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05-01-2018, 02:05
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: No home port, full time liveaboard
Boat: Beneteau Oceanis 50 (aka 49)
Posts: 292
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Cleaning prop under water - tips?
My prop has accumulated too many barnacles for my comfort but I’ll haul out soon. I’m nonetheless playing with ideas on how to clean it under water without scratching it and I was wondering what clever ideas people here have come up with.
My most convoluted idea so far would be to crunch the barnacles with a plyer and then bag the propeller, expell the sea water from the bag and then inject vinegar. Let it stew for a day, remove the bag and wipe off the remaining bits with a blue kitchen scrubbing pad. What could possibly not work as planned?
Might still give it a shot some day but I’d first like to hear from people who actually did clean their prop under water and did so efficiently, preferably without scuba gear.
Thanks!
(I searched the forum for this topic but it didn’t turn up anything. Should there be an existing thread then please give me the link.)
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05-01-2018, 02:13
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Bellingham
Boat: Outbound 44
Posts: 9,319
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Re: Cleaning prop under water - tips?
It's metal, don't be so gentle with it. First try a plastic scrapper. If that doesn't work use a metal one. You can round over the corners on the metal scrapper to reduce marring.
__________________
Paul
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05-01-2018, 02:14
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Moreton Bay
Boat: US$4,550 of lead under a GRP hull with cutter rig
Posts: 2,135
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Re: Cleaning prop under water - tips?
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2big2small
(I searched the forum for this topic but it didn’t turn up anything. Should there be an existing thread then please give me the link.)
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http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ods-50840.html
__________________
“Fools say that you can only gain experience at your own expense, but I have always contrived to gain my experience at the expense of others.” - Otto von Bismarck
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05-01-2018, 02:19
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central California
Boat: Samson C Mist 32
Posts: 680
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Re: Cleaning prop under water - tips?
Brass putty knife.
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05-01-2018, 02:38
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#5
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Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Solent, England
Boat: Moody 31
Posts: 18,423
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Re: Cleaning prop under water - tips?
When you do haul it out, what are you going to do so that this doesn't happen again?
I am using this stuff with reasonable results in a very high fouling area. However, I have two propellers so I can prep one and then just change them over rather than trying to paint it whilst the boat is out of the water. Doing it at home in the heated shed slowly helps the paint stick.
PYI Inc. | Velox Plus Antifouling Paint
Pete
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05-01-2018, 08:22
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
Boat: Catalina 470
Posts: 1,131
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Re: Cleaning prop under water - tips?
You're overthinking the problem ;-)
Just scrape the barnacles with whatever tool will get them off. You're not going to damage the prop unless you start bashing on it with a hammer. A few scratches will not affect the prop at all, and no one is going to see it anyway.
Regards,
David
__________________
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain
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05-01-2018, 08:48
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 971
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Re: Cleaning prop under water - tips?
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05-01-2018, 09:05
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: US
Posts: 219
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Re: Cleaning prop under water - tips?
On our boat we've used PropPurr on the prop. Everything wipes off with fingers and sometimes a fingernail. Last year, after running the engine hard to make an early haul-out time, the prop was absolutely clean. Some light grassy strings, not wiped off by hand the day before, were gone.
PropPurr creates a very thin silicone layer on bronze props. Because it chemically bonds to the copper in bronze and does not rely upon a mechanical bond, the prop surface when cleaned can and should be very smooth. The smooth surface also help prevents growth from mechanically bonding to the prop. In addition, the smooth prop surface improves prop efficiency.
Unfortunately PropPurr does not work well on stainless.
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05-01-2018, 09:05
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#9
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Kimberton,Pa.
Boat: Cabo Rico 34
Posts: 1,028
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Re: Cleaning prop under water - tips?
Always wear gloves when cleaning any part of the underwater portion of a boat..nasty diseases attributed from cuts/abrasions..especially in brackish/ freshwaters like the Cheasapeake Bay..
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05-01-2018, 11:03
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Gulf Coast of FL
Boat: Pearson
Posts: 408
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Re: Cleaning prop under water - tips?
A 2-3” putty knife, rinse with fresh water douse with wd40, oil, diesel, leather work gloves, check your zinc.
__________________
Ken Z
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05-01-2018, 11:24
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2003
Boat: Dragonfly 1000 trimaran
Posts: 7,145
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Re: Cleaning prop under water - tips?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Locquatious
On our boat we've used PropPurr on the prop. Everything wipes off with fingers and sometimes a fingernail. Last year, after running the engine hard to make an early haul-out time, the prop was absolutely clean. Some light grassy strings, not wiped off by hand the day before, were gone.
PropPurr creates a very thin silicone layer on bronze props. Because it chemically bonds to the copper in bronze and does not rely upon a mechanical bond, the prop surface when cleaned can and should be very smooth. The smooth surface also help prevents growth from mechanically bonding to the prop. In addition, the smooth prop surface improves prop efficiency.
Unfortunately PropPurr does not work well on stainless.
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Got a link? I couldn't find it from your PropPurr name.
__________________
The question is not, "Who will let me?"
The question is,"Who is going to stop me?"
Ayn Rand
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05-01-2018, 11:27
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 49
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Re: Cleaning prop under water - tips?
I bought a solid stainless steel spatula at Target. For me, the perfect tool.
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05-01-2018, 11:31
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Virginia
Boat: B24
Posts: 785
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Re: Cleaning prop under water - tips?
Boy Scout jackknife for the big pieces, followed by a 3M pad... works...
__________________
Larry
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05-01-2018, 12:26
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Gone sailing! Please don't tell our adult kids where we are!
Boat: Downeaster 38
Posts: 297
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Re: Cleaning prop under water - tips?
Pick the guy you least like on your dock or in your anchorage. (the "know it all") Tell him you need a hand for a few minutes. Stuff a few rocks in his pockets, hand him a putty knife and shove him overboard. Then when he is positioned right behind the prop, just put it in reverse and gun it. Clean prop, with benefits.
(this has been a non-politically correct response)
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05-01-2018, 12:41
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#15
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Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Channel Islands, CA
Boat: 1962 Columbia 29 MK 1 #37
Posts: 14,305
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Re: Cleaning prop under water - tips?
OK having done this on my buddy's boat since I have no inboard, and holding my breath doing it:
1. You are probably not going to get the prop looking new and spot free, there will still be many small encrustations, but you can certainly get all the big stuff gone and the surface pretty smooth.
2. Putty knife (metal) with corners filed round (those are what scratch it)
3. That super rough 3M pad works ok once big stuff is down,
4. Those metal scouring pads for cleaning pots and grills work ok too.
5. I LIKE your idea about a bag injected with vinegar, I am going to try that next time!
6. You'll probably end up deciding that the $40 or $50 or whatever for a diver to do it will be worth it.
7. As long as you are there, replace the zinc.
__________________
DL
Pythagoras
1962 Columbia 29 MKI #37
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