Hanalei: StoveBlack & Barnacles

[Will Parker]

Captain Dave:
I have been following your apparent success with stove black on your prop and am very happy for you. I hope it works for me in South Florida. However, experience with other substances on prop, e.g., bottom paint, suggests that any substance will not survive the first spinning of the prop after application. It spins right off. Do you have a secret for stove black which will make it survive prop RPM?
Thanks.
will
"Jambalaya"



whildenp@flinet.com

[Ken Coit]

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, RPI, or the "tute", is doing some interesting research on barnacles and their "glue." Check out "Polymer Synthesis" at the link below if you want a short course in what sticks and what does not.

As for the stove black, methinks the wax is what keeps the barnacles from adhereing, but maybe the suspended graphite helps too.

Ken
CD/36 Parfait
Raleigh, NC

Captain Dave:
I have been following your apparent success with stove black on your prop and am very happy for you. I hope it works for me in South Florida. However, experience with other substances on prop, e.g., bottom paint, suggests that any substance will not survive the first spinning of the prop after application. It spins right off. Do you have a secret for stove black which will make it survive prop RPM?
Thanks.
will
"Jambalaya"

PPPparfait@nc.rr.com

[Captain Parker,]

Captain Parker,

Don't know exactly why it works Mate, and, I don't know what it is made of other than a graphite powder in a carrier base. There may be some wax in it, but I doubt it, as it would smoke like crazy the first time the stove was heated. I suspect it is graphite in a kerosene base, but that is just a guess. Maybe the manufacturer would tell us.

At any rate, it does seem to work. When you but it on, you will think, "What is this Yankee Skipper thinking of?" It does not look as if it goes on heavy enough to do anything! I do smear it on a few times, until there is at least some of it showing, letting each coat dry a few minutes in between. You will still see some bronze showing through, it will not "blacken" the prop. Oh, the RPM range we run at is anywhere from 700 to about 2500 or maybe a little more. Don't know what affect that has on the critters, BUT if the boat sits at the dock all summer without being moved, I don't think anything will stop the critters!

Oh, I also clean the prop with "On & Off" hull cleaner before I put on the black. It is acid, be careful, and have a hose ready to wash it all off well. A scrub brush will help too. FWIW.....your HUMBLE servant.......

Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei
CD-030C #1

[will parker]

Thanks, Ken.
Maybe RPI can eventually develop the ultimate barnacle antidote.
However, my immediate concern is not so much what makes the barnacles adhere, but what makes the stove black adhere to the prop when the engine is turned on and put in gear. When the prop turns, it starts spinning off the bottom paint. Why wouldn't it also spin off the stove black?

Will
"Jambalaya"
CD30

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, RPI, or the "tute", is doing some interesting research on barnacles and their "glue." Check out "Polymer Synthesis" at the link below if you want a short course in what sticks and what does not.

As for the stove black, methinks the wax is what keeps the barnacles from adhereing, but maybe the suspended graphite helps too.

Ken
CD/36 Parfait
Raleigh, NC

Captain Dave:
I have been following your apparent success with stove black on your prop and am very happy for you. I hope it works for me in South Florida. However, experience with other substances on prop, e.g., bottom paint, suggests that any substance will not survive the first spinning of the prop after application. It spins right off. Do you have a secret for stove black which will make it survive prop RPM?
Thanks.
will
"Jambalaya"

whildenp@flinet.com

[D. Stump, Hanalei]

Captain Parker,

Sorry, Sir, somehow I put your title where my name should have gone! Not enough coffee over the boards yet this morning...

Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei
CD-030C #1

[will parker]

Thanks, Captain Stump.
I will try your stoveblack, prepped by the "ON & OFF". The only success I have had in keeping the Barnacles off is to take the boat to the Abacos in The Bahamas. For some reason, Barnacles don't happen there. Perhaps it is because of the composition of the islands; limestone, I believe. Maybe there is an avenue for scientific pursuit? No barnacles in the Bahamas, but you do get some real incredible plant growth. There ain't no free lunch.
Will
"Jambalaya"
CD 30
Hull # 358

Don't know exactly why it works Mate, and, I don't know what it is made of other than a graphite powder in a carrier base. There may be some wax in it, but I doubt it, as it would smoke like crazy the first time the stove was heated. I suspect it is graphite in a kerosene base, but that is just a guess. Maybe the manufacturer would tell us.

