FV 270 propeller question

luvinlife

My 2006 FV 270 has a Volvo 5.7 MPI 280 hp engine with a duo prop that I keep in salt water for 5 months a year. It seems to be propped well as I can reach about 5,000 RPMS and about 35 MPH on its best day. These props are stainless steel and in what I would call pretty good shape with a few minor rough spots on the edges that I will file, but not bad.  I paint them each year with anti fouling.  They are not mirror perfect and you can see the brush strokes when I paint them.  This boat is far from a speed demon but I want it to be as good as possible in performance.  My question is this - is it worth pulling and conditioning the props this off season? Will it make much difference? What do others do in salt water? Paint or just leave them bare stainless? Trying to stay busy this off season with things I can do. 

Dream_Inn

Well, I'm curious what other saltwater boaters will have to say.  I'm only in brackish, but I'd think even in saltwater you would not paint your stainless props.  What do others do in your area?  I would think you would lose performance by painting them.  And as far as filing, I'd watch what you use to file.  You may do more harm than good and cause corrosion.

luvinlife

There are some who leave theirs unpainted and others that paint. Unpainted props have growth and a layer of green in the fall. 

reneechris14

I'm in salt water and I just leave them bare. In the winter I clean and polish and about 5 coats of wax. I would think Antifowling paint would make some drag.

reneechris14

This is fresh out of the water in October 

luvinlife

Renee your props fared very well. Maybe those 5 coats of wax worked.  My neighbor keeps hers bare but they are pretty green by fall with algae. 

Black_Diamond

Just note do NOT use a wire brush, file, etc made of steel. The iron left behind (and yes it will) will cause corrossion. If you can passivate the parts afterwards you are fine. Nitric acid and alcohol mix. 

Dream_Inn

Another trick during the summer (when leaving them bare) is when you anchor out near the beach, just take a small rag and scrub the props a little.  If you do that a couple times thru the summer, you'll be amazed how clean they stay.  That and just using the boat helps.

cassiola

I'm in salt water and leave mine bare (have same Volvo duo-prop). Generally use it every weekend and the growth mostly stays off, but if I skip a weekend, sometimes I will lay on the swim platform and use a soft brush (plastic) and scrub off the slime and growth, then take it out for a ride.

luvinlife

Thanks I am leaning towards pulling the props and having them polished in the paint removed