Barnacle Build Up on Prop

[Dick Kobayashi]

During last summer (2013) Susan B had such a significant build up of barnacle growth on the prop that I had to have her hauled and the beasts knocked off. I have the boat in Mattapoisett and there were many reports of similar problems this year. But in all previous years (back to 2001) I have not have such problems. I have three questions (suitable for a zero degree day in January):

1. Have others in/around Buzzards Bay had similar problems in 2013 due to unique aquatic conditions in this particular year

2. Have other addressed the problem by applying an anti-barnacle compound to their props

3. Have others figured out a safe system for bracing/leaning the boat against a dock while the tide goes out and then knocking the critters off in mid season. Should the problem reoccur, I'd prefer not to pay the haul out costs if there is a simpler way that is safe.

[Neil Gordon]

Not in Buzzards Bay but I had the same experience in Boston Harbor. Last season seemed a good one for barnacles on the prop.

I'm not going to suggest sailing less and motoring more as a solution.

Diving the boat seems a lot less expensive than a short haul. Barnacles are pretty easy to break off; the shells, that is... the bases are way harder.

[Sea Hunt Video]

Dick:

If you decide to adopt Neil's suggestion of "diving the boat" next season, I recommend this tool to use to scrape barnacles off the prop. I have used it with good results on my tiny 2 blade prop. The metal edge is good for removing all of the growth (barnacles, etc.) and the brush is good for fully cleaning the blades.

http://www.hardwarestore.com/bbq-grill- ... 04666.aspx

Attach a cinch cord to the handle so you do not loose it if it accidentally falls from you hand.

[Russell]

I dive on my prop and hull about 3 times per year to deal with growth. Depending on where I am, I either hire a diver or do it myself. Clear warm water, I do it myself, since I dont scuba, dirty or cold water I pay a diver. Buzzards Bay I would certainly opt for a diver personally. A lot of people who live in high growth areas actually have contracts with divers to go out once a month and clean, weekly racers often have contracts for weekly cleanings to happen the day of the race.

I have never done a haul just to clean the prop, awfully spendy way to clean. Though I have heard some states are trying (and maybe some already have?) to pass laws to not allow hull scraping in water, but even in those cases a prop is/should still be okay to clean since the laws are aimed at preventing excessive bottom paint from entering the water (which in the case of ablative paint is a tad silly, since thats where its going to end up eventually by design, though I would not be suprised of ablative paint was eventually outlawed in places that are considering the anti scraping laws). I was actually in a marina once that also had a boatyard, I tried to hire a diver to clean my prop and the marina told me that they dont allow divers and if i want to clean my prop I had to haul, just an obnoxious way to put more money in their pockets, needless to say I didnt haul.

[Oswego John]

Many years ago I had a twin screw work boat. Since it had no sails, the obvious way to move from point to point was by engine power driving the screws. With normal daily activity, for all practical purposes the screws could be considered self cleaning.

I had a friend who owned a brand X sailboat with an auxiliary engine. The area where we kept our boats had an average of about 8 feet tide rise and fall. Sometimes more with a moon tide off. We also had a nice, sandy stretch of beach. We would run his boat aground parallel to the beach when the tide was maybe 1/2 way down or more and falling. A bow and stern anchor were set We would place two 2x4s between the sand and under the rub rail on the water side of the boat. This would allow the boat to lean to shore and prevent it from leaning toward the water as the tide dropped. The best conditions were when there was an off shore wind to prevent waves from crashing into the hull.

The tide fell gradually and allowed the hull to lean over and drop on one side slowly. Cushions of some sort, maybe old fenders or pfds were strategically placed under the lee chines to help protect against abrasion. There is about an 6 hour cycle between dead high and dead low. If started about half way down, you will have maybe 6 hours (3 drop and 3 rise) to clean the prop and half of the bottom of the hull. Much cabbage sea weed in the area This beaching can also be used for hull and rudder repairs. If you need more time, start the process at dead high when the tide first turns and starts to drop.

This isn't for everyone. Don't even think about doing this if you have a rocky shore.

Good luck.

Think spring.
O J

[John Ring]

Cape Ann was a barnacle bonanza too. I'm going with a zinc spray on the prop in 2014, and occasional diving if needed.

