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Should I paint my prop?

luvinlifeluvinlife Member Posts: 501 ✭✭✭
edited March 2019 in General Boating Discussions
My 270 has a Volvo DP with formerly painted stainless steel props. They had been painted with Petit Hydrocote a few times and who knows what before that, and they were not that smooth or clean.  I pulled them today and sanded, wire brushed and used paint remover to get them down to bare metal. I’d love to leave them bare metal but I wonder if that’s a good idea. We are in salt water for 5 months a year in Rhode Island. What would you treat them with, if anything? 
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    reneechris14reneechris14 Member Posts: 3,134 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Leave them bare, swin down in the summer with a scotch bright pad and give them a little rubbing. If you use a steel brush it will leave deposits and they will rust. A stainless wire wheel on a drill polishes them up nice.
    2005 Rinker FV342  Pawcatuck river,Ct
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    diggin2day1diggin2day1 Member Posts: 1,326 ✭✭✭✭
    I’ve always heard that stainless props should never be sanded or wire brushed... I think it causes pitting issues. 
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    rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,238 ✭✭✭✭✭
    When I got over spray on mine from painting the out drive, did not stay long!
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    Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If you use your boat it will stay clean
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    LaReaLaRea Member, Moderator Posts: 7,546 mod
    Once I painted mine with Primocon metal primer and Trilux antifouling paint.  It was just leftovers from painting the drives, but I did a careful job of it. 

    I drove the boat 8 miles to haul out for maintenance, and the paint was gone.  That was the first and last time I painted the props.
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    Dream_InnDream_Inn Member, Moderator Posts: 7,558 mod
    I would go without paint and just take an old washcloth or scotch bright (as mentioned) whenever you are in the water.  Definitely better to have bare if possible.  I know in my area that most people do not paint their SS props (we are in brackish water).

    Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express

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    luvinlifeluvinlife Member Posts: 501 ✭✭✭
    Too late on not using steel wire brush on them, oh well.  Might just try waxing them a few times and putting them in for the season. 
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    diggin2day1diggin2day1 Member Posts: 1,326 ✭✭✭✭
    luvinlife said:
    Too late on not using steel wire brush on them, oh well.  Might just try waxing them a few times and putting them in for the season. 
    I found out the same way... after I wire brushed the stainless props on my old Maxum! Lol
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    WillhoundWillhound Member Posts: 4,185 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I beleive the thought is that the wire brush leaves microscopic scratches with low carbon steel deposits in them which promotes galvanic reaction, therefore pitting etc. Just thinking out loud, but would a quick shot of muriatic acid or some such help remove that? Probably not?
    "Knot Quite Shore" - 2000 FV270 (Sold)
    2018 Cherokee 39RL Land Yacht (Sorry...)
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    luvinlifeluvinlife Member Posts: 501 ✭✭✭
    Willhound I have heard that muriatic acid is not recommended on any metal. That is why I was thinking wax?
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    bella-vitabella-vita Member Posts: 411 ✭✭✭
    I clean my props every year with muriatic acid,I do remove them first so I don’t get the acid on anything else.
    2002 Rinker FV 342
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    davidbrooksdavidbrooks Member Posts: 1,344 ✭✭✭✭
    I just spent hours trying to strip off the prop paint i put on last year.  Don't do it again.  Still haven't gotten it all off.  I honestly don't think that it helped at all vs leaving it bare.
    It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere!
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    craigswardmtbcraigswardmtb Member Posts: 1,015 ✭✭✭
    I use a stiff poly brush that I put on my drill..  it does a great job of cleaning any growth off. I also use toilet bowl cleaner and scotch pads on areas I can't reach with the drill. 
    I have read the only paint that works well is Prop Speed..  it is however insanely expensive....  I would only consider if I was in the water year round  
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    luvinlifeluvinlife Member Posts: 501 ✭✭✭
    I will clean my props as well as I can and put them back on bare. I can brush them off from time to time if I see growth. We shall see! 
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    Cableguy GregCableguy Greg Member Posts: 5,011 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I clean my props and trim tabs every year with diluted muriatic acid. Then I wash with soap and water. It cleans them up really well.
    2008 280 Express Cruiser, 6.2MPI, B3, Pittsburgh, PA "Blue Ayes"
    Go Steelers!!!
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    luvinlifeluvinlife Member Posts: 501 ✭✭✭
    Thanks Greg, I will try exactly the same thing. 
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    IanIan Member Posts: 2,778 ✭✭✭✭
    Cableguy Greg said:
    I clean my props and trim tabs every year with diluted muriatic acid. Then I wash with soap and water. It cleans them up really well.
    Last year was the first time I used this method and they sparkled like never before! When hauled for winter they actually looked cleaner than they had in the past when hauled. Placebo effect maybe but they do look cleaner, once out of the bunker I'll clean them up again before launch.

