T&T: PropSpeed

[Milt Baker]

Pat,

After hearing glowing reports of PropSpeed keeping propellers, shafts and other metal running gear clean and free of fouling for the past couple of years, I had PropSpeed professionally applied at the Hinckley yard in Southwest Harbor, ME, in August 2006, and I am delighted with the results.  

Following the instructions is critically important.  One must start with burnished underwater metal, sanded and then cleaned with alcohol to remove all traces of oil, grease or wax.  Within minutes, PropSpeed Part A is applied, and while Part A is still tacky, Part B is applied--that's why it takes two people to apply.  The process leaves the propellers a mustard yellow, which later seems to mellow to a more of a gold color.  After it dries, PropSpeed has a "tooth" to is--it feels to me rather like a sticky Teflon coating and I think that's why it works because the coating will not let hard fouling like barnacles and tube coral stay attached.

Aboard my boat, the main propeller and shaft and wing propeller and shaft were treated with PropSpeed in August.  When I hauled the boat in December, except for one or two small scratches the coating was exactly as it looked at the time the boat was launched in August.  With the exception of a single small barnacle which was easily removed with my fingernail, the props and shafts were absolutely clean of all fouling.

I have three friends who have tried PropSpeed for as long as two years with similar results.  Bernie Francis, skipper of a Hinckley 60 sailing yacht, posted his excellent experience with it on the MedBound 2007 bulletin board at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MedBound2007/message/61

Bottom line: there may be cheaper ways to keep one's running gear clean, but in 40 years of cruising I have not found a more effective way--nothing else even close.   I will keep on using it because IMO a clean propeller saves more in time, speed and fuel than PropSpeed costs.

Usual disclaimers: no associataion with PropSpeed or anyone who applies, sells or profits from it . . . just a VERY satisfied user.

--Milt Baker, Nordhavn 47 Bluewater, Stuart, FL





Pat Harman wrote:

Like many of you I collect barnacles and other marine growth on my propeller and shaft. I came across a product called PropSpeed.

http://www.propspeed.com/

Does anyone have experience with this product? It is rather pricey at $394.99 at West Marine for a liter of the stuff. Does it work, or is it snake oil?