There are a lot of different Powerboat and Sailboat bottom paints out there for all the different hull type boats and yachts. It is hard to pick out which one is good for you, but saving some money is always good. Sometimes right away, or sometimes in the long run.

There are 2 basic types of bottom paint which end up with a lot of different variations. You have the “Hard bottom Paints” and the “Ablative Bottom Paints”.

The Hard Bottom Paints do not wear off as you go thru the water. Generally the hard bottom paints contain more copper which keeps the barnacles and undergrowth off the bottom of your boat in heavy growth areas. It is mainly used for boats that don’t leave the docks much and/or go at very slow speeds. The hard bottom paint keeps releasing the copper until it has no more and you must haul and apply more on the bottom…..about one year. You will find the paint starts to build up after a few years, but for bottom protection in bad areas, this is one of the best ways to go.

The Ablative Bottom Paints wear off (polish off) as you move thru the water. They do not contain as much copper because as you move thru the water it wears thru that coat and exposes the next fresh layer. At the same time the paint surface smoothes, helping your Powerboat in fuel economy, and your Sailboat to attain higher speeds faster. The best thing is that the paint wears away. A good thing to do to a blue bottom paint color that you want, is to make your first coat a different color so when the blue wears thin and is showing another color, it’s time to add some more bottom paint.

Some bottom paints allow you to be out of the water for short or long periods of time without damaging the effectiveness of the bottom paint. So you may be able to skip a year or 2 without repainting….That’s a savings! By using ablative paints, it keeps more value in your boat when selling and buyers appreciate the care you have taken.   

As mentioned before, there are quite a few different bottom paint products out there. Getting the right one and information is key. Some of these bottom paints may need you to do some prep work before applying. But when applied properly and with enough coats, the ablative paints should last you years and make your spring launching much easier. Check with your marine store or better yet call or email any of our Advertisers on www.YachtAuthority.com. Make sure you check out all the colors!!

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