Barrier coating hull before bottom paint

[F14CRAZY]

I have an '85 Bayliner Capri which has never had bottom paint. I intend on keeping it in a slip this season on the Grand River in Grand Haven.

I picked up a gallon of West Marine CPP ablative antifouling bottom paint. The manager strongly suggested I use a barrier coating (Interlux Interprotect 2000e) before applying the bottom paint to prevent gelcoat blisters.

I looked that up and he's not BS-ing me but I figured I'd ask here about it.

http://www.epoxyproducts.com/barrier4u.html

Epoxy products says

Barrier Coat 101


IN A NUTSHELL - YOU ARE TRYING TO GET 10-20 MILS OF EPOXY OVER THE MORE POROUS POLYESTER RESIN HULL TO 'WATERPROOF' AND STOP/REDUCE THE FORMATION OF 'WATER CAUSED' BLISTERS. IT IS THAT SIMPLE. KEEP THIS IN MIND WHEN YOU GET LOST IN THE PRODUCT DETAILS AND MARKETING PRESENTED BY US AND OUR COMPETITORS.

So the barrier coat is pretty much just an epoxy?

http://www.westsystem.com/ss/barrier-coating/

West System says their epoxy will do the same thing.

Am I correct that coating my hull with US Composites thin fiberglass layup epoxy (of which I used in replacing my deck and stringers) would basically result in the same thing?

Considering that here on the iboats store the gallon of Interprotect2000e is about the same price as a gallon of US Composites epoxy I guess there really isn't a question of what I should use.

BUT...while this thread is somewhat pointless I wanted to see if anyone has had experience with putting bottom paint on a "new" hull and experience with barrier coating. Thanks guys.