Keeping Boat in Water all Season without bottom paint

[jetmart]

I have a 20 ft Wellcraft bowrider. It does not have bottom paint and I am wondering how quickly it would get dirty or how often it would have to be pulled out and cleaned if I were to keep it in a slip as opposed to trailering it. The boat would be kept in a sheltered marina on Lake St Clair.

It is a 1999 and has always been trailered.

 

[NYGiants]

Re: Keeping Boat in Water all Season without bottom paint

im assuming its fresh water?
i kept my boat on a mooring all summer in the delaware river. i usually hauled it out every 2-3 weeks to clean off the slime, charge the batteries and such.

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Keeping Boat in Water all Season without bottom paint

In salt the longest i could go without crap starting to grow was about 8 days..

 

[lakegeorge]

Re: Keeping Boat in Water all Season without bottom paint

I would paint the bottom for several reasons.
Fiberglass absorbs water over time and you will lose speed and use more fuel.
The fiberglass will start to turn a Brown color without paint on it, regardless how often you clean it.

I have boated on St Clair for over 30 years and I always painted my boats bottom. We now live in Georgia and I love the warmer weather down here.

 

[Bene288]

Re: Keeping Boat in Water all Season without bottom paint

Funny this comes up today. I recently bought a boat that was left in it's lake every season for 20 years. I was out there today scrubbing it down. I mean this thing was literally black and white at the water line. Well, two numb elbows and 3 bottles of soft scrub later it still has a yellowish tint to it.

I'd say paint it. I'm thinking of doing the same myself.

 

[642mx]

Re: Keeping Boat in Water all Season without bottom paint

Is buying a lift for the slip an option?... Around here, you can pick up a decent used lift for $3000.

 

[jetmart]

Re: Keeping Boat in Water all Season without bottom paint

Thanks Guys. I thought you would tell me that.