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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Does PropOne Work?

    Yes, it works! PropOne is applied to thousands of vessels every year, all around the world.

    Since 2012 PropOne has earned a reputation for outstanding performance, worldwide support, customer service and value for money.

    See our client success stories: TESTIMONIALS

  • How does PropOne Work?

    PropOne is a two-coat system consisting of a Primer Coat and a Foul Release Coating (Clear Coat). The Clear Coat is a non-biocidal, super-slick coating which prevents organisms from strongly adhering to the surface of the propeller and all underwater fast-moving metals.

    Organisms can be easily dislodged once the boat is placed in drive and there is sufficient water flow through the running gear.

    The slick surface of PropOne reduces the adhesion of marine growth, such as barnacles, tubeworms, weed, slime will struggle to stick onto your running gear! With bonus benefits like:

  • How long will PropOne last?

    See our real results

  • How does PropOne compare against conventional antifoul?

    Unlike conventional antifouling, PropOne does not wear away and dissolve with time and motion through the sea. When antifoul is applied to running gear it typically struggles to adhere and in service will polish away too quickly to give long term protection against fouling. Read more here! 

  • How do I apply PropOne?

    Check out our application guide page here.

  • What can be coated with PropOne under my boat?

    PropOne can be applied to all underwater metallic surfaces such as bronze, stainless steel and aluminum:

    • Propellers
    • Propeller shafts
    • Prop struts
    • Rudders
    • Trim tabs
    • Bow & stern thrusters (including blades made of composite materials)
    • Sterndrive propellers such as Duoprop, Bravo and other inboard systems
    • IPS drives
    • Sail drives
    • Lower part of the gearbox of outboard motors
  • Can I apply it myself or do you have to be a licensed applicator to buy it?

    PropOne is best applied by a professional and experienced applicator. However, if you are familiar with application of similar boat building and maintenance products you will be able to apply it yourself.

  • What size PropOne kit do I need?

    You can use our Kit Calculator to find out how much PropOne you need to cover your propellers and running gear.

     

  • Should PropOne be applied over anodes?

    Do not apply PropOne to anode surfaces. Best to either:

    • Mask over anodes with tape before applying PropOne.
    • Remove anodes and mask off the surface below the anode.
  • How long can I wait between applying PropOne and launching my boat?

    Once applied, there is no maximum time to launching! PropOne will remain just as effective, even if the boat is left out of the water for extended periods of time and hauled out/launched repeatedly.

  • Can I touch up an existing PropOne application?

    Yes, you can re-apply the PropOne scheme to bare metal areas where PropOne has worn off due to regular use, such as the tips of the propeller blades.

    It’s hard to recommend and give 100% assurance and that’s why we usually recommend to remove the coating scheme and start again. However for small areas it doesn’t always make sense to do this!

    To do the touch up we recommend abrading back the damaged area to bare metal, making sure to work to an area that is undamaged. Then wash down with fresh water.

    Then washdown the area with Prop Wash, then freshwater again. Then dry the entire area with acetone or ethanol including the undamaged area.

    Apply a tape line to protect the undamaged area. Follow with the normal instructions for application of PropOne Primer to the abraded area, then before applying the Clear Coat remove the tape and overlap the Clear Coat over the fresh primer and undamaged (older) Clear Coat.

  • When it's time to reapply PropOne, what do I need to do?

    When it is time to renew, the old PropOne clear coat and primer must be removed before re-applying.

    For this we have a Silicone Remover and a Paint Stripper available to remove the clear coat and primer coat. However, you may opt to use a mechanical grinder for this also. Once removed, normal application can proceed.

    See brief application guide for more information

  • What is the shelf life of PropOne?

    All PropOne kits have a shelf life of 3 years from date of manufacture, with the date of expiry being clearly labelled on your kit.

  • Can I coat underwater lights and transducers?

    You can use our Underwater Light Coating (ULC) clear coat directly on underwater lights and transducers.

    PropOne ULC is a highly transparent Foul Release Coating specifically designed for application to underwater light lenses without any loss of light.

  • Does PropOne need maintenance?

    With regular vessel usage, no in-water maintenance is required.

    If your vessel is left for a long static period and some lingering marine growth develops, all that is needed is light underwater wiping with a non-abrasive cloth or sponge.

