Hi,

I'm prepping the bottom of my sailboat for barrier coat then ablative
bottom paint.

I'm thinking, however, that it might be a good idea to paint the prop
with something like Trinidad instead of ablative. It seems to me that
the ablative won't last long on the prop.

What's the conventional wisdom here?

Thanks,

Mike.

keep in mind the weight of paint...you don't
want to "up set" the prop too much.....

"beaufortnc" wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm thinking, however, that it might be a good idea to paint the
prop
with something like Trinidad instead of ablative. It seems to
me that
the ablative won't last long on the prop.

What's the conventional wisdom here?

Well, once a month I take a swim with a wire brush, take a few
deep breaths and the see how long I can stay underwater hanging on
to the prop shaft. But then I'm in warm water (never less than
18C) and it's clean and clear.

Sorry, didn't really answer your question, but that's my
conventional wisdom on the subject.

JimB

"beaufortnc" wrote:

Hi,

I'm prepping the bottom of my sailboat for barrier coat then ablative
bottom paint.

I'm thinking, however, that it might be a good idea to paint the prop
with something like Trinidad instead of ablative. It seems to me that
the ablative won't last long on the prop.

What's the conventional wisdom here?

Bob has tried all the conventional wisdom things, and they don't work
unless you are using your boat on a regular basis. And if you are
using your boat on a regular basis, it probably doesn't matter what
you use.


grandma Rosalie

On 20 Nov 2005 08:46:07 -0800, "beaufortnc"
wrote:

Hi,

I'm prepping the bottom of my sailboat for barrier coat then ablative
bottom paint.

I'm thinking, however, that it might be a good idea to paint the prop
with something like Trinidad instead of ablative. It seems to me that
the ablative won't last long on the prop.

What's the conventional wisdom here?

What you use on your prop depends on your pattern of boating. Regular
boat use, eg once or more a week, can mean no special treatment
(depending on your local level of fouling). And on your prop: whether
bronze or stainless steel or plastic etc. And on other characteristics
of your prop, eg whether it's a surface prop, such as a Levi drive; or
a deep prop; whether it's spinning at around 1,000 rpm or two or three
times faster.

If you have a new bronze prop, waxes applied during the polishing
process can mean that no permanent treatment works until that wax is
removed and, perhaps, an etch primer is used.

Some treatments that do work:

* Grease the prop: if you are cruising, but anchor or berth for up to
a month, coating the prop with a salt-water resistant grease works
(for about a month). I use a German-made grease, Bechem SW2, and send
the cook over the side after taking a berth or anchorage. The grease
spins off, taking any slime etc with it. No chance that it can change
the balance of the prop.

* Bagging the prop: a physical barrier, such as a plastic bag, works.
But you have to send the cook (or the cook's assistant) over the side
twice, once to install the bag, once to remove it.

* Painting with an antifouling. Whether you use a hard or ablative
antifouling matters little; the problem is getting the paint to
adhere. New props are a problem, because of the waxes. Older props
work better. And the primer/paint combination is important.

One technique that works is to use an epoxy primer and to follow,
within the prescribed recoating time (usually about an hour, before
the epoxy primer has completely hardened) with antifouling. The next
step is important: then leave to harden completely (ie about one week
- any sooner and the primer will spin off).

I've also used a zinc chromate primer, with some -but not complete -
success.

* Commercially applied silicon coatings. Expensive (applying yourself
is not a good as paying the experts to apply). But works in many
conditions, especially if the boat is used fairly often.

Cheers

There are some prop paints, but none of them work very well. I wanted
to try Vermilion as well, but that's been discontinued, I think. Also,
adhesion to a bronze prop is a problem. Don a wetsuit and scrub it
once in a while.

mickey

"News f2s" wrote in message
...

"beaufortnc" wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm thinking, however, that it might be a good idea to paint the prop
with something like Trinidad instead of ablative. It seems to me that
the ablative won't last long on the prop.

What's the conventional wisdom here?