    Regards,

    Ian

    The Third “B”

    Secretary, Ravena Coeymans Yacht Club

    https://www.rcyachtclub.com/

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    IanIan Member Posts: 2,778 ✭✭✭✭
    Willhound said:
    I beleive the thought is that the wire brush leaves microscopic scratches with low carbon steel deposits in them which promotes galvanic reaction, therefore pitting etc. Just thinking out loud, but would a quick shot of muriatic acid or some such help remove that? Probably not?
    You may have something there as prior cleaning of mine had been with brushes etc and so that may explain why this year they do in fact look better after hauling seeing as I used the acid last year.

    Regards,

    Ian

    The Third “B”

    Secretary, Ravena Coeymans Yacht Club

    https://www.rcyachtclub.com/

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    06Rinker27006Rinker270 Member Posts: 1,277 ✭✭✭
    Does anyone paint their trim tabs or just clean and leave them bare?
    Patrick
    06 Rinker 270
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    aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,797 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Mine are painted, I wish they weren’t.
    2008 330EC
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    SpyderwebSpyderweb Member Posts: 879 ✭✭✭
    @aero3113 painted as in bottom paint?
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    aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,797 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yes, my trim tabs have bottom paint on them. I’m sure I can easily remove it.
    2008 330EC
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    PickleRickPickleRick Member Posts: 3,886 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Try using pontoon cleaner for film on props/trim tabs.  I think 5 gallons at socar chemicals is 50 bucks.  I clean wheels and my metal roof with it as well.  

    To remove stubborn old paint see you have some shops near by ask about sand blasting with walnut shell to clean.  Small engine shops, motor cycle shops etc. Or buy the stuff at harbor freight


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    Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If you used steel bristles on your SS props, you will get corrosion. UNLESS you passivate them. 

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
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    06Rinker27006Rinker270 Member Posts: 1,277 ✭✭✭
    My tabs were painted some years ago and it has slowly been coming off.  I take my sander to them every year to get off barnacles and growth.  I always think about painting them but never do.  Curious of the antifouling paint worked well on the tabs...
    Patrick
    06 Rinker 270
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    06Rinker27006Rinker270 Member Posts: 1,277 ✭✭✭
    Sanding props with standard sand paper is bad?  I have been doing so for years.
    Patrick
    06 Rinker 270
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    WillhoundWillhound Member Posts: 4,185 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Anything that can scratch them. There is evidence that even the smallest scratch can increase the possibility of galvanic corrosion. Use a light acid solution (i.e. toilet bowl cleaner, muriatic acid) and a softer scrubber like a nylon pot scrubber and rinse with clear, cool water.
    "Knot Quite Shore" - 2000 FV270 (Sold)
    2018 Cherokee 39RL Land Yacht (Sorry...)
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    dropoutdropout Member Posts: 138 ✭✭✭
    I recently purchased a salt water boat out of Charleston SC and now keep on Lake St Clair, Mi.

    The outdrives and tabs have some type of painted coating on them. Is this salt water specific? Or special paint or coating? I'm looking to repaint them the same.

    How about the bottom paint, is what's on there now salt water?
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    mattiemattie Member Posts: 1,253 ✭✭✭✭
    Not sure about what to recoat existing tab surfaces, etc, with....

    But, be sure you replace all your anodes with magnesium alloy for fresh water. I'm sure you know that already, lol.



    246BR, 276BR, H310BR current
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