Do you ever polish your propeller?

[Sea-Dog]

I happened upon the following info on the net when finding info on barnacles.

Food for thought......

from http://www.hullcleaning.com/Prevent,Efficiency,Intervals.htm

Propeller Efficiency

The propeller is particularly vulnerable to marine fouling since it is an unpainted surface that must remain clean and shiny for proper operation. The U.S. Navy determined that propeller fouling, despite its small surface area, can generate energy losses amounting to half that of the hull itself so maintaining a clean propeller is critical. On military ships, the unpainted surfaces such as propellers, rudders, and sonar domes are cleaned twice as often as the hull surfaces. The propellers are also polished routinely to reduce friction and ensure that the propeller operates at optimum efficiency. Even with routine maintenance, surface roughness can occur as a result of erosion, corrosion, or from tubeworm tracings. This roughness alone can increase fuel consumption up to 10 percent.

So if a military ship with its slow-turning prop can save 10% on fuel by polishing - how much can be saved by polishing the much faster rotating prop of an outboard ????

[flatheadfred]

Yep, the stainless prop and stainless hydrofoil thingo get hit with the buff #8-)
...That's because I'm a bit excessive compulsive though. I like things nice and clean and all spiffy. ::)
The other props are alloy and nice and clean also. That's a good excuse to hit them with the buff as well :)

I can get to my props very easily....the boats this report refers to may be a tad more difficult and they'll probably be about 100 times bigger.

Food for thought though...definitely #:)

[krazyfisher]

I tried to polish my prop on a rock once ::) didnt seem to make it go any better

[Blackened]

G'day

Yes Sea Dog, any jobs I have with a stainless prop I give it a polish. Just brings the whole rig up and good maintenance practice as well.

Dave

[Black_Jack]

they seem to polish OK if you run them through the sand (bloody sandbanks)

[Roughasguts]

I polish my prop once or twice a year.
When I grease the shaft and inspect the seals I give it a rub with Jiff cream and a plastic scourer, does a great job on the burley bucket and S/S fuel tank, as well.

Polishing or scrubbing, re-oxygenate's the stainless steel which brings out the protective qualities.

[Fast_Freddie]

I guess the question is, 'Has anyone noticed any benifit after polishing the prop?'

Makes sense though. If the surface is rough it ain't gonna go through the water as effeciently . . .

[smiley=huh.gif]

Fred

[marlinqld]

damn...another thing i gotta do to my stainless prop now....... :( ;) ;D ;D

Sounds logical to me...dull and rough dont go through water as well.....well it sounds good anyway.....


Mike

[Roughasguts]

I guess the question is, 'Has anyone noticed any benifit after polishing the prop?'

Makes sense though. #If the surface is rough it ain't gonna go through the water as effeciently . . .

[smiley=huh.gif]

Fred

I can only testify to the Aircraft I have flown, 3 identical Aircraft one a bit of
sh!tter, with a polished prop. The one with the polished prop had 10kts better at the same power settings.

Two identical higher powered Aircraft one with the polished prop, 20 kts better.

I have never driven identical boats, but if it works for one, think it would for the other more dence enviroment.

[Blackened]

G'day
Another quick one, There is a product out called speedkote (or similar)

They use it on the running gear on moored boats (props and rudders) as an antifouling and is a sillicone based product. It has better efficiency than polished stainless through the water and is yellow.

Damn expensive to use, but these costs are saved with use. If you were to go to the local marinas, you'd see a few with this stuff on at the hard stand.

Dave

[Fast_Freddie]

Good on ya Roughasguts,
I was just about to call a mate, who also flys light aircraft a lot, to ask about the effects of rough props versus polished.

You beat me to it. (Its probably you that keeps beating me to the fish as well . . . lol)

It just has to be better doesn't it?

Even though I've got an alloy prop the theory must work to some degree I think.

[smiley=dankk2.gif]

Fred

[Roughasguts]

Fast Freddie,
I might be able to beat you to fish, depends what size motor you got?
and you also need to tell me where to go.

But Fish alude me mate I haven't caught nuthen.... for the last 2 years.

[Ian_Reeders]

I guess the question is, 'Has anyone noticed any benifit after polishing the prop?'

Makes sense though. #If the surface is rough it ain't gonna go through the water as effeciently . . .

[smiley=huh.gif]

Fred

I can only testify to the Aircraft I have flown, 3 identical Aircraft one a bit of
sh!tter, with a polished prop. The one with the polished prop had 10kts better at the same power settings.

Two identical higher powered Aircraft one with the polished prop, 20 kts better.

I have never driven identical boats, but if it works for one, think it would for the other more dence enviroment.

In my experience as a l.a.m.e. I would suggest the difference in the props was the dimensions not the polish. When props are overhauled they are ground back to shape, reducing the dimensions. A prop with blades on their 3rd life will perform much worse then new blades. Nicks in the leading edge do have some effect on efficency but I have never heard of anyone polishing there props for more speed.
As long as the prop, boat or airacrft, is clean and smooth I think the benifits of polishing would be negligible.

