Removing Barnacles from Brass Props

Skipper November 19, 2008 Ask The Skipper

John Dunton asked:

Your website refers to barnacle removal from aluminum, wood and fiberglass. How do I remove barnacles from my brass props and shaft?

Answer:

For your convenience, I’ve highlighted the hyperlinks. Click on the hyperlink to get more information about the selected product.

Algex works great on brass as well as stainless steel, which is what most shafts are made of. In addition to cleaning the marine growth from the prop and shaft it will also brighten the metal. Many people use it to clean and brighten tarnished brass decorations because it’s fast and easy to use. Spray and rinse.

If you have heavy encrustation, spray on the Algex and wrap it in plastic to prevent evaporation. Let it sit for 1/2 to 1 hour. That will soften the shells so you can easily scrape them off with a wooden or plastic scraper. You may have to repeat the process several times to get it all off including the adhesive rings.

Thanks for your question,

Captain Aurora
Richard Kittar