It’s simple: The purpose of bottom paint is to prevent
barnacle growth and other evidences of fouling on the boat’s
bottom. However, the paint itself is not designed to last forever.
For cruiser-type boats that are used often, an ablative paint that
wears off over time is usually the best choice. Today’s paints
and anti-corrosion primers are more environmentally friendly
than ever, with low volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
The annual haul-out is the perfect time to check the condition
of your bottom paint. For well-maintained boats, the bottom-
painting procedure is similar for fi berglass, aluminum and steel-
hulled boats. The bottom is mechanically sanded to remove any
growth, profi le work is done, then the ablative paint is applied
with either a roller or sprayer.
However, a fi berglass boat that hasn’t been hauled in a few
years would probably have blister problems. Steel boats that
have been in the water for a few years with no cleaning would
likely be suffering from corrosion, as would aluminum boats.
Boats with these problems need more preparation work, such
as removing the paint down to the substrate and applying a
primer/barrier system. The additional time and labor will likely
increase the costs.
“Hauling out every year to year and a half keeps the bottom
clean and makes the boat cheaper to maintain in the long run,”
explained Tom Krigger, general manager at Bradford Marine in
Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Bradford is a full-service yard with 180
employees that can haul-out boats up to 140 feet with a 300-
ton Synchrolift. “By not letting the bottom degrade less work
has to be done.”Bottom paint from Interlux, Pettit and Sea Hawk are among
the most popular brands used by boat owners in the 40- to
80-foot range.
“New for this year with Interlux is Aqua-One™ Performance
Ablative antifouling,” said Matt Anzardo, marketing manager
at Interlux. “This is a water-based antifouling and the ablative
action wears away when the boat is being used, minimizing
paint build up while providing protection.”
Water-based antifouling paints, which can be applied over
most antifoulings, are popular because they are easy to apply
and clean up.
“Pettit Marine Paint’s focus continues on the rapidly growing
Hydrocoat family water-based product line which is our No. 1
seller,” said Don Zabransky, Pettit’s vice president of sales and
marketing. “The adoption from both consumers and boatyards
has grown drastically over recent years, given the many benefi ts
such as ease of application, environmentally friendly with low
VOCs and superior antifouling performance.”
Pettit’s Hydrocoat ECO CopperFree bottom paint has been
on the market for more than three seasons. This antifouling
paint is a true copolymer ablative, which can be applied in
very thin coats resulting in less buildup and drag. Indeed,
Pettit recently conducted a survey of Hydrocoat users, which
refl ected that 98 percent were pleased with its results and plan
to use it again.
“There is no reason to change if the paint is working well,”
Krigger said. “At Bradford we keep track of what our customers
use and work closely with the paint manufacturing reps. TheBOTTOM PAINT
2016 ANNUAL HAUL OUT GUIDE 58 • SOUTHERNBOATING.COM • MARCH 2016
The Bottom (Paint) Line
The knowledge you need