One of the key items on my leave-the-boat check list has always been "engines up?" A few times I've forgotten, and within 2 weeks in the warm season enough growth appeared on the props to cause...
- Considerable vibration
- Considerable loss in speed--at least a knot and perhaps more
- A swim and some vigorous scrubbing to remove barnacles
Sure, I could apply an alluminum-safe antifouling to the prop, but even so, if I were to leave the engines down for weeks or months as some do, I would face...
- Clogged water passages due to critters, and subsequent risk of over heating
- Electrolysis and other corrosion
- Increased risk of gearbox water contamination
So why do they leave them in the water? It seems like 20% do, and I've never understood that. Lifting is so easy.
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