Bottom paint in fresh water

[TBarCYa]

I was making calls today to find someone to bottom paint my boat for the first time since I'm considering keeping it in the water for the summer. One shop gave me a quote and another suggested that I don't need bottom paint because there are no barnacles in the Delaware River where I will be keeping it.

Now, I don't mind spending the money on the paint if it will protect the boat, but between the guy I called and some research I've done, there seem to be some good reasons not to bottom paint in fresh water. Other than the cost, bottom paint will affect fuel economy, *could* contaminate the water, will need to be redone frequently and slime (algae) can easily be removed with an acid wash.

Am I missing some compelling reason to bottom paint in fresh water? If not, I'll spend the $500 on a bimini and get rid of the convertible top.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Bottom paint in fresh water

Am I missing some compelling reason to bottom paint in fresh water? If not, I'll spend the $500 on a bimini and get rid of the convertible top.

YES! That slime will slow your boat down, reduce fuel economy, and can damage the valves on your engine due to "lugging" the engine ALL the time. One valve job will cost you WAY more than a bottom paint, trust me.
Also, with an epoxy barrier coat, you eliminate the possibility of the hull blistering. That can happen to ANY boat left in ANY water.

The second guy isn't real bright, or just doesn't know blistering or how marine growth can damage a boat.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Bottom paint in fresh water

I'd get the topper Unless there are issues that I'm unaware of...never kept a boat in the water all summer.

 

[TBarCYa]

Re: Bottom paint in fresh water

YES! That slime will slow your boat down, reduce fuel economy, and can damage the valves on your engine due to "lugging" the engine ALL the time. One valve job will cost you WAY more than a bottom paint, trust me.
Also, with an epoxy barrier coat, you eliminate the possibility of the hull blistering. That can happen to ANY boat left in ANY water.

The second guy isn't real bright, or just doesn't know blistering or how marine growth can damage a boat.

Hull blistering isn't something that I had considered but I am considering it now. Is this something that can be caused by the algae or is preventing it a secondary benefit of the barrier coat? As far as the slime, it's a small boat (18') and I trailer it to/from the ramp twice a week now so if I had to take the trailer and pull it out once a month to clean the slime off, it wouldn't be a terrible thing.

 

[RollingWanderer]

Re: Bottom paint in fresh water

Personally, I'd skip the bottom paint, as long as you do as you proposed and pull it every month or so to clean up the hull and keep it from getting too nasty. It'll be easy enough to do with a 18' boat.

If it'd been a big boat (or any boat really) that doesn't get pulled out often or at all, then I would've suggested bottom paint.

-RW

 

[RollingWanderer]

Re: Bottom paint in fresh water

Another thought...where are you keeping the boat in the water? Could it be kept on a lift when not in use? We keep our boats on the water here, but they are stored on lifts when not in use.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Bottom paint in fresh water

Hull blistering isn't something that I had considered but I am considering it now. Is this something that can be caused by the algae or is preventing it a secondary benefit of the barrier coat? As far as the slime, it's a small boat (18') and I trailer it to/from the ramp twice a week now so if I had to take the trailer and pull it out once a month to clean the slime off, it wouldn't be a terrible thing.

Gelcoat is a porous material that will absorb water. The growth has nothing to do with blisters, water does. Have you ever heard the saying, "The worst thing you can do to a boat is put it in the water,"? This is why. Now, if an epoxy based gelcoat system was used on your boat, you would have no worries.

Once a month might not be enough to keep the hull clean. Depends on the rate/type of growth in your area. I had to clean mine every 2 weeks, here in the Illinois River. If you ever go out and use the boat, and it won't hit the same WOT RPM as before, you are experiencing the problem.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Bottom paint in fresh water

... and slime (algae) can easily be removed with an acid wash...

I missed that statement the first time around. Just do a search on here about people cleaning the scum off their boats, before you say that cleaning with acid is "easy"! It's not easy, and it's unpleasant at best, dangerous and sickening at worst.

 

[gstanton]

Re: Bottom paint in fresh water

I've kept a boat(s) in a freshwater lake, all summer long, for over 30 years and never heard of blistering - or blowing valves due to lugging. There is an algae scum that forms over the course of the summer but it is easily removed with Oxalic acid (aka "Slimey Grimey") - note the EASY word. Mix it up, spray it on, watch the slime melt, life goes on!
I now boat 6mos. fresh and 6 mos. salt. My current (used) boat was bottom painted and is a royal PITA. I would never consider a bottom painted boat when it's time to buy. You may want to consider the re-sale value effect. It IS on a lift in the salt water, so paint is not needed. Once you have a painted bottom, you'll need to keep maintaining it every couple of years and it ain't cheap.
Having said all that... it does depend on your particular water. It may be that zebra mussels and other thing change your particular equation.

