Barnacles on inboard shaft
 

I have had to dive under my boat bi-monthly and scrape barnacles off
the shaft and prop. One marina said I might be over zinked?? Should I
use a clear antifouling paint such as a clear outdrive coating? Any
help would be appreciated. Paul

When you figure it out, let me know. That is the biggest pain there is
- getting the shaft :-) I've never been able to keep the growth off.
I assume you are in FL where the thick grows thickest!

One thing I started doing that seems to help a little is sort of a
strange thing. When I clean the bottom (and the shaft) I take surfboard
wax that I melt Cyan pepper into and rub it on the shaft. It doesn't
last that long but you can put it on quickly underwater and when I come
back, the job seems a lot easier. I don't know if I am imagining it
or if I have discovered the cure but I think it helps.

If you want to try this, here is what I did. I made a tinfoil bowl
inside a pan of water and put the wax and pepper in the tinfoil bowl to
melt. I just mixed it up and it seemed to work. I think a candle would
work or any paraffin but all I had was surfboard wax. The harder the
wax is, the better it would stick, I think.

I suggest asking whoever suggested you were over zinced to explain in
precise terms the physics that would back up their notion.

ed
http://www.marineenginedigest.com

I've heard nothing but great reports about this stuff:
http://www.propspeed.com/. I plan to use it at my next bottom job.

Ed: You can overzinc a wooden boat, causing the wood to fail at
thru-hulls, but i've never heard of it happening on a plastic boat.

Da Kine, I'm on Cape Cod. However, the water gets pretty warm for a
couple of months. I've heard of cyan peper working. Thanks for the
tip.

Ed, The guy that said something about being over zinked. Seemed to
think that a small amount of electrosis might help with barnacles. As
far as the terms of physics, I couldn't venture a guess. And the Cape
Codder who told me that would be insulted if I asked him to explain the
precise terms of physics that would back up his notion. ??

Keith, I'll check that site. Thanks for the tip.

Keith, Propspeed sounds like the way I'm going to go. Have you priced
it out yet? What do you think it would cost to do 2' of shaft and a
prop. Thank, Paul

On 26 Sep 2005 00:08:00 -0700, "ed"
wrote:

I suggest asking whoever suggested you were over zinced to explain in
precise terms the physics that would back up their notion.

ed
http://www.marineenginedigest.com


Not quite the explanation you want - but it happens that Sir Humphrey
Day sold the (Royal) Navy on the virtues of electrolytic protection
for their copper clad hulls.

Sre enough, the cladding no longer eroded, and the fleet was fitted,
but within months - all kinds of livestock were choking the hulls.
With no copper salts entering the water, there was no disincentive to
barnacles and the rest.

Plenty of zincs increase the electrolytic protection for exposed metal
by sacrificing zinc. But what does not erode from the steel and
bronze is not necessarily what was keeping the growth off,
in this case

Brian Whatcott Altus OK

boater435 wrote:
I have had to dive under my boat bi-monthly and scrape barnacles off
the shaft...
jeezus that sounds painful

Have you seen your doctor? I think they have an oinment for that! :-)

Preparation H,