How often do you clean your bottom?

[vabeach1234]

Everyday (hopefully). When it's dirty. After a big meal. yeah yeah yeah. I can only imagine the responses I'm going to get on this one.

Seriously, Last week I noticed I had lost some performance and figured it was time to take a look under that boat. So I wetsuited up for high 50 degree water and dove under my boat to clean up the running gear. I found some barnicles on the hub of the prop, not on the blades and some on the shaft and strut and rudder. I was surprised how a few little barnicles can have such a big affect. I don't get to use the boat as much as I'd like so the running gear tends to foul quickly. After cleaning I took her out and ran great. I reached WOT of 4000 with not problem.

I was just wondering how often you guys have to send a diver down to clean things up if at all.

FYI, the bottom of my hull never has barncles on it, just slime. It's always the running gear that fouls with the hard stuff.

On a side note, I used Prop Shield last November 2009 on my running gear and it has held up better than the antifouling paint I had used in the past on the running gear. The problem with the antifouling paint on the running gear is when it did start to foul and you scraped it off, all of it would come off and from then on you won't have any protection. The Prop Shield application involves heating up the metal parts and applying it when it's hot so it soaks in. But it still fouls, just not as bad but I think it's from lack of consistant use.

Back in November 2009 I painted the shaft forward of the zincs with antifouling paint and aft of the zincs with Prop Shield. The antifouling paint portion was completely coated with barnicales. The Pro Shield shaft had significantly less.

Now that she is clean and the water temperature is dropping and we are in the Striper Seaon, I shouldn't have a problem with it fouling until spring.

[alexander38]

Ken I have a diver clean mine every six weeks April thur Oct. Seems to work out ok so far.

[prowlersfish]

I normally do it when I notice the boat get slugish . the bottom is never the issue ,its the running gear . I used zinc coating (pettit )on the running gear and have not had a proplem at all this year . But I did this late this year ,end of july I belive.

[kevinz]

Of course it depends where you keep your boat, how often it is used, and anti-fouling paint used. Here in North West Florida, I have a diver clean the bottom every 60 days. Same thing, bottom is clean, but the running gear is fouled. I use trinidad S/R bottom paint. NOW, lets talk about PROP SPEED. I have applied it to customers boats and they love it. I will use it when I haul out this spring.

[rbcool]

Of course it depends where you keep your boat, how often it is used, and anti-fouling paint used. Here in North West Florida, I have a diver clean the bottom every 60 days. Same thing, bottom is clean, but the running gear is fouled. I use trinidad S/R bottom paint. NOW, lets talk about PROP SPEED. I have applied it to customers boats and they love it. I will use it when I haul out this spring.

I also use Prop Speed on mine and all of my charter boat customers running gear. Lasts around 2 years if done correctly. It's expensive ($300.00 for a kit) and time consuming, but when I pull my boat the props look like they just came out of the box. But then again I average 15 hours a month on my boat during the warm months, which also helps.

Ron

[vabeach1234]

Of course it depends where you keep your boat, how often it is used, and anti-fouling paint used. Here in North West Florida, I have a diver clean the bottom every 60 days. Same thing, bottom is clean, but the running gear is fouled. I use trinidad S/R bottom paint. NOW, lets talk about PROP SPEED. I have applied it to customers boats and they love it. I will use it when I haul out this spring.

I've heard great things about PROP SPEED, well that is except the price. I just can't bring myself to spending $200 on it. It's probably worth it in the long run, with fuel consumption. I still have half a container of the Prop Shield left so I'll use that again come spring.

[S.A.M.]

Kevin put Propspeed on my shafts and props in October '09 and when I changed props this summer, the old props were clean. The next haul I'm going to put it on the rudders, struts and trim tabs.

I think it will be worth money. The only things left to clean will be up inside the raw water intakes.

[rossjo]

In the summer, I need cleaning ever 3-4 weeks. In winter I go 6-8 weeks.

Propspeed? Haven;t tried it yet ... due for a haul and repaint, so may try it soon ... hope I can get a deal on it ...

What arethe active ingredients?

[k9th]

Reading all of this makes me glad I am in fresh water and don't have that problem. I power wash the bottom and running gear when it gets hauled out for winter every year, but it never really needs it. Needs painting in the spring though.

[prowlersfish]

Speed prop works well on props but not that great on struts and rudders
Prop kote by pettit works well on the props also , I beleve speed prop is better but is hard to put on and you have to mix it . both are pricey thats why I tried Pettit Zinc Coat Barnacle Barrier under 30 bucks a spray can. it works well so far For the price you can't beat it .

http://pettitpaint.com/catalog_browse.asp?ictNbr=188

[rossjo]

Pettit Zinc Coat - "... protection for bare metals including steel, stainless steel, cast iron, copper, bronze, galvanized steel, and lead. It forms an excellent bond to underwater metals and running gear, and inhibits corrosion on these surfaces."

Does it block barnacle and weed growht or just stop corrosion?

Also read - "Do not apply anti-fouling paint over Zinc-Coat".

[rossjo]

kevinz -

Would you mind
reducing your
Avatar size
so we can read
the forums?

[rossjo]

Some of the blowboaters have had poor results ...
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-main ... eport.html

[prowlersfish]

Pettit Zinc Coat - "... protection for bare metals including steel, stainless steel, cast iron, copper, bronze, galvanized steel, and lead. It forms an excellent bond to underwater metals and running gear, and inhibits corrosion on these surfaces."

Does it block barnacle and weed growht or just stop corrosion?

Also read - "Do not apply anti-fouling paint over Zinc-Coat".

Also read the full name "Pettit Zinc Coat Barnacle Barrier " IOt works .
I know 2 marinas that swear by it,

[LandVF36]

Our boat is pulled and set on the hard annually (for that dreadful 7 months period in MN when the water is frozen). It gets blasted and scrapted in the fall, then sanded and a fresh coat of bottom paint in the spring.