Just say NO to Prop Speed!

[fxykty]

The two times we had PropSpeed applied it was done professionally in yards that do hundreds of boats. Both times in New Zealand, with the boat travelling around the North Island and a couple of trips to the South Pacific islands. Both applications had hard growths within 6 months - the soft stuff sloughed off with the silicon gloves that I use to get the slime off of our hulls, but the hard stuff remained and wouldn’t slide off. For our use case, too expensive given the results. That said, not all that happy with the primer and paint results either. Call me still looking for a decent solution for props and shafts.

As for motoring 50% of our movement time, not in your wildest dreams. But we like to sail and our boat likes to sail. Once the boat speed drops below 1 knot we do motor, sigh.

[rslifkin]

For Propspeed, if you've got overly slow turning props or go too long between motoring (especially in high fouling waters) it may not work adequately as growth will get too advanced before it gets scrubbed off by motoring. And slowing turning props won't shed growth as effectively either.

[more]

when sombody say .Propeler applied it was done professionally in yards that do hundreds of boats.
i simply

Rare professional have time to make this proper way.
for saildrive aluminium propeler example need 4-5 day and more

1/sanding
2washing
3/etching primer
4/sanding 400 grit
5/epoxy primer
6/sanding 400 grit
7/epoxy primer
8/sanding 400 grit
9/trilux
10/sanding
11/trilux
12/sanding 800 grit
13/sanding 1000 grit
14/polish 1500/2000 grit
15/ white silicone greas

what we do becouse limit time on dry we after we buy new propeler do all this step execpt 14/15 and put in box for next seson. when boat is on dry simply exchange propeler polish and put white grase.
old propeller clean and next winter we on peace exchange bushing and make proper paint.
this is only for our boat,for custumer we dont do this to much expensive.

[Matt Johnson]

We used Seajet Pellerclean - Silicone based like Propspeed - and it worked extremely well for us in the high fouling areas around the UK. The boat sat during Covid, but was actively cruised from the Azores to the Arctic, and in fact, I think we had zero growth on the prop after 15 months.

Before this I've used both the zinc spray and regular bottom paint which never seemed to do much.

[Thomas1985]

Is all this prep and paint really easier than just hitting the prop with a wire brush on a grinder?

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Thomas1985

Is all this prep and paint really easier than just hitting the prop with a wire brush on a grinder?

Depends on how long you go between haulouts. If you're in a low fouling area and haul after a 6 month season, you may not need to worry about it. But in other areas, you'd be in the water scraping and scrubbing the prop every few weeks without some kind of antifouling.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Drinky Crow

How about Rust-Oleum® Professional Cold Galvanizing Compound Spray.

Or.....?

There is nothing better than Propspeed. The Rustoleum product is better than nothing, but not by much.

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by fxykty

The two times we had PropSpeed applied it was done professionally in yards that do hundreds of boats. Both times in New Zealand, with the boat travelling around the North Island and a couple of trips to the South Pacific islands. Both applications had hard growths within 6 months - the soft stuff sloughed off with the silicon gloves that I use to get the slime off of our hulls, but the hard stuff remained and wouldn’t slide off. For our use case, too expensive given the results. That said, not all that happy with the primer and paint results either. Call me still looking for a decent solution for props and shafts.

As for motoring 50% of our movement time, not in your wildest dreams. But we like to sail and our boat likes to sail. Once the boat speed drops below 1 knot we do motor, sigh.

Going 6 months without a cleaning, that isn't bad. Also, just because a boatyard that applies a lot of it, doesn't mean it was done right. The shipyard in Opua did a terrible job on mine. When I saw it before I splashed, I refused to pay for it, and they even agreed on that.

Also, did you check your protection with a reference anode? Over protection will cause paint on the prop to fail more quickly.

[CaptTom]

Anyone want to post the "proper" application techniques for propspeed? If it's not too much more difficult than other options, I'd like to give it a try.

[phorvati]

I haul out every 2-3 years. Always had to chisel hard barnacles off my max prop with the scraper. I put prop speed in sept, 2022, the last time i had a quickhaul. Love it. I dove down about a month ago to clean the bottom, its amazing that I dont have any hard barnacles on the blades. And for next time, when i re-coat prop speed, i will put more coats on the tips of the blades. They seem to wear most as they see highest turbulence(angular velocity). Another plus is that my zinc is barely wearing out. the winter of 2021/2022 before i put propspeed, zinc was totally gone over 4 months of in water storage in beaufort, NC. So bad that blades started deteriorating on the edges. had to send them to PYI in May 2022. 3k$ later, I had them and the gears reconditioned. Well with prop speed, I didn't have to change the zink since July 2023. So i would highly recommend it.

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

Anyone want to post the "proper" application techniques for propspeed? If it's not too much more difficult than other options, I'd like to give it a try.

It isn't difficult. Clean the blades completely. Lightly sand. Apply an acid etch (included in the kit), wipe off, apply 2 coats of primer. Appy 2 coats of topcoat.

From memory, the kit details it. The hard part is getting it clean. There is a chemical product they sell I haven't used. Once clean, it's less than 30 minutes work. It's done with a brush, but some people I think can't paint with a brush. If you can varnish teak, you should be able to apply the propspeed.

[mvweebles]

The team who did my prop speed swear by impeccable cleanliness including gloved hands, and they use a lot of acetone to keep things clean. I've had them do it twice with good results. Think: thoracic surgeon attention to detail.

[JPA Cate]

Using gloves keeps you from accidentally getting skin oil from your fingers on where you want the paint to adhere.

Maybe not quite thoracic surgeon care, put persnickety care. Might not suit some personalities.

Ann

[GreenWave]

Originally Posted by capt jgw

Last spring I painted the props on my motor yacht with cold galv spray and hauled out in the fall after 6 months mostly on the Illinois River. The props came out spotless, better than the Micron CSC applied at the same time on the hull. I'll definitely be doing that again.

Ditto. Guy at yard looked at me like I was crazy.

[patja]

I'm on my first round with Prop Speed having just had the yard professionals apply it in October. For the price it better work like magic. $400 materials and $1,000 to prep and apply. If there is a next time I will DIY it.