Bob, I have used the Petit product (Zinc Coat Barnacle Barrier) for the last couple of years here in Buzzard's Bay, MA with mixed results. As others report, I sanded the prop down to very clean bronze and then applied 3 coats of the zinc paint from the spray can. I did wait about 2 weeks after painting before launching. In the fall, the prop was covered with barnacles. So last spring I scrapped off all the barnacles but did not sand off all the old paint and then did a triple spray again, but only a few days before launch. On top of that I smeared a very viscous lanolin, based on the discussions on the list, and smoothed it out with a hot air gun. This fall, the boat emerged from a full season in the water with virtually no barnacles on the prop or the hull (which was painted with a new layer of Micron 66). So I attributed the difference to the lanolin, which seemed to be still present on the prop, as it feels slightly greasy. True, the engine is hardly used at all because we are on a mooring and usually don't use it much at all unless the wind dies.
So it is interesting that Danny, only a few miles away, saw no growth with just a bronze prop. - no paint or grease. It seems very difficult to generalize from the very different reports. Eric Eric Frank Cat's Paw C&C 35 Mk II Mattapoisett, MA > Date: Mon, 07 Jan 2013 14:54:48 -0400 > From: Robert Abbott <robertabb...@eastlink.ca> > To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com > Subject: Stus-List Prop Mussel Farm > Message-ID: <50eb19f8.5080...@eastlink.ca> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed > > The topic is back.....last year, in an attempt to inhibit the growth of > mussels on the prop and prop shaft, I coated them with lanolin.....was > told or read this would help. When the boat was hauled in October, the > prop/shaft were completely encased in mussels, again. The growth has a > noticeable, negative effect on the performance of the prop later in the > season e.g. higher RPM's to attain same cruising speed when motoring. > After trying a few so called 'remedies', I am now convinced the only > effective way to keep the prop free of marine growth (mussels on mine) > is to dive a few times a season and physically remove them. Maybe I > need a few pounds of lead, my safety harness on and tethered to the > toerail and a few feet of hose the top end tied to the pushpit and me > breathing from the bottom end. > > However, before I comtemplated something like that, there is one more > 'remedy' I have heard/read about......it involves coating the prop/shaft > with "galvanized zinc spray paint". I have never seen this done and do > not know what effect it might have on the bronze prop (shouldn't be > negative but I'm not sure). There is never any marine growth on my > sacrificial zinc(s). > > Has anyone heard of this? Anyone with any experience with this paint on > props? > > Bob Abbott > AZURA > C&C 32 - 84 > Halifax, N.S. _______________________________________________ This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album http://www.cncphotoalbum.com CnC-List@cnc-list.com
