There is a downside to petroleum jelly as well, it melts and breaks down at under high loads and high revs.

Sorry but one downside of using some automatic transmission fluids is that are are excellent paint removers.

Roy mines a double Scotch 🤣

I have tried many lubricants, some with success and some without.
Have settled on Automotive ATF; cheap, no viscous drag and readily available.
Must qualify this by advising all my models have oiler tubes and oil every time the boat is used.

My favorite shaft lube is petroleum jelly. It is insoluble in water and safe for human contact (also has a myriad of medicinal uses).

Previously, I used oils and greases, including marine types, but found the petroleum jelly works great and not very messy.

Lew
Florida, USA

THANKS to ALL for the invaluable responses

Hello Bill, I am almost teetotal except for G & T, I do enjoy the occasional one.

regards
Roy

I have used Castrol Water Pump Grease since I was a youth. I have even run 12000 RPM plus I.C. Engines pushing coarse power props, never had an issue.

Roy.
Try a Gin and Tonic it’s much nicer !!
Bill

I have posted this formula many times, I make no claim for originality as that lies with Ron Dean of Deans Marine.

Formula,

One part each of WD40, vaseline, 3 in 1 oil.
Mix it up and suck it up into the tube via some clear tubing. I can tell you now it does not taste very nice.

regards
Roy

I was steered to the Blue Marine Grease.

Each to there own on this one.. I use white marine grease. Never had issues with brushed or brushless

Wow, that oil sure looks like a blast from the past.
But your formula shows that we all have tricks that works for us and we stick to them.
😎

I use a grease made by StaLube Marine Grease. It is used to lube axle bearings on boat trailers and most other marine items. Its not too thick and it sticks very well.

For years I had used white Lithium grease in my ShaftTubes, but forcthe last 10 years, when I build ShaftTubes, I also make a vertical oil tube at the front of the tube.
I use SAE 80-90 Gear Lube , 15 to 20 drops in the oil tube per year.
It is heavy enough to not drip from the tail.

I use white lithium grease that is used on automotive latches. Available on AMAZON or in aftermarket car parts places like CANADIAN TIRE. That is for stuffing tube or boxes. But for steel solid shafts running in brass tube with tight clearance I use "3-in-1" oil from a squeeze bottle. The ZIPPKITS Springer tug kits come with an oiling tube that extends from the shaft tube up high enuff that the open end is above the waterline.

I use this white grease (purchased at Amazon). seems to work well for my boats which are all powered by brushless outrunners of around 1000 to 1400kv with solid propshafts (i.e. not flex shafts). I use a large syringe to squirt it up into the tube and then feed the propshaft in slowly afterwards.
Silverhook SGPGT60, White Grease... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00W6Q3B7A?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Hello Redpopman.
I attach a picture of my preferred choice.
I pack the tube with the Flexishaft grease (available from most boating outlets)then top up with the oil in the bottle.
The oil in the bottle is years old and was what my Mum used on her sowing machine (I doubt you can it get now but it has the same consistency as 3 in 1.)
It does however depend on the type of craft you are sailing.The above is fine for my boats which are relatively slow scale speed.
If you going for the high speed racing boats I am sure there is different types of lubricants of which I have no knowledge personally.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Bill