Propspeed, a product from Oceanmax (available through West Marine), claims to keep the metal below your waterline as clean as a whistle but at a price many boat owners aren’t likely to pay.

Oceanmax's Propseed claims to keep marine growth off props and shafts.

Billed as an environmentally safe antifouling coating free from copper, tin, or any other toxic substances, Propspeed prevents marine growth from attaching to metal surfaces below the waterline (props, shafts, bow thrusters, rudders, etc.) via "low critical surface tension." In other words, it’s super slick.

The cost of being environmentally friendly and having a shiny, slick shaft? A whopping $395 for a 34-ounce kit ($170 for an 8.4-ounce kit and $275 for a 17-ounce kit). …