Antifouling or highly polished prop

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   Somewhat against my better judgement, I took the advice of my dealer and antifouled my (then) new Flex o fold prop which they supplied, even using the antifouling brand they recommended. This has proved to be a mistake, with only the primer remaining attached after just a few weeks in the water. Of course the primer now provides a very good surface for growth!
Having prepared the prop with 80g abrasive (as per the paint manufacturer instructions) flex o fold are saying I can't get it polished because too much material will be lost and the blades out of balance, so it looks like this is an irreversible step I have taken :( 

It therefore looks like I am stuck with antifouling it again otherwise I will have a very keyed bare metal surface. Are flex of fold being over cautious? I see power boat props being routinely polished all the time.

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Matt1 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Rear Admiral Joined: 10 March 2019 Location: Hamble, UK Status: Offline Points: 727	Post Options Post Reply Quote Matt1 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Antifouling or highly polished prop Posted: 24 August 2022 at 15:58
	Somewhat against my better judgement, I took the advice of my dealer and antifouled my (then) new Flex o fold prop which they supplied, even using the antifouling brand they recommended. This has proved to be a mistake, with only the primer remaining attached after just a few weeks in the water. Of course the primer now provides a very good surface for growth! Having prepared the prop with 80g abrasive (as per the paint manufacturer instructions) flex o fold are saying I can't get it polished because too much material will be lost and the blades out of balance, so it looks like this is an irreversible step I have taken :( It therefore looks like I am stuck with antifouling it again otherwise I will have a very keyed bare metal surface. Are flex of fold being over cautious? I see power boat props being routinely polished all the time.
	Hanse 418 #64 EmBer. Hamble, UK

perry Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Captain Joined: 13 October 2015 Location: IOW Status: Offline Points: 318	Post Options Post Reply Quote perry Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 25 August 2022 at 09:03
	1) you can polish your prop after roughing with 80 grit, flexfold are being a pain? It would be nice to think boats were precision equipment like Turbo charger rotor balanced: In truth boats are near to agricultural equipment, e.g lose a chunck of prop and it will vibrate, lose a few grms of material over the blades when polishing from 80 grit to smooth surface, no vibration, pick up fouling and barnicles and it will not produce full thrust and may run rougher? 2) Ive been cleaning folding prop of old antifoul and primer annually for years using belt sander and triangular vibrating sander, then priming [Promocon] 2 coats. Then 2 coats of Trilux. Works fine on current 315 and previous 301. Both Saildrives. I tried polishing prop and it wasnt [in fact it never really worked] as good as Triilux/primer approach. Perry Bloto-4 Cowes
	Current Yacht Hanse 315 2007 Last Yacht Hanse 301 Round GB in 2017

grumpydatagit Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Captain Joined: 22 August 2015 Location: Lymington Status: Offline Points: 238	Post Options Post Reply Quote grumpydatagit Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 25 August 2022 at 15:12
	Ah! I had the same problems with the top layer of antifoul on mine flex-o-fold prop - even after following the instructions to the letter . I think the blades flex and the anti foul flakes off. I had my blades copper plated to get ariound this annual expensive farce. I just polished them up to a good finish as recommended by the electroplaters. I was worried about balance but when I asked Flex-o-fold what is the limit of imbalance between a two bladed prop - 10 to15grams - which mine was just in the limits

Matt1 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Rear Admiral Joined: 10 March 2019 Location: Hamble, UK Status: Offline Points: 727	Post Options Post Reply Quote Matt1 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 25 August 2022 at 16:15
	Interesting - I'm local to you, who did the copper plating? Does this have any influence on galvanic corrosion?
	Hanse 418 #64 EmBer. Hamble, UK

grumpydatagit Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Captain Joined: 22 August 2015 Location: Lymington Status: Offline Points: 238	Post Options Post Reply Quote grumpydatagit Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 25 August 2022 at 16:31
	I haven't seen any adverse corrosion - the prop anode was about the same as before. These are the guys that did it for me. If you do use them, ask them not to plate the gear tooths area. I think they did 70 micros Lathco Manufacturing Limited Exclusive Bespoke Manufacturing Electroplating \| Metal Finishers \| Silversmiths Unit 6 Aizlewood Road Sheffield S8 0YX Tel: 0114 258 5856 www.lathco.co.uk



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