Bottom Paint Recommendations

**northshore** · 10-11-2012, 06:57 PM

Mighty depressing but the boat goes into heated winter storage on October the 20th

One item that will get taken care of over the winter is bottom paint.
I'd like to get something multi season and was wondering
what you other fresh water people have used and like or dislike....

Thanks in advance,

-Mike

**AKBASSKING** · 10-11-2012, 07:01 PM

Here was my bottom paint adventure.

http://clubsearay.com/showthread.php...s-Bottom-Paint

**ziekman@cox.net** · 10-12-2012, 04:43 AM

Petit Hydrocoat. 3 seasons so far, with repaint @ waterline yearly.

**JimT** · 10-12-2012, 06:09 AM

Petit Vivid. Its a modified epoxy that gives a hard, slick finish that improves performance over ablatives. Comes in a variety of colors. I'm 1.5 years into the first application and it still looks great.

**LTD.330** · 10-12-2012, 06:38 AM

Originally Posted by ziekman@cox.net

Petit Hydrocoat. 3 seasons so far, with repaint @ waterline yearly.

That is my experience too. Petit Hydrocoat is good for three seasons in Lake Erie with annual touchups at the waterline.

After years of using various flavors of Interlux, switching to a bottom paint that is water based is SOOOOOOOO much nicer. Cleanup is a breeze.

**northshore** · 10-12-2012, 07:57 AM

I do like the fact that the Petit Hydrocoat is water based as I'll be doing this indoors and I'm not into the Haz-Mat suit look.

The Hydrocoat has Teflon (PTFE) in it. Any speed or Fuel mileage gains???

**Henry Boyd** · 10-12-2012, 10:10 AM

I soda blasted, epoxy barrier coated, and then used Hydrocoat two years ago and noticed a slight increase in fuel mileage. However, the old paint job had been many years of hard coat that was flaking and peeling, so the bottom was in pretty rough condition. I would definitely agree on the use of hydrocoat.

Henry

**1956olds** · 10-12-2012, 04:30 PM

hydrocoat here too!

**sbw1** · 10-12-2012, 05:13 PM

Pulled our boat today and had a good look at the bottom paint. We are in warm fresh water on a lake that dumps into the Grand River and then Lake Michigan. We touch up the water line every year because I use muriatic acid to clean the boot stripe and edges of the swim platform. Bottom paint is Awlgrip ablative paint. The bottom is going into year five and still looks good. Next year I plan on painting the water line. She is due for a complete bottom repaint which will take 1 gallon as the foundation remain sound.