At any rate, it does seem to work. When you but it on, you will think, "What is this Yankee Skipper thinking of?" It does not look as if it goes on heavy enough to do anything! I do smear it on a few times, until there is at least some of it showing, letting each coat dry a few minutes in between. You will still see some bronze showing through, it will not "blacken" the prop. Oh, the RPM range we run at is anywhere from 700 to about 2500 or maybe a little more. Don't know what affect that has on the critters, BUT if the boat sits at the dock all summer without being moved, I don't think anything will stop the critters!

Oh, I also clean the prop with "On & Off" hull cleaner before I put on the black. It is acid, be careful, and have a hose ready to wash it all off well. A scrub brush will help too. FWIW.....your HUMBLE servant.......

Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei
CD-030C #1

whildenp@flinet.com

[John R.]

Ever notice how some boats hold paint on the prop better then others? I think it is a matter of cavitation and proper application of the paint system in the first place. I assume the heat from cavitation (the boiling) is what causes the failure of paint systems. Throw friction into the mix and it starts to become easy to see why little if anything works. I hate to be a skeptic but I find it hard to believe "stove black" (waxed based?) would work much at all unless a prop is not used much. even at that I would think it would simply wear away from the friction of water passing over it.

Anyone tried the "stove black" and it hasn't worked? What water conditions was it used in, for how long and how often was the engine run?

Thanks, Ken.

Maybe RPI can eventually develop the ultimate barnacle antidote.
However, my immediate concern is not so much what makes the barnacles adhere, but what makes the stove black adhere to the prop when the engine is turned on and put in gear. When the prop turns, it starts spinning off the bottom paint. Why wouldn't it also spin off the stove black?

Will
"Jambalaya"
CD30

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, RPI, or the "tute", is doing some interesting research on barnacles and their "glue." Check out "Polymer Synthesis" at the link below if you want a short course in what sticks and what does not.

As for the stove black, methinks the wax is what keeps the barnacles from adhereing, but maybe the suspended graphite helps too.

Ken
CD/36 Parfait
Raleigh, NC

Captain Dave:
I have been following your apparent success with stove black on your prop and am very happy for you. I hope it works for me in South Florida. However, experience with other substances on prop, e.g., bottom paint, suggests that any substance will not survive the first spinning of the prop after application. It spins right off. Do you have a secret for stove black which will make it survive prop RPM?
Thanks.
will
"Jambalaya"

[Ken Coit]

Will,

I am no expert and I haven't seen Parfait's prop since April, so it is hard to say what we are actually experiencing in our marina. I will say that the marina is clean enough for the crabs and bait fish, so its not like some of the harbors up north.

For what its worth, here is some speculation. Have you ever tried to paint something coated with silicone or graphite? How about removing either from a coated surface? On the other hand, paint will peel very nicely from just about any surface given a little heat or water under it.

I don't think the water can get much of a bite on silicone and graphite; a scraper certainly won't. Even after applying three coats, there is no significant build up, but the pores are closed up and the barnacles don't have much to grab. Unless they can penetrate the silicone and graphite, I doubt they are going to hold on very well.

With cavitation, I suppose the heat might cause the silicone and graphite to flow a bit. Maybe if the propeller were heated before applying the stove black, it would work even better. Certainly the stove black holds up to being very hot in its intended application; it even holds up to being rubbed and scraped while hot.

I did check with a facility that coats items with teflon and they were very dubious about coating a propeller. They thought that the teflon coating would wear away very quickly.

With any luck at all, I will be able to post a photo of the excellent results we obtained. Don't hold your breath.


Ken
CD/36 Parfait
Raleigh, NC

Thanks, Ken.
Maybe RPI can eventually develop the ultimate barnacle antidote.
However, my immediate concern is not so much what makes the barnacles adhere, but what makes the stove black adhere to the prop when the engine is turned on and put in gear. When the prop turns, it starts spinning off the bottom paint. Why wouldn't it also spin off the stove black?

Will
"Jambalaya"
CD30

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, RPI, or the "tute", is doing some interesting research on barnacles and their "glue." Check out "Polymer Synthesis" at the link below if you want a short course in what sticks and what does not.