John
CD36 Tiara

[Jim Walsh]

I just slap on a light coat of my bottom paint on the prop and shaft. I rarely have more than a barnacle or two by fall. I know there are reasons I should not be coating a stainless shaft and a bronze prop with bottom paint but I've done it for forty years and have had no problems so far

[Steve Laume]

Here is what I have been using. It is much cheaper than the Pettit product and works the same.

http://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalo ... und-spray/

I also dive on my boat a couple of times a year. Raven stays in for two years at a time, so a bit of a scrubbing helps. I usually do it right before a trip. I do the water line area a bit more frequently and always check the prop and engine intake when I am messing around under there, Steve.

[Ron M.]

John, good luck with the zinc paint on your prop……..I used it 2 years ago with no effect I could see.
I usually go down and clean the buggers off at least once a season - last year twice, I think because water temps were above average.
A cheap wetsuit makes it more comfortable, (ocean state joblot about 40.00).
I use a 2" long handled scraper with lanyard and a mask/fins. I also tie a line over the side that I hold onto to help keep me in place. I usually do this on a mooring with calm conditions - takes all of 5 or 10 minutes. Also check engine intake and other thru hulls for growth.
It's apparent when it's time do consider going over the side by the change in performance under power.

[Klem]

Cape Ann was a barnacle bonanza too. I'm going with a zinc spray on the prop in 2014, and occasional diving if needed.

John
CD36 Tiara

We are also on Cape Ann and use this linked Petit product and have so far never gotten a barnacle on a blade, only on the prop nut. The one problem that I have with this product is that it sort of pits out near the blade tips, likely due to cavitation, and it means you have to spend the time to strip it all down before reapplying again if you want it to be fair.

Once we figure out how to deal with the seaweed issue on our prop, I shouldn't need to dive mid season at all anymore, right now it is only to deal with the seaweed that hangs up.

[M. R. Bober]

The Pettit & Rustoleum products are very similar.

http://www.pettitpaint.com/fileshare/pr ... 179320.PDF

http://www.rustoleum.com/MSDS/ENGLISH/1685830.PDF

Very similar, indeed, except in price. The Pettit runs about $20 and the Rustoleum about $6. I've used both and cannot detect any difference in the barnacle growth. Use several light coats rather than thick coats.

Mitchell Bober
Sunny Lancaster, (Where you pay your money and you take your chances.) VA

[Jim Cornwell]

Rustoleum Cold Galvanizing paint has worked for me for three seasons now. Costly Prop Speed kit still on the shelf! Chemically, I think Rustoleum from the hardware store is about the same as the Pettit product, but of course it's a third the cost. Meticulous prep of the bronze seems to be the key. Whether a zinc-rich paint works at all seems to depend on locality, with some of us extolling its virtues and boasting about cost savings (like me) and some claiming no effect at all. Ah, the endless mystery of the sea....

[Russell]

I have seen many posts over the years on various sailing forums suggesting Rustoleum as an inexpensive alternative to the Petite paint, even suggestions that they are the exact same thing repackaged and marked up for the marine market. I am not sure I totally can believe that they are the exact same thing (or how anyone could verify that, seems like a long list of a "friend told me"), but, enough people have said it works that I wouldnt hesitate to try it at least one season. I did the PropSpeed thing and various other expensive things over the years, and none of them worked (at least not well enough to justify the cost). I pretty much gave up on them and really have no issue cleaning my prop, I mean, its good to pop down there and clean the engine intake and other thru hulls anyway, not to mention checking/changing the zinc. But next haul out, if I remember, I might buy a can of rustoleum, it certainly cant hurt anything and one can will probably last several haul outs, but i have said this to myself the last 2 haul outs and never remember to do it.

[Jim Davis]

I can't comment specifically on the Rustoleum paint, but I have used several "Cold Galvanizing" spray paints over the years with what I call qualified success. I buy mine at the local hardware store by price. The only thing I really look for is 93% zinc which is the same as Pettit. I clean the prop and wet sand it with ~150, then rinse with water and wipe it with a solvent (alcohol, acetone, lacquer thinner, what ever is handy) then give the prop a couple coats. The blades stay fairly clean with a few barnacles on the hub and nut. The application is fairly painless and if I do a short haul for other reasons I will just do a quick and dirty prop clean and respray.

The can of spray paint is worth keeping around for use on steel surfaces. If you have rust, wire brush it, wipe it down with a solvent and spray the Cold Galvanize on it. From reading some of the threads concerning pedestal steering brackets and motor mounts it may be handy.

[Dick Kobayashi]

Thanks all. I think I'll put some rustoleum zinc on my prop come spring and if I have a mid summer problem think about using the technique offered for essentially careening the boat. Barnacles were never a problem before so I don't want to over do it, but the fear, of course, is that they will be, ever more.