  • Can PropOne protect against freshwater growth?

    PropOne can be used in fresh or saltwater. The coating surface is not altered by variations in salinity. Freshwater fouling organisms will find it equally as difficult to stick to the surface of PropOne as their saltwater cousins!

  • How should new propeller metal be prepared for PropOne application? And how do you know when a surface is ready for application?

    To prepare fresh metal for PropOne application we recommend:

    1. Xylene/Acetone wipe down to remove surface contaminants (New white rag).
    2. Light abrasion using a mechanical grinder, wire wheel or by hand sanding (80-120 Grit).
    3. Cleaning with a 10% solution of Hydrochloric acid and 90% water (New white rag).
    4. Rinse with water, then apply Prop Wash (New white rag).
    5. Apply a simple water break test. Spray water on the surface and check that water droplets are not beading on the metal.
    6. If water is beading, repeat above steps.
    7. If water is not beading, dry with acetone and commence painting.

    See technical data sheet and refer to brief application guide for more information on painting times

  • Is Prop Wash mandatory for application?

    We always recommend using Prop Wash before acetone to ensure the metals are cleaned with an acid based solution to draw out any contaminants.

    Acetone, whilst being a good cleaner and helps to dry the metal, can often leave contaminants inside the porous metal, which could affect adhesion.

    If you do clean with Prop Wash after acetone, you will see your rag turn black and the metals are much brighter.

  • How do you know the PropOne primer coat is ready for clear coat application i.e. Touch dry? And how many coats of Primer/Clear Coat are needed?

    Apply 2 thin coats of primer, as it is a very thin coating. The Clear Coat is much thicker and you only need to apply 1 generous coat.

    The surface is touch dry at the point when a gloved finger is lightly touched against the paint surface and no mark is made in the paint nor is paint transferred to the glove.

    In the specific case of PropOne primer, when brushing one coat over another, if the coat underneath is marked by the brushstroke, it isn’t touch dry.

    Touch dry for the primer is the point at which the coating loses its “shine”.

    Typically this overcoating window lasts anywhere between 3-10 minutes depending on the temperature.

    For more information, please refer to the brief application guide and technical data sheet.

  • Can you partly use PropOne primer and save the rest for later? If so, how do I split it?

    Instructions for subdividing PropOne Primer tins into four When coating smaller propellers, many users like to split tins of PropOne primer into smaller units to avoid wastage. Because of the inherent tendency of the dense yellow pigment in PropOne primer to settle on the bottom of the tin, it is important to follow these instructions to ensure the composition of the primer remains constant.

    Equipment Required

    • Digital balance capable of accurate weighing to +/- 0.1g
    • 3 x new 100mL tins with lids
    • 1 x 240mL PropOne Primer tin & stirring stick


    Procedures to subdivide Primer

    1. Open 240mL PropOne Primer tin and use a stirring stick to break up and completely remove yellow pigment sediment from the base of tin and then stir well.
    2. Replace lid and vigorously shake tin for at least two minutes to ensure the pigment is evenly mixed throughout the contents of the can. The paint at this stage should be bright yellow liquid completely free of lumps. If not, repeat 1 and 2 until this is so.
    3. Immediately pour 53g of Primer into each 100mL tin and seal lids on tins.
    4. Replace lid on original 240mL Primer tin as well.

    You now have 60mL of PropOne primer in each tin (4 tins total). These can now be stored unopened up to the expiry date on the original PropOne kit.

    Procedures to add Primer Activator

    1. Open tin containing 60mL of PropOne Primer and use a stirring stick to break up and completely remove yellow pigment sediment from the base of tin and then stir well.
    2. Replace lid and vigorously shake tin for at least two minutes to ensure the pigment is evenly mixed throughout the contents of the can.
    3. Immediately pour 13.7g of Primer Activator into the tin containing 60mL of Primer and seal lid on tin.
    4. Mix thoroughly with the stirring stick then replace the lid and shake vigorously for two minutes.

    The mixed PropOne Primer is now ready to apply.

  • Is PropOne the replacement for PropGold?

    Yes, PropOne was formerly known as PropGold.

  • What is the minimum application temperature?

    Minimum application temperature: 10°C (50°F), 55% RH.