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YachtForums · 06-17-2006, 08:45 AM

Sorry so long on the response. Had to weigh your need for an answer against pressing issues during the week. I’ve got an answer that might be worth looking into, but first I’m going to cover a few basics…

Wive’s tales…

I once heard an old-salt talk about a recipe his wife suggested…using Cayenne pepper as a deterrent against fouling by mixing it with fiberglass resin and hardener, then coating the props. Obviously, this was less toxic to the environment than most bottom coats, but I have no idea if this really works. If anything, it probably keeps fish away!

Vapor trails…

Obviously, an ablative antifouling paint won't last on props. Lots of people have primed props and then coated them with a hard antifouling paint in an attempt to postpone the inevitable. If the boat is going to sit for a prolonged period, then coating the props will help, but ultimately it's going to degrade with use. Short of ceramics, I don’t know of any coating that will last on a prop and certainly none that will withstand cavitation burns.

Busting Mussels and Myths…

Let me preface this response by saying, I’m an extremely skeptical person. I’m one of those who guys who questions if Johnson’s Baby Shampoo really IS better for babies! If I don’t have hard stats, it’s just hearsay in my book. Short of that, I trust the collective knowledge of my peers.

At this year’s Palm Beach Boat Show, I met with the folks from Mussel Buster...

http://www.musselbuster.com/mb.htm

They've displayed at the Miami & Palm Beach shows for the past couple of years and have accumulated some pretty good testimonials on their product, specifically developed to prevent fouling on props.

In speaking with a company representative, he dropped a few hydrodynamic buzzwords relating to the performance of props coated with their process. It was clear that he didn’t understand the physics and the math didn’t add up for me. I walked away a little uneasy with his claims of performance and basically… discounted the product.

When you raised the question about protecting stern gear, I remembered Mussel Buster and decided to do a little research. In reviewing their website, I now understand why their customers are getting better performance results… it’s NOT the coating process, it’s the process mandated prior to the coating… Prop Scan! Essentially, computerized dynamic balancing of props. THIS… makes sense. NOT the prop wash they were trying to spray me with. I find it particularly disturbing when a salesman uses language without any specific education, and tries to pass it off as expertise.

Here’s my suggestion… look into the service based on its antifouling properties, but don’t buy it based on the performance hype. The product appears to have merit and is likely the best choice for protecting stern gear.

06-17-2006, 08:45 AM	#2
YachtForums Publisher/Admin Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: South Florida Posts: 12,409	Sorry so long on the response. Had to weigh your need for an answer against pressing issues during the week. I’ve got an answer that might be worth looking into, but first I’m going to cover a few basics… Wive’s tales… I once heard an old-salt talk about a recipe his wife suggested…using Cayenne pepper as a deterrent against fouling by mixing it with fiberglass resin and hardener, then coating the props. Obviously, this was less toxic to the environment than most bottom coats, but I have no idea if this really works. If anything, it probably keeps fish away! Vapor trails… Obviously, an ablative antifouling paint won't last on props. Lots of people have primed props and then coated them with a hard antifouling paint in an attempt to postpone the inevitable. If the boat is going to sit for a prolonged period, then coating the props will help, but ultimately it's going to degrade with use. Short of ceramics, I don’t know of any coating that will last on a prop and certainly none that will withstand cavitation burns. Busting Mussels and Myths… Let me preface this response by saying, I’m an extremely skeptical person. I’m one of those who guys who questions if Johnson’s Baby Shampoo really IS better for babies! If I don’t have hard stats, it’s just hearsay in my book. Short of that, I trust the collective knowledge of my peers. At this year’s Palm Beach Boat Show, I met with the folks from Mussel Buster... http://www.musselbuster.com/mb.htm They've displayed at the Miami & Palm Beach shows for the past couple of years and have accumulated some pretty good testimonials on their product, specifically developed to prevent fouling on props. In speaking with a company representative, he dropped a few hydrodynamic buzzwords relating to the performance of props coated with their process. It was clear that he didn’t understand the physics and the math didn’t add up for me. I walked away a little uneasy with his claims of performance and basically… discounted the product. When you raised the question about protecting stern gear, I remembered Mussel Buster and decided to do a little research. In reviewing their website, I now understand why their customers are getting better performance results… it’s NOT the coating process, it’s the process mandated prior to the coating… Prop Scan! Essentially, computerized dynamic balancing of props. THIS… makes sense. NOT the prop wash they were trying to spray me with. I find it particularly disturbing when a salesman uses language without any specific education, and tries to pass it off as expertise. Here’s my suggestion… look into the service based on its antifouling properties, but don’t buy it based on the performance hype. The product appears to have merit and is likely the best choice for protecting stern gear.