As for the stove black, methinks the wax is what keeps the barnacles from adhereing, but maybe the suspended graphite helps too.

Ken
CD/36 Parfait
Raleigh, NC

Captain Dave:
I have been following your apparent success with stove black on your prop and am very happy for you. I hope it works for me in South Florida. However, experience with other substances on prop, e.g., bottom paint, suggests that any substance will not survive the first spinning of the prop after application. It spins right off. Do you have a secret for stove black which will make it survive prop RPM?
Thanks.
will
"Jambalaya"

PPPparfait@nc.rr.com

[Ken Coit]

The Rutland Liquied Stove and Grill Polish is described as:

"A nonflammable, nontoxic liquid polish. A water based emulsion of high quality natural waxes combined with some of the blacker pigments known. Buffs to a high lustre as it adds life and beauty to all black cast iron."

We do buff the prop between applications. The prop gets downright slippery, but not very black.

Ken
S/V Parfait
Raleigh, NC

Captain Parker,

Don't know exactly why it works Mate, and, I don't know what it is made of other than a graphite powder in a carrier base. There may be some wax in it, but I doubt it, as it would smoke like crazy the first time the stove was heated. I suspect it is graphite in a kerosene base, but that is just a guess. Maybe the manufacturer would tell us.

At any rate, it does seem to work. When you but it on, you will think, "What is this Yankee Skipper thinking of?" It does not look as if it goes on heavy enough to do anything! I do smear it on a few times, until there is at least some of it showing, letting each coat dry a few minutes in between. You will still see some bronze showing through, it will not "blacken" the prop. Oh, the RPM range we run at is anywhere from 700 to about 2500 or maybe a little more. Don't know what affect that has on the critters, BUT if the boat sits at the dock all summer without being moved, I don't think anything will stop the critters!

Oh, I also clean the prop with "On & Off" hull cleaner before I put on the black. It is acid, be careful, and have a hose ready to wash it all off well. A scrub brush will help too. FWIW.....your HUMBLE servant.......

Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei
CD-030C #1

pPParfait@nc.rr.com

[will parker]

Ken,
Thanks for your response. Makes sense to me. Still, spending a long time in the ABACOS does too.
Thanks,
Will
"Jambalaya"

I am no expert and I haven't seen Parfait's prop since April, so it is hard to say what we are actually experiencing in our marina. I will say that the marina is clean enough for the crabs and bait fish, so its not like some of the harbors up north.

For what its worth, here is some speculation. Have you ever tried to paint something coated with silicone or graphite? How about removing either from a coated surface? On the other hand, paint will peel very nicely from just about any surface given a little heat or water under it.

I don't think the water can get much of a bite on silicone and graphite; a scraper certainly won't. Even after applying three coats, there is no significant build up, but the pores are closed up and the barnacles don't have much to grab. Unless they can penetrate the silicone and graphite, I doubt they are going to hold on very well.

With cavitation, I suppose the heat might cause the silicone and graphite to flow a bit. Maybe if the propeller were heated before applying the stove black, it would work even better. Certainly the stove black holds up to being very hot in its intended application; it even holds up to being rubbed and scraped while hot.

I did check with a facility that coats items with teflon and they were very dubious about coating a propeller. They thought that the teflon coating would wear away very quickly.

With any luck at all, I will be able to post a photo of the excellent results we obtained. Don't hold your breath.


Ken
CD/36 Parfait
Raleigh, NC

Thanks, Ken.
Maybe RPI can eventually develop the ultimate barnacle antidote.
However, my immediate concern is not so much what makes the barnacles adhere, but what makes the stove black adhere to the prop when the engine is turned on and put in gear. When the prop turns, it starts spinning off the bottom paint. Why wouldn't it also spin off the stove black?

Will
"Jambalaya"
CD30

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, RPI, or the "tute", is doing some interesting research on barnacles and their "glue." Check out "Polymer Synthesis" at the link below if you want a short course in what sticks and what does not.

As for the stove black, methinks the wax is what keeps the barnacles from adhereing, but maybe the suspended graphite helps too.

Ken
CD/36 Parfait
Raleigh, NC

whildenp@flinet.com