Barnacle Prevention - Chesapeake Bay

Wobegon · July 29, 2013, 11:57:43 AM

So, this is my first season with my boat located in salt water, after the boat spending 20 years on Lake Erie. I moved the boat from Lake Erie to the Chesapeake Bay this year and sail out of Rock Hall, MD since early May. I arrived at the boat this Friday to find that I had limited mobility and dramatically reduced RPMs under power. Could only get up to 2 knots and she was working too hard. I had not been to the boat for three weeks and it had been sitting at the dock. I have been hearing the stories around the Bay about how this year has a high level of bottom growth, so I had a pretty good idea of what the problem was. Upon having the boat hauled by the marina, I found a good inch of barnacles on the propeller, strut and propeller shaft. Thus, very restricted movement on the moving parts. The bottom was is good shape where painted. A complete scraping of all the metal components and a good bottom cleaning, I was ready to go and had an easy 7 knots under power again. Life is back to normal and ready to go sailing again. However, to avoid this happening in the future, can anyone provide guidance on a product that I can put on shaft, strut and propellor? Also, is there an recommendation for the transducers for depth and knot meters that can be used to protect them as well. I am loving the Chesapeake Bay, but us "un-salted" sailors have a learning curve.

Roc · July 29, 2013, 12:48:16 PM

Where in Rock Hall are you? I'm at Haven Harbour. I use Petitt Barnacle Barrier Coat on the shaft and propeller (did you put anything on?). So far, so good... but I "move" the boat every weekend. There have only been one or two times that I skipped a weekend this year, so I've never gone a full three weeks. I have found in the past, skipping one weekend of not moving the boat is ok, but three weeks is pushing it. I've heard that this year, barnacle growth is bad, so that may be part of your problem.

Ron Hill · July 29, 2013, 02:13:14 PM

Wo : The key is to keep the boat moving!!

Jim Hardesty · July 29, 2013, 02:30:18 PM

Would it be better, barnacle wise, to keep it up a river?
Jim

Ron Hill · July 29, 2013, 02:50:12 PM

Jim : Great Idea, except you have go WAY up some of the Chesapeake Bay rivers - to find Fresh Water!!

chuck53 · July 29, 2013, 03:25:13 PM

Quote from: Roc on July 29, 2013, 12:48:16 PM
I use Petitt Barnacle Barrier Coat on the shaft and propeller (did you put anything on?). So far, so good.

I second the use of the Pettit product. The PO of my boat told me about it and I've continued to use it. From everything I've read, probably the best product out there for running gear is Prop Speed, however, it is very expensive and labor intensive to use.
Pettit Zinc coat barnacle barrier is fairly cheap and easy to use. When I bought my boat (in Rock Hall) the PO had used it before spashing in early May. When I pulled the boat in October, I was surprised at the amount of growth I had - very little. The least amount of growth I had ever seen for a season. I keep my boat on the lower Potomac where the salinity is probably higher than Rock Hall, meaning more growth.

Ron Hill · July 29, 2013, 05:05:27 PM

Guys in the Chesapeake : The Petitt Zn paint does one thing that no other coating does on silicone bronze - it sticks!!

In the more brackish waters it does NOT impede the barnacles from growing!!!!!!!

chuck53 · July 29, 2013, 06:55:43 PM

Quote from: Ron Hill on July 29, 2013, 05:05:27 PM

In the more brackish waters it does NOT impede the barnacles from growing!!!!!!!

Works for me and a number of our marina neighbors have switched to it and they have told me that it is an improvement over whatever they used to use.

Wobegon · July 30, 2013, 04:26:01 AM

Thanks to everyone. As always, very helpful. ROC "Sea Life" I am located at Osprey Point next door to you. I am sure I have seen you motor by once or twice.

I have a question on the Petiti Barnacle Barrier Coat...It looks like it is a spray on can, as opposed to brush on...any special precautions, or protection to the bottom paint before spraying?

I agree on keeping it moving...we hadn't missed a weekend all summer, but had to make an emergency trip away, then the temperature kept us away for one weekend. I was told by the marina yard that the Chesapeake had sort of a perfect growing season for barnacles with a long cool wet spring, then extreme heat early and extended. But, I want to avoid this again next year, so will use Pettit for sure next spring.

chuck53 · July 30, 2013, 06:22:35 AM

Yes, it is a spray can, sells in the $25-30 range per can.
Clean up your running gear really good and spray on 2-3 LIGHT coats. You only have to wait a couple of minutes between each coat. Just follow directions and you will be fine. As far as the boat bottom goes, I just taped some newspaper around the immediate area to keep the Pettit off.
I did my boat 3 years ago. The first summer, I only dropped maybe 50 RPMs. The second summer, I dropped maybe another 75 RPM's. This summer is really bad and I dropped 400 RPMs, so basically, you should be able to get 2 seasons out of it without too much growth. Had my running gear been painted with bottom paint, as we used to do, the growth would have been much worse. I probably would have lost 300-400 RPMs the first season.

Ken Juul · July 30, 2013, 09:03:05 AM

Yes it has been a bad year on the bay for growth. I have not tried the paint, other folks have in the marina and report mixed results. When I notice an rpm drop if my destination is an anchorage I dive the bottom when I get there. If not I drop the hook just outside the channel and do a quick dive there. Wear gloves, put a mask on and grab my putty knife. I can do about one blade per breath, and additional 2 breaths for the shaft and good to go. I then switch the putty knife to a bristle brush and a couple quick swipes takes care of the speed and depth. I don't like diving in the marina. Some folks think there is a stray current problem and the water has about half the visibility.