Barnacles on Running Gear

[Jersdevil]

Hello everyone. I am a new member to the forum. I have a 1979 F30 Clean Machine, have been working on her for 4 seasons now. What thoughts do you have on preventing Barnacles on the props and shafts? I have used bottom paint, kept them bare and this year at the suggestion of a fellow boater used Future floor wax. Last night we had to pull the boat to disengage a crab trab that was picked up and attached to the Starboard prop and shaft (what a pain) and I cleaned the barnacles from the running gear. The Future wax seemed to keep them down but they were still there. Any thoughts?

[rossjo]

No tricks here - the wax should help for a while.

Any way to get bottom paint or cuprous oxide on them will help. Barnacles don't like copper.

[jav]

I've not found anything that works and is recommended.

It is NOT recommended to put any copper based paint on the metalic objects that are in the water due to having 2 dissimilar metals bathed in an electrolyte. I know of plenty of guys that do it- but I haven't seen a single source that says it's OK.

I've often wondered if applying an epoxy barrier coat to the shafts and props first, then applying anti-fouling paint over that would work. I'm sure it would flake off over time but it's an interesting question. Any opinions?

[JuiceClark]

An ol' timer told me to put a salt shaker sized dose of cayenne pepper in a pint of marine paint and put it on the gear. Apparently, those lil' bastards don't like sucking on a chili pepper all day long. But it doesn't stick very well when you run the boat....nothing does.

If she's going to sit for awhile, maybe you could give that a try. Otherwise, you'd be better off spending your $$ on a wetsuit to jump in and rub them clean...often.

[S.A.M.]

There is a product called "Speed Prop" that has good reviews. I'm going to try it when the boat is hauled for its annual work.

[Jersdevil]

Thanks all. I always put Cayenne pepper in my anti-fouling paint and that keeps the little guys at bay on the hull. I'll have to check out the Speed prop and see how it does I'll let you all know if I come up with anything that works.

Now all I have to do is pray that my insurance covers the Transmission (just re-built last year) that is stuck in forward gear because of the un-marked crab trap we wrapped around the
starboard prop and shaft last week end.

[prowlersfish]

There is a product called "Speed Prop" that has good reviews. I'm going to try it when the boat is hauled for its annual work.

Its called prop speed and it works If stops growth from sticking what grows on your props comes right off when you use the boat . The more you use the boat the better it works . there also is propkote that works the same way and is easier to use .I have used it with good luck but feel propspeed works better.

http://www.propspeed.com/index.html

[alexander38]

propspeed works great !