Creatures In My Speedo Paddlewheel

[Tantramar]

I live in Vancouver and my boat has a clean bottom. Small creatures continually reside in and around the paddle-wheel for my speedo. These pests are of two varieties and look like small wood-bugs or small shrimps. In so doing they prevent the paddle-wheel from turning and the speedo does not work. Almost every time I use the boat I must remove the paddle-wheel from inside the boat so I can clean away these creatures. This of course makes the bilges rather wet before I can get the plug into the orifice that the paddle-wheel came from. I was advised not to apply bottom paint to the paddle-wheel and surrounding casing and I have not done this. What I want to know is if there is any product that can be applied that will keep these vermin away and not interfere with the operation of my speedo.

[gonesail]

you could always toss the speedo and use GPS speed .. which might be a bit more reliable anyway

[Tayana42]

Small creatures in your speedo can be really uncomfortable. Fortunately for me my wife made me stop wearing a speedo 30 years ago.


S/V B'Shert

[44'cruisingcat]

I do antifoul the paddle wheel. You just have to do it carefully, and make sure it still spins freely when the paint is dry. Probably discourages the little beasties a bit.


If you're only using the boat occasionally, it's probably a better idea to remove the paddlewheel between uses.

[cabo_sailor]

Originally Posted by Tayana42

Small creatures in your speedo can be really uncomfortable. Fortunately for me my wife made me stop wearing a speedo 30 years ago.


S/V B'Shert

We don't bother with Speedos either but that is the best laugh I've had all day. But to answer OP the answer almost NO!
I say almost because folks have been trying to build water speed instruments with no moving parts for years. Generally they are using some form of Doppler tech. It works alright for high speed boats but not so well for us brothers of the cloth. The signal to noise at low speed makes them erratic. You'd be better off with the old taffrail system, if they still made them.

You either clean the paddle wheel before each sail or settle for SOG from the GPS.


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[Cheechako]

Gave up on the paddle wheel. Use GPS.

[JPA Cate]

We've been anti fouling our paddle wheel knotmeters for many years, with considerable success. Remove the wheel from the housing by knocking out the axle pin. Clean the fouling off of both wheel and the concave area that it spins in. Scrub with acetone or other light solvent, let dry and apply a thin coat of your favorite a/f paint. I use a Q-tip to apply. Let dry, reassemble and check for free spinning. Replace in through hull. It lasts about 6 months for us...

Jim, using Ann's computer

[mikefp60]

I remove mine and plug it when I am not moving. When I remember that is. If I don't I pull it and soak it in vinegar for a while before picking the buggers out of it.

But it is useful to compare GPS speed with speed through the water. The delta is the current you are in. I have seen 8 knots of water with 2 knots of GPS speed over ground. That was some tidal outflow!

Mike
S/V Vivo

[savoir]

Just pull the paddlewheel after every sail. If either the speedo or the plug is a little stiff you can give it a thin smear of winch grease. No critters, no coral, no paint.

Nice !

[DRussell]

The last yacht I sailed on out of Vancouver (mosquito creek marina) was bugged by the bugs too, yes they look like aquatic pillbugs and they end up getting their shell wedged in between the housing and paddlewheel. Easy fix but you are definitely getting wet, I don't think paint would discourage them because I think they probably swim up there to get out of the current or have a little crevice to hide in which is good until it starts moving.


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[fstbttms]

Anti fouling paint on your knotmeter paddle wheel will have zero effect upon the amphipods and arthropods living in the transducer body. Anti fouling paints are not formulated to deter these animals.

[AnchorageGuy]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

I do antifoul the paddle wheel. You just have to do it carefully, and make sure it still spins freely when the paint is dry. Probably discourages the little beasties a bit.


If you're only using the boat occasionally, it's probably a better idea to remove the paddlewheel between uses.

I very much agree on both points. But we no longer use a speed transducer for this exact reason. For the last 7 years and many thousands of miles, we have done just fine with only the GPS for speed. Chuck

[Stu Jackson]

Get better at removing it. For years I used my right hand to pull and left to put the dummy plug in. Finally got smart and used my left hand to pull and right to replace. I'm right handed. Towels also work to hold back the flow.

[Wulf]

Originally Posted by Tayana42

Small creatures in your speedo can be really uncomfortable. Fortunately for me my wife made me stop wearing a speedo 30 years ago.

x2

[doublewide]

smear the paddlewheel with zinc oxide ointment, the white paste that lifeguards used to smear on their noses. It has worked well for me for years.
Capt Markham Anderson
S/V Seabbatical