Trojan Boat Forum

They look pretty good-before they were rusty looking and some perforations in the starboard prop.
Four bladers

dfg4240

If you boat in salt water... YES.
PropSpeed or I use Pettit's Prop Coat Barnacle buster http://www.pettitpaint.com/product.asp?id=262

Let the big nut first vs. small nut first debate begin!

And by the way, I have had good results with the Petit product. About 5 smallish barnacles on the hub only after 9 months in brackish water near Baltimore.

Has anybody tried Propspeed? It's not cheap but man it's gotta be the best stuff around. I've had the pleasure of trying to remove the stuff to dial a shaft, not so easy which is a good thing for protection!

Big D wrote:Has anybody tried Propspeed? It's not cheap but man it's gotta be the best stuff around. I've had the pleasure of trying to remove the stuff to dial a shaft, not so easy which is a good thing for protection!

Great stuff on props , shafts so so due to low surface speed

Big D wrote:Has anybody tried Propspeed? It's not cheap but man it's gotta be the best stuff around. I've had the pleasure of trying to remove the stuff to dial a shaft, not so easy which is a good thing for protection!

Big D, just curious, what does it do for our fresh water boats. Zebras? They like outdrives, particularly ones that see little use. I would like your valued opinion on this. Thanks, Jimbo.

Personally I don't see the need for the product in our waters, but would highly recommend for salt water apps. Have gotten requests for it. Some folks you can educate and others are just convinced that it's needed in our waters also. To each his own! My experience with the stuff has been in trying to remove it when working on running gear. Needs to be removed to dial shafts, and not easy to pull a shaft through a cutlas bearing if the shaft has a good thick coating of the stuff. But for what it's designed to do, I suspect there are few products out there that would compare.

As for outdrives, IMO the zebras on the outside of the drive is nothing compared to the ones growing inside. Considering we come out of the water every Fall, I say a power wash is enough. Educating the customer and convincing them that the best thing they can do for their boat is to take it out periodically is perhaps more important than using the coating up here IMO. Haven't given it much thought for a drive but I'm generally not in favour of applying any other coating on top of the paint on the drive. I've got an open mind though if anybody has a convincing argument...I like arguments

Thanks Big D, I think we are on the same page here. The point you make about problems when Dialing a shaft and replacing cutless bearings makes me think it may not be a product I to want to push in our marina. Jimbo.

Don't know that I would push it but if they're adamant about doing it after a discussion then by all means sell it to them. I suspect you get a lot of loopers too which this would be a good fit for!

Yes, we host a Looper event each year, often performing service work. Propspeed is a hit with them. We have lots is stock. Last year we handled 12 major impacts. Propspeed would have certainly hampered the evaluation process and delays for the owners and adjusters. We haul out on our travelift and dial shafts and props on the spot. Time is usually of the essence. Thanks for your input. We have yet to experience this, but its good to know. Do you know how the stuff can be removed? Acetone, stripper??

Propspeed must be removed mechanically, with sandpaper for example. There are no solvents or strippers that will remove it. This must be considered when assessing the job for estimating purposes. Removing the coating is far more labour intensive than simply sanding off the usual growth with fine sandpaper. Fine sandpaper won't do a thing on Propspeed. Of course the trick on shafts that are to be dialed is to be mindful when you finally break through the coating with a coarse grit that you don't ruin the surface you plan on dialing so you can get an accurate reading.

Keep in mind that folks in warmer climates rarely have the need to be hauled out unless they require service to their running gear for example. Often a diver is used to clean running gear and bottoms rather than hauling the boat out. In those cases the product would be beneficial. In the grand scheme of things, an impact requiring shaft removals that have been coated would be the least of their problems.

I agree with the removal of Propspeed being the least of the problem in an impact situation but, it needs to be accounted for in the estimate process, which you have brought my attention, Thanks again. Jimbo36

It's good that you have some in stock. Anybody/loopers that already have it would want it reapplied if removal was needed for servicing hardware.