Prop and shaft treatment

[K2MSmith]

Hello All,
My boat is still in the yard getting the bottom repainted. Should be done by early next week. One area discussed was cleaning/finishing the prop and shaft. One option is to just wire brush it, but they told me that that will not last long and another option is to wire brush it and then coat it with a clear finish. (Cost 280.00). I have a bronze folding prop. The cutlass bearing appears to be good as the PO had it replaced 3 years ago.

What is the typical maintenance one would do on the prop/shaft during hall-out as far as finish/cleaning goes ?

 

[Christian Williams]

I'd skip the $280. I figure its up to the diver to keep the prop clean, especially a folding prop.

 

[Frank Langer]

We have had a bronze folding prop on our boat for the last 17 years. I dive down year round at least once a month, more often in summer, to clean the hull, clean the prop and check the cutless bearing. I've never had a problem with those, nor has any boatyard suggested doing what your boat yard has proposed.
I would not spend money doing that. Just my opinion.
Frank

 

[Dave G.]

I would clean/wire brush and splash it. I am not familiar with that finish they are talking about ?

 

[K2MSmith]

I'd skip the $280. I figure its up to the diver to keep the prop clean, especially a folding prop.

The product is called “prop speed” and and prep ( wire wheel ) and cost to apply is 400. Wire wheeling / clean the prop / shaft only is 140 ( one hour ) . I’m inclined to have them just clean up the prop. I don’t know much about this product but I’m guessing it would appeal to the racing crowd.

 

[Christian Williams]

More on Prop Speed from the manufacturer.

From their Q&A:

How long will Lightspeed last? Lightspeed will last a minimum of 12 months.​

 

[william.haas]

Every spring before I splash Danu we apply a coat of Pettit Prop Coat from an aerosol can (approximately $30 and I have had the same can for 8 years). I clean everything up with a green scrubbie, mask the area off with blue tape and cardboard, and apply a few coats from the can. The entire job takes me around 20 minutes. I have looked into Prop Speed before and came to the conclusion that it was not worth the increased labor or material cost.

 

[K2MSmith]

Every spring before I splash Danu we apply a coat of Pettit Prop Coat from an aerosol can (approximately $30 and I have had the same can for 8 years). I clean everything up with a green scrubbie, mask the area off with blue tape and cardboard, and apply a few coats from the can. The entire job takes me around 20 minutes. I have looked into Prop Speed before and came to the conclusion that it was not worth the increased labor or material

Thanks for the suggestion . This particular yard isn’t really a DIY kind of place but I’ll consider on my next haul out . I’m having a lot of work done , including rod rigging so I think this work isn’t going to make the cut.

 

[Prairie Schooner]

I put PropSpeed on our shaft, strut, prop. A diver who commented earlier in that thread was very positive about it. This link and subsequent posts details our experience with it thus far:

E35-3 Prop Shaft Strut - a look inside - and a zinc question

I've been curious about this too. The idea of zincs is to allow galvanic action to affect the sacrificial part. Especially import to have a continuous path from the engine to a zinc. So the idea of a zinc on the strut has always confused me - the only contact that the strut has with any...

ericsonyachts.org

The jury's still kind of out on it for us, but so far I'm positively disposed towards it. If we can't get three years out of an application, I don't think it's worth the cost. It will be interesting to see what we have at haul out next month.

FWIW,
Jeff