tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266108914902271629.post3286386325199153861..comments2023-09-25T08:48:48.104-07:00Comments on John Vigor's Blog: Propellers made easyJohn Vigorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02215080385571534292noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266108914902271629.post-1450082163078922982009-11-27T19:55:41.050-08:002009-11-27T19:55:41.050-08:00Hi Oded, I've heard of lots of ways various pe...Hi Oded, I've heard of lots of ways various people try to keep their props free of barnacles, including axle grease, antifouling paint, and special zinc paint. But none of them will last long if you do a reasonable amount of motoring. The abrasive quality of water against a propeller whirring at 1,000 revolutions a minute or more is enough to wear off almost any coating you can think of.<br /><br />The only absolutely positive way I know of to keep the barnacles off is the method used by racers in warm water. Every time you come back to your slip, someone slips overboard and ties a black plastic bag around the prop.<br /><br />I myself use a couple of coats of antifouling paint on a bronze propeller, and it lasts a month or two, but after that I can expect a gradual decrease in performance until the next haul-out. I'm afraid it's one of the facts of life. If you can't dive down and scrape the prop clean every six weeks or so, your prop will slowly become less efficient. <br /><br />You'd think that using the prop more often, or for longer cruises, would discourage the growth of barnacles, but unfortunately there is no evidence that it's true. Nobody told the barnacles, which seem to thrive no matter how long or how fast they are spun around.<br /> <br />John V.John Vigornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266108914902271629.post-80135030755736455062009-11-27T19:15:12.509-08:002009-11-27T19:15:12.509-08:00Hi John,
Any advice on the best way to keep the p...Hi John,<br /><br />Any advice on the best way to keep the prop fee of barnacles ?<br /><br />Oded KishonyOded Kishonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05506528977182027366noreply@blogger.com