Two weeks ago, we cruised Sandpiper down to Church Creek on the South River. The water was warm enough for my first swim and dive on Sandpiper's running gear. There were a significant number of baby barnacles on the propeller but not a heavy infestation. At this size, they are easy to remove so I did. You can even knock them off with your bare fingers. Last weekend Sandpiper stayed tied in her slip and this past weekend we used her again. This time over to the Corsica River on the Chester River. I went over the side again and this time the baby barnies were back, only lots more. They still weren't difficult to remove so I easily cleaned the prop again. I say all of this as a heads up. Like everything else in the Spring, the barnacles also spawn. They grow fast and if you don't get on top of them early and keep ahead of them, before you know it you're running at reduced speed and perhaps even experiencing overheating. This happened last year about mid-season to a Listee in Solomon's. His engine was running hotter and rpms and boat speed were down. A diver found his prop to be rapidly turning into something resembling a reef, cleaned it and he was off to the races again. Efficiently yours, ;-) Mel Knott Sandpiper West Indian 36 Annapolis, MD