 

[Stachi]

Re: Bottom paint in fresh water

Gelcoat is a porous material that will absorb water. The growth has nothing to do with blisters, water does. Have you ever heard the saying, "The worst thing you can do to a boat is put it in the water,"? This is why. Now, if an epoxy based gelcoat system was used on your boat, you would have no worries.

Once a month might not be enough to keep the hull clean. Depends on the rate/type of growth in your area. I had to clean mine every 2 weeks, here in the Illinois River. If you ever go out and use the boat, and it won't hit the same WOT RPM as before, you are experiencing the problem.

I boat in the Delaware river, from the Bensalem side....I would never keep my boat in a slip on this river...its not just the slime....its the oils and other garbage that will collect on it...funny, I swim and tube in it though....

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Bottom paint in fresh water

Our boat will never see bottom paint. We keep it docked at our local marina but it comes out around once a month. It is a little slimy by that time in the middle to end of summer but 10 minutes with the power washer and a yard brush and all is well again.
We pull it out at these times because we are trailering to the cottage or camping elsewhere regularly. And of course at the end of the season.

 

[grego]

Re: Bottom paint in fresh water

I pull my 20ft boat and take it to the closest carwash and hire teenage sons of friends, to wax the "whole boat" ounce in a while. I have NO problems with scum. Doing this for over 20 years of boating in fresh water.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Bottom paint in fresh water

I agree with those that recommended against bottom painting it. Being only an 18' I would just pull it frequently and clean it. (I wouldn't buy a small bottom-painted boat myself)

 

[Subliminal]

Re: Bottom paint in fresh water

Yeah, I do most of my boating in the Deleware as well...much easier to trailer the boat there. An 18 footer can be off the trailer in minutes, and back on in like time.

...and fuel is much cheaper at Valero than it is at the marina.

 

[TBarCYa]

Re: Bottom paint in fresh water

I typically spend May thru September on the boat saturday and sunday every weekend. I get a season pass to the ramp so it's not so much the cost of using the ramp or dealing with putting it in and taking it out because at this point, I can be prepped, in the water, truck parked and half way to the island before most people are done getting prepped. It just seems so convenient to park at the marina, hop aboard and go. Of course, I have to drive to the marina twice each weekend anyhow so I guess I'm not saving much in the way of time or energy.

Fuel costs are probably the biggest concern with slipping the boat. That one time each month that I pull it to clean it would also involve a trip to the gas station to save on fuel, but considering that the one fuel stop I know of is usually $.80/gallon more than on the street, I have to weigh that as well.

I asked a friend who I boat with and he has a much bigger boat that only comes out in the fall and he has his painted. He did mention tho that he still gets a slime line above the bottom paint when he has a full tank of fuel and she sits lower in the water.

I had considered the cost of maintaining the bottom paint but not the effect it would have on resale value. That's just one more thing to consider.

So now I've got two things to consider. The pros of slipping are convenience and save a couple bucks on fuel when towing. The cons include slip cost, fuel cost and bottom paint cost.

IF I keep it in a slip, the pros of bottom paint are less cleaning and less chance of blistering. The cons of bottom paint are reduced fuel economy (as compared to a clean hull), lower resale value, cost of having it painted.

Since the marina does monthly slip rentals, maybe I'll put it in a slip for a month and see how that goes. If the convenience is worth the cost, then I'll extend it and consider bottom paint. After the first couple weeks, I'll pretty much know how bad the algae is going to be.

 

[RollingWanderer]

Re: Bottom paint in fresh water

Since the marina does monthly slip rentals, maybe I'll put it in a slip for a month and see how that goes. If the convenience is worth the cost, then I'll extend it and consider bottom paint. After the first couple weeks, I'll pretty much know how bad the algae is going to be.

Now that right there, is a plan. All of us who are hundreds or more miles away can really only guess at how bad the bottom growth will be where you boat.

-RW

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Bottom paint in fresh water

...The cons of bottom paint are reduced fuel economy (as compared to a clean hull)...

That difference would not be nearly as great as you think. And since the hull will only be clean for a short period of time, your comparison goes out the window. Actually it almost belongs in the pro category. "Increased fuel economy (compared to a fouled hull)"

The monthly slip rental is DEFINATELY the way to go, in my opinion. That's a great option the marina offers. Take advantage of it.

 

[grego]

Re: Bottom paint in fresh water

wax your hull a few times, or several times during winter storage.