Well, once a month I take a swim with a wire brush, take a few deep
breaths and the see how long I can stay underwater hanging on to the prop
shaft. But then I'm in warm water (never less than 18C) and it's clean and
clear.

Sorry, didn't really answer your question, but that's my conventional
wisdom on the subject.

JimB


hmmm... Ever thought of attaching a regular snorkel to some larger hose?
Vacuum hose is great with a float at the loose end. You can stay down a lot
longer. Some of the co2 you exhale will get re-inhaled each time. I havent
passed out yet though.. Fingers crossed.

DP

I scrub my prop about once a month here in N. FL but the alligator in
the canal worries me a little.

Bil,
This was very informative.
Regarding your suggestion of epoxy primer followed by antifouling, which
expoxy primer do you recommend, and what kind of antifouling ?
I have saildrives with folding props. At last haulout I followed each of the
many steps (Interlux Primecom as one layer comes to mind) required, but this
seems simpler.
Thanks.

"Bil" wrote in message
...
On 20 Nov 2005 08:46:07 -0800, "beaufortnc"
wrote:

Hi,

I'm prepping the bottom of my sailboat for barrier coat then ablative
bottom paint.

I'm thinking, however, that it might be a good idea to paint the prop
with something like Trinidad instead of ablative. It seems to me that
the ablative won't last long on the prop.

What's the conventional wisdom here?

What you use on your prop depends on your pattern of boating. Regular
boat use, eg once or more a week, can mean no special treatment
(depending on your local level of fouling). And on your prop: whether
bronze or stainless steel or plastic etc. And on other characteristics
of your prop, eg whether it's a surface prop, such as a Levi drive; or
a deep prop; whether it's spinning at around 1,000 rpm or two or three
times faster.

If you have a new bronze prop, waxes applied during the polishing
process can mean that no permanent treatment works until that wax is
removed and, perhaps, an etch primer is used.

Some treatments that do work:

* Grease the prop: if you are cruising, but anchor or berth for up to
a month, coating the prop with a salt-water resistant grease works
(for about a month). I use a German-made grease, Bechem SW2, and send
the cook over the side after taking a berth or anchorage. The grease
spins off, taking any slime etc with it. No chance that it can change
the balance of the prop.

* Bagging the prop: a physical barrier, such as a plastic bag, works.
But you have to send the cook (or the cook's assistant) over the side
twice, once to install the bag, once to remove it.

* Painting with an antifouling. Whether you use a hard or ablative
antifouling matters little; the problem is getting the paint to
adhere. New props are a problem, because of the waxes. Older props
work better. And the primer/paint combination is important.

One technique that works is to use an epoxy primer and to follow,
within the prescribed recoating time (usually about an hour, before
the epoxy primer has completely hardened) with antifouling. The next
step is important: then leave to harden completely (ie about one week
- any sooner and the primer will spin off).

I've also used a zinc chromate primer, with some -but not complete -
success.

* Commercially applied silicon coatings. Expensive (applying yourself
is not a good as paying the experts to apply). But works in many
conditions, especially if the boat is used fairly often.

Cheers

On Mon, 21 Nov 2005 10:49:53 +1100, "d parker"
wrote:


"News f2s" wrote in message
...
///

Well, once a month I take a swim with a wire brush, take a few deep
breaths and the see how long I can stay underwater hanging on to the prop
shaft. But then I'm in warm water (never less than 18C) and it's clean and
clear.

Sorry, didn't really answer your question, but that's my conventional
wisdom on the subject.

JimB


hmmm... Ever thought of attaching a regular snorkel to some larger hose?
Vacuum hose is great with a float at the loose end. You can stay down a lot
longer. Some of the co2 you exhale will get re-inhaled each time. I havent
passed out yet though.. Fingers crossed.

DP


How about a y fitting from the snorkel to two vacuum hoses, the float
on one would have a caged ping pong ball for an outflow only
and the float on the other would have a soft sprung flapper for an
inflow only??

Brian Whatcott Altus OK