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Anybody Recognize This Coating on UW Metals?

Discussion in 'Props, Shafts & Seals' started by CaboFly, Sep 16, 2020.

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  1. CaboFly

    CaboFly Member

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    When I bought My Cabo there was a fresh coating was on all the underwater metals. It has performed well and after 4 years I would like to apply a fresh coat. I just don't know what it is. I can see brush strokes on shafts that to me implies it is not very thick like what I would expect from prop speed. Any help would be appreciated.

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    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 5, 2020
  2. DOCKMASTER

    DOCKMASTER Senior Member

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    It is Prop Speed
  3. DOCKMASTER

    DOCKMASTER Senior Member

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    I believe
  4. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    4 years on prop speed?
    Amazing.

    Can it be touched up?
  5. CaboFly

    CaboFly Member

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    The shafts haven't really changed but the props and rudders have 75% worn off. Truth is I don't need to have anything on the u/w metals as the water is brackish 50 to 55 degrees and boat is under a roof so it gets almost complete shade. This was on when purchased and I would like to either touch it up or if it wipes off easily I may do that as well. I haul every 9 months to do zincs and look over bottom. Typically 20 min with a wet scotch-brite general purpose pad I can have any grime removed. Once I can confirm what this is then I will contact manf regarding touchup or removal.

    Thanks guys.
  6. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    It is propspeed. Very expensive to apply. Either leave it alone as it's still somewhat working, or take it off and re-coat it. There's no touching it up and no reason to remove it.
  7. CaboFly

    CaboFly Member

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    The only time it bothers me is when I have touched up my bottom paint and applied new zincs then go to take a pic. It looks half azz so to speak as the rudders and props are clean but look like they are half worn. Now that I know what it is I will atleast know my options when I haul the boat in a couple weeks.

    Thanks guys.
  8. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    There is another brand, name of it escapes me now.
    Don't know if one can touch up the other.

    Prop Speed does have it's own unique primer that must be used on exposed metal. Just the stuff it self will not stick to metal.
    This is why an application usually requires a strip, then new primer and then the stuff.

    Please keep us up on what you do and how it works out.
  9. mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    Unless in flesh it's much better than it appears in the photo, I'd rather replace the shaft bearing first.
  10. CaboFly

    CaboFly Member

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    I have no problem replacing cutlass bearings if needed. I have looked at that each of the last 3 haul outs but am not sure what my sign for replacement would be? If they look worn to you pro's then I will jump on it. Power is smooth and when I did shaft seals I checked for play and there was none.
  11. mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    Well it does look somewhat worn to me (though I've seen much worse).
    Do you know how old they are, and how many hours they clocked?
    Anyhow, as I said, that can only be judged in flesh.
  12. d_meister

    d_meister Senior Member

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    The trouble with some PropSpeed applications is that the metals are sometimes coarsely abraded so the coating has more "tooth" to adhere to. If you remove it, the metals may be rough enough to allow better adhesion of growth.
    That shaft looks like it got the 40 grit treatment.
  13. CaboFly

    CaboFly Member

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    Thanks for the input guys. Hauled out on Monday and went back into the water today. Replaced the cutlass bearings and condition was not horrible but upon removal you could see that the Port side (shown in pic above) was starting to lose one chunk of rubber and it was a good time to just replace them both. With the hydraulic tool it was an easy job. Had never seen that done before. Pulled the props and had them scanned. Stbd was perfect but he found on blade on Port with minor issue. Fixed that and bead blasted prior to prop speed application. Removed a transducer and sent to Airmar for warranty replacement. Did one coat of bottom paint and zincs along with full hand wax of the hull. Received the new transducer via overnight and got that installed. Had some thru hulls that the paint was starting to flake so for now I removed the remaining paint and cleaned them up while Transducer sealant was curing. Back in house and all good. Thanks guys.

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  14. mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    Nice to read that my impression based just on the pic wasn't totally groundless.

    Considering the bearings replacement and the props checked, it might have been a good time for pulling the shafts and have them checked too.
    Unless you already did it upon purchase 4 years ago, and you didn't have any problems in the meantime - pretty sure they are not supposed to bend in 4 years of normal use.
    Anyhow, it's good news (sort of) that the higher bearing wear was on the same side of the prop with a bent blade.
    Would both props have been perfect, you could have feared that the higher wear had more to see with the shaft...

    PS: you don't have any shaft bearings also on the thru-hull, or do you?
    Not sure about the system used by Cabo, but if there are any, I suppose the yard would have thought to check them out, too.
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2020
  15. CaboFly

    CaboFly Member

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    I replaced shaft seals a year and a half ago. Pulling the shafts is not easy as the coupler connection takes some time to disconnect.

    No yard to point things out. Just me. I brought in a independent guy with the hyd tool to do the cutlass bearings I had bought for $200. Had a friend who is another ind contractor to help wax hull.

    The Prop Smith tool was another great tip from the forum and that has been a great purchase and very fortunate my props were already set up for it.
  16. mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    I wasn't thinking of the seals, but of the bearings (if any).
    Seals aside, in many boats there are ALSO bearings, similar to those which you replaced on the bracket, on the wet side of the shaft seals, where the shafts go through the hull.
    But as I said, I'm not familiar with Cabo boats, so I don't know if that's their setup or not.
    Other forumites know them as the back of their hand, though.
    They can probably confirm or not, as appropriate.
  17. CaboFly

    CaboFly Member

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  18. cleanslate

    cleanslate Senior Member

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    Is that how the running gear looked when you came out of the water after a bit? That clean? Or was there sea growth on them?
  19. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Shaft a bit low in the pic?
  20. CaboFly

    CaboFly Member

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    This was when slid back doing shaft seals a year and a half ago. Was just showing that there was no bearing as discussed above.