Anti-fouling on knot transducer

[s calder]

Has anybody got any suggestions on how and what to apply to my knot transducer (the little spinny wheel thing) to prevent organism growth? I suppose that you can't just spray transducer paint on it or the paint will seize-up the wheel. Any ideas on a product and method of application would be appreciated.

[Neil Gordon]

Best is to remove it and leave the dummy plug in place when the boat is idle.

[s calder]

Neil: My boat is in cold water (high in the Colorado Rockies)...knot fun to dive in. I know that cold water shouldn't present a growth problem but enough slime gets on the wheel to impede it.

[bottomscraper]

Since it sounds like you don't have any current to deal with a cheap hand held GPS would provide speed info. Our knot meter is mostly a NOT-meter, it usually stops working after a few weeks. Because of the location there is no good way to remove and clean it with the boat in the water. We live without it.

[drb9]

My knot meter unscrews from the inside, so that when I remove it, water comes gushing in until I can get the dummy plug in. Then I scoop out the water from the cabin seat locker.

That said, I usually rely on the GPS to give me speed.

[Neil Gordon]

My knot meter unscrews from the inside, so that when I remove it, water comes gushing in until I can get the dummy plug in.

The newer ones have a check valve/flap so the hole mostly seals (about 90%) when the plug is removed. It's easy enough for me to catch it with a sponge.

[Steve Laume]

Geez Neil anybody could do that without even bracing up for the job. Humm, check valve for a plug you take out and put in while the boat is in the water. What a great idea, Steve.

[RC James]

OK, I'll be the first to say it's not REALLY environmentally friendly (this could be a problem in CO), but a 'friend' of mine used the product from TEMPO MARINE called "clear antifoulant spray". As 'he' recalls, it was a 2part application in a spray can format, and went on clear and easily. At last count, 'his' boat had been in the water for 4 years in the Chesapeake Bay area, and it just recently fouled.
Now, he didn't really enjoy seeing seawater rush into his boat when removing the plug before he tried this product, and he was very pleased with the results of this application. So much so, that when he pulls the boat this summer, he 'just might' use the product again. Now if he could just find a Bottom paint that contained enogh TBT to kill the slime and occasional barnacle (just kidding)... 'he' loves his aqueous area, but feels that if this stuff is OK for the thousands of I/O units in the area, his measly 3 sq.in. of paddlewheel won't have too deletorius an effect on waterborne life.

Semi tongue-in-cheek, but the stuff does work RC

[drb9]

Your "friend" must have an old supply of the TBT-based paint. It's been banned in the US, Canada, EU, and other places for a couple of years now.

On a related note, I've heard that we're getting back into the DDT business because, supposedly, the concerns about eagles were overblown and the human cost of malaria was underblown.

[jddj]

I have a Standard unit. I brush a little ablative antifouling paint on each year and have never had any growth. Easy to pull the unit in the water and dab it on if needed. I have only had to do this every 3 years or so. Just make sure the wheel spins after the paint is dried.

[CruiseAlong]

On the Cheasapeake I use transducer anti-foulant. Comes in a small applicator bottle with application brush. Sort of like nail polish brush.
West Marine used to carry it. Now try Defender.com I remember $6.99. It last about 4 years at a time for me...never have to pull the plug to clean....#252077
http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?pat ... 8&id=28012