As we go into the off-season and begin thinking about boatyard visits and projects, I was thinking the only reason we're hauling the boat this year is to strip and recoat the running gear. Over the years, I have heard more speed and load issues from propellers being dirty than all other reasons combined. To combat this, we run the boat every 1-2 weeks throughout the year. For about the last 10 years, PropSpeed seems to have been the way to go, and has served us well, but we end up having to reapply it each year, where the bottom lasts 2. Before that, most used various mixes of bottom paint, primer, and barrier coats.

Just this year, I have seen people beginning to experiment with a form of powdercoating on wheels, but I have not heard back on its success. Another one I've had positive reviews on, and am considering trying this year is "Mussel Buster Propeller Protection". The downside is you have to ship your wheels to Florida, but a friend used Mussel Buster and is just now having to recoat 4 years later. Getting yearly maintenance costs down without cutting corners is always a priority, and as technology improves, there is always something new on the horizon.