Propeller paint protection

[Yannis]

As I was getting ready to fill up the boat and get the h@ll out of the city (tomorrow I splash), I saw another bigger boat in the yard with two IPS's of which the 4 props were shining a yellowish semi transparent coat.

The mechanic was there so I asked him what the story with that shiny coat was, and he said that it is the "pro speed".
He said you have to clean the props twice with two different juices, one is in the form of baby wipes ! and then apply two coats of a special primer with 20 min intervals. After the second 20 minutes you apply this "prospeed" stuff which is silicone based. He says NOTHING sticks to it.
He also said a small, he showed the space between his thumb and index fingers, bottle costs....€ 500 !!
I said I will be grabbing my brush and dive to clean mine instead !! I saw a grin in his face...

[Carl]

Sounds like the stuff we call Prop Speed here.

Pricey for sure, but works.

Me...I'd rather jump in the water with a scraper than spend that much time prepping and painting the metal. Then add the cost of the stuff to my hate of prep and paint...and love of the water, and swimming. Plus I get bored at the beach anyway, a quick bottom check and scrape is fun, paint and prep...not so much.

[Yannis]

Carl, he may well have said prop speed, but I heard pro speed, so probably it's the same thing.

And, when you can spend 500 for the liquid, you can also spend another 100 for a guy to do the job!
Anyway, in my case where the boat stays in the water for only 4 months there is hardly any algae buildup so even brushing is almost unnecessary.

[CamB25]

I used the transducer foulfree product last year on my Airmar transducer. Worked very well. But, you can't reapply it without removing the old coating (not sure how to do this without scratching the plastic) and this year I'm not holding bottom nearly as well, but I'm not sure why.

https://propspeed.com/products/foulfree ... nformation

Hydrophobic coating...it's scared of water!

[bob lico]

i have been using prop glide for a least three years quite a bit less expensive than prop speed but works the same. gain about 1 1/2 knots if you do the entire running gear of course i apply myself no body is allowed to touch the boat ever.

[Tony Meola]

Yannis

We have good luck around here with Prop Coat by Petit. It is a spray on zinc coating that cost around 40 dollars. A can does both props.

Cam

If you paint your bottom with Petit Hydrocoat, you can use it on your transducer or use the MDR transducer paint. That little 4 ounce bottle will last you forever. I have good luck with both.

[Carl]

i have been using prop speed for a least three years quite a bit less expensive than prop speed but works the same.

...sounds like the same stuff.





Busting on you Bob, sorry.

I thought you were using a commercial Rustoleum, two-part, epoxy product that was much less expensive, but only available in multiple gallon pails or something to that effect.

[bob lico]

i corrected my post carl. Prop Glide can be purchase on line "bottom paint"

[Carl]

I've never heard about Prop Glide...I'll probably still stick with the nothing I use, but people are always looking for the new best thing. I'll toss it into the mix of next year's running gear discussion.

Around here the ticket is that Petitt stuff Tony is talking about. Except someone read the active ingredients and saw it was 99% zinc and they all started using Galvanize paint at $6.00 a can instead with the same 99% zinc content. It's a tough call to say if the stuff works...the guys that have no growth are mostly the guys that go out everyday, older retired and shall I say frugal using the Home Depot Galvanize. Going out every day/often is the best antifoul, so is it the paint or the use. In any case they are happy for a cheap solution to a problem they may not have,

What happened with the Rustoleum product you tried a few years back?

[bob lico]

carl the best price is online" www. the bottom paint store" prop glide is even the same color yellow as prop speed . spray Zinc i used in the nineties a require (federal specs.) spray on cut rigid electrical pipe . laying around all over a powerhouse job. actually the correct name is Cold Spray Galv. you can also buy Rustoluem brand gala. spray but none of these zinc paints are on the same page as prop glide . a 31Bertram will gain a knot with entire running gear painted in prop glide or prop speed . BTW. diesel was $ 5.89 a gallon for a commercial boat today.one knot counts in fuel economy.