to paint or not to paint?

[cheech43]

It looks like the bottom my boat was painted last year and never put in the water. Do I have to paint it now?

[sadlsorz]

Did someone else have the boat last year? Do you keep the boat in a low or high fouling area?

[cheech43]

This is my first boat. I bought it in october and winterized it. I believe the boat was from PA, whether that is a high fowling area or not I don't know. When I got it, I noticed there was no water line on the hull and when I asked the dealer he confirmed that it was not in the water last year. The owner had it painted the beginning of last season and then put it up for sale. So i'm not sure if I have to paint it now. What do you think?

[sadlsorz]

It sounds like you'll be ok. Are you going to be keeping it in high fouling water?

[cheech43]

I really don't know. I'm going to keep it in brooklyn. I guess I'll ask some of the people by the marina if the the water is high fouling or not. If it is then I'll paint it. If not then I'll keep my fingers crossed. Thanks.

[sadlsorz]

I know bottom painting really sucks but scraping the bottom of your boat at the end of the season is a nightmare. Good luck and enjoy your boat.

[Roccus]

most of todays paints are of an abblative nature( the paint wears away keeping it from fouling), you should be fine, the old paint containing copper oxide needed to be renewed because it worked by repelling living orginisims.. most(not all) of those paints are now outlawed.

[jford]

If new paint is there leave it be. It will protect the bottom as long as it last and will in time wash thin. That's when you scrape it if you want it off. You don't want to jump on it fresh - trust me!

[K-Cube]

Should be fine, if you trailer every once in a while you can check then. As long as no areas seem to show the hull through, then if its abblative like Roccus mentioned you should be covered. And at the guy that commented about scraping YEA its horrible. I did a boat for a guy last year, and came down with the stomach flu the very next day by coincedence, I thought I had poisoned myself! The best way and only way I'll do it now it to pressure wash it. Scraping underneath a trailer is damn near impossible not to get it all over you.

[oldgoat]

I had kept my boat in the yard though the winter<on blocks>and would crawl under on my back to paint it.GREAT FUN I keep my boat in water so have to paint.If you trailer your boat weekends you might not have to paint.you could always pressure wash it on the trailer if you start to have growth buildup. good luck

[BLUEFISH9]

One thing nobody mentioned is the frequency in which you run the boat...Are you a weekend warrior? IF you run the boat at least a few times a week, that really helps with marine growth. I go two years without painting AND I dont use the most expensive paint around either. I run the boat 3-4 times per week and It really seems to help.

[nlarson]

I have a related question. I just found out that I was able to get a slip this summer. My boat is not bottom painted since I have kept it on a trailer in the past. I am hoping to avoid painting it. So I am wondering, if I pull it every 4 weeks and hit it will my power washer and I run at least 3 days per week will that be sufficient to keep growth off?

[BLUEFISH9]

I would still paint it...during the hot months...that nasty stuff can grow and accumulate pretty fast. Any boat that sits in a saltwater environment for any legnth of time should be bottom painted. Just my two cents.