the water (we have a CD26) , so the mussels accumulate throughout the season and we just scrape them off at the end of the season. Is there any product that you can apply to an outboard that will deter these critters (the equivalent of anti-fouling paint for a hull)?
I want to thank those who had comments about a traveler for Quetzal II. They were very helpful and I guess we'll stay with the existing arrangement. I certainly enjoy reading all the posts as they represent a wealth of information for this new CD owner. -Lenore Durkee
I want to thank those who had comments about a traveler for Quetzal II. They were very helpful and I guess we'll stay with the existing arrangement. I certainly enjoy reading all the posts as they represent a wealth of information for this new CD owner. -Lenore Durkee
miguel, you're able to moor in Centerport Harbor?
I see you hail from Centerport Harbor. I've run aground with just a Boston Whaler going through the channel, so didn't think a full keel boat could pass through the harbor with much ease. curious if that's where you keep it, or if it's over in Northport.
brian
cd 33
huntington
brian
cd 33
huntington
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miguel mascaros
- Posts: 44
- Joined: Jan 9th, '07, 13:34
- Location: COMPINCHE 1979 CD30C Hull 119
Centerport Harbor NY
Centerport Harbor
Hey Brian....
Centerport is a great little gunkhole, lucky us, in the charts looks like a mud hole, but some good size power and sail boats make their homeport here. Most of the deeper moorings are set along the channel which has anywhere between 7 to 12 feet at MLT...
However there is many areas with 5ft or there abouts and like me at very low tides the bottom sits on the muck for maybe 1hr....
of course the set back is that you can't get to the mooring at low tide, so an hour before and after you could get hanged up....
I keep a couple of moorings about 300ft from my house and dink back and forth to my boat....
Been doing the same since 1980 and never had a barnacle where the keel touches ground....interesting I haul out every few years and have not notice any deterioration or harm to the area... slight worn out but if gets recover with a good dose of thickened epoxy if needed and only when I manage to hit something hard while sailing close to unknown areas like Conn. shore line or Target Rock .....
Check the incoming tide and stop over for a beer or two next season....
Centerport is a great little gunkhole, lucky us, in the charts looks like a mud hole, but some good size power and sail boats make their homeport here. Most of the deeper moorings are set along the channel which has anywhere between 7 to 12 feet at MLT...
However there is many areas with 5ft or there abouts and like me at very low tides the bottom sits on the muck for maybe 1hr....
of course the set back is that you can't get to the mooring at low tide, so an hour before and after you could get hanged up....
I keep a couple of moorings about 300ft from my house and dink back and forth to my boat....
Been doing the same since 1980 and never had a barnacle where the keel touches ground....interesting I haul out every few years and have not notice any deterioration or harm to the area... slight worn out but if gets recover with a good dose of thickened epoxy if needed and only when I manage to hit something hard while sailing close to unknown areas like Conn. shore line or Target Rock .....
Check the incoming tide and stop over for a beer or two next season....
Cheers/Mike
Mike,
When we were moving and looking at houses, one across the street from Mill Pond listed "mooring rights" but I was sure that would only handle our old motor boat. I didn't realize the harbor could accommodate sailboats, or at least larger ones without retractable centerboards for that matter. we're over in the Huntington Bay area, but the boat's over in Lloyd Harbor. I'll be sure to keep an eye out and swing by come spring time!
regards,
Brian
cd33
When we were moving and looking at houses, one across the street from Mill Pond listed "mooring rights" but I was sure that would only handle our old motor boat. I didn't realize the harbor could accommodate sailboats, or at least larger ones without retractable centerboards for that matter. we're over in the Huntington Bay area, but the boat's over in Lloyd Harbor. I'll be sure to keep an eye out and swing by come spring time!
regards,
Brian
cd33