Cheers

Ian

[PinHead]

never polish my props...don't want to take the anti foul off any quicker

[Roughasguts]

Could be Ian.R Those polished props were brand new.

The others chipped and roughly filed back then painted.
Gravel run up bays and the odd dirt runway ain't real good for em.

[Fast_Freddie]

Ian - pardon my ignorance but what does l.a.m.e. stand for mate?
Light Aircraft Maintenance Engineer??

What everyone is saying makes sense so I guess it is up to the individual.
Think I'll give it a go and see if anything feels different.

If nothing else it gives me an excuse to crack another stubbie while cleaning the boat . . .

[smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Fred

[dfox]

Another advantage to polishing your prop is that it aids in attracting fish while trolling. I know of a number of pro spanish mackerel fisherman that regularly polish there stainless props for this reason...

[Roughasguts]

Close. Licenced Aircraft mechanical engineer.

[Dirtysanchez]

I do and I am sick of it, as much as I love crabbing I am tired of retrieving the pots at low tide and polishing the prop in the shallows :(

Think I better get power tilt and trim, getting too old for all this lifting of the motor bullsh1t

:D

[Chimo]

Yep have done for years. I always reckoned they looked better, glad to know they are better too. Thanks for the info

Cheers

Chimo

[PinHead]

They were shiny once

[whichway]

Hi

A long while ago when I used to try to race sailing boats, the fastest finish was a very light sand. I'm pretty sure they don't polish the America's cup boat hulls for the same reason. I'm not sure whether this would apply to props, and how much difference it would make. You could look up boundary layer theory if you wanted to understand this a bit better. As I recall, this is why golf balls are dimpled rather than smooth.

If you think a shiny prop looks better, then polish it - If you can't be bothered, then don't worry too much - we should all enjoy our boats as much as possible.

Whichway.

[onerabbit]

Funny to find this thread today,
I was giving my prop a good wipe with cotton wadding polish this afternoon ( it had a few water stains on it).
Pretty sad considering we fished today, boat was back on the trailer before 9am.
Anyone going off Ballina should be aware of a big current running at the moment, 3 to 3.5 knots, pretty much unfishable, even on the 32s.

Muzz

[Ian_Reeders]

Fast Freddie
L.a.m.e. - Licensed aircraft maintenance engineer. Big term for an aircraft mechanic.
Like you say its up to personal preference. Must admit if I had a big shiny prop on my boat I would probably polish it just to keep it looking good.

cheers

Ian

[Fast_Freddie]

Hi

A long while ago when I used to try to race sailing boats, the fastest finish was a very light sand. I'm pretty sure they don't polish the America's cup boat hulls for the same reason. I'm not sure whether this would apply to props, and how much difference it would make. You could look up boundary layer theory if you wanted to understand this a bit better. As I recall, this is why golf balls are dimpled rather than smooth.

If you think a shiny prop looks better, then polish it - If you can't be bothered, then don't worry too much - we should all enjoy our boats as much as possible.

Whichway.


Thanks for this Whichway,
I had a look at the "Boundary Layer Theory" after you mentioned it.
Very, very interesting, particularly regarding movement through fluids.

Both the "shiny" and "controlled rough" theories seem to work.

I don't think either it is going to make any significant difference to my boat's performance but like others are saying -
"It looks really really noice!"

Cheers mate.

[smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Fred

[snelly1971]

Have heard it helps to polish the prop....alot of boaties also spray the bottom of there aluminium boats with lanolin oil...reduces frition i suppose...

[dnej]

Used to polish my prop once a week at least, but now I am getting past it, and only polish it ,around once a month.( LOL)
Bit of a disappointment really
David

[Nicko_Cairns]

Some nights I give my wife a nudge and she says she's got a headache, so I polish hell out of my "propellor" 😉 I have forearm strength that can crush walnuts! 😃😜😛

[tunaticer]

Some nights I give my wife a nudge and she says she's got a headache, so I polish hell out of my "propellor"  I have forearm strength that can crush walnuts! 
Yes, but does your "propellor" run more economically with so much effort polishing it?

[Dignity]

Some nights I give my wife a nudge and she says she's got a headache, so I polish hell out of my "propellor" �� I have forearm strength that can crush walnuts! ������

Offer her a couple of panadol first, when she asks what they are for you tell her they are for her headache, she refuse as she says she doesn't have one, great you reply, how about a nudge then.

[scottar]

Offer her a couple of panadol first, when she asks what they are for you tell her they are for her headache, she refuse as she says she doesn't have one, great you reply, how about a nudge then.

The trick there is to powder your propellor with crushed panadol and ask her to polish it. Kills two birds with one stone.