# Is bottom paint necessary in fresh water?



## calamitas (Apr 18, 2007)

I have seen postings in other internet forums claiming that there is no need to apply bottom paint to your fiberglass boat as long as it is used in fresh water only and hauled out at the end of each season. Some recommend a good coat of wax only. Anyone have experience with this?


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## sailortjk1 (Dec 20, 2005)

Um, I don't agree. On the Great Lakes (Fresh Water) you need protection.

Only if you haul your boat after every daysail would I consider it.
More than two or three days and your going to get some slime.

Launched in Spring and hauled in Fall, you will have a hairy growth on you boat.
It will be more than just slime.


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

I know people that don't put on bottom paint in freshwater, but they are able to clean the bottom with the boat in the water. Depending on where you are, zebra mussels can be a problem as well.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

If the boat sits in the water the whole season, you'll probably wish you had put on some sort of bottom paint.


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## Hawkwind (Apr 25, 2006)

I doubt that wax would do much good if it sat underwater for a season. You need bottom paint in the great lakes.


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## Fstbttms (Feb 25, 2003)

A boat that lives in the water 24/7 needs anti fouling, regardless of whether it's a freshwater or saltwater environment.


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## kwaltersmi (Aug 14, 2006)

It's been said numerous times, but yes, you need bottom paint if you want to slow the accumulation of slime/critters/algae. It's also a tremendous help in removing said sludge after haul-out.


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## sck5 (Aug 20, 2007)

I live on a freshwater lake. The only boats that dont grow slime and zebra mussels are the ones that are cranked up on a boat lift every night. All the other ones grow stuff, and do it really fast later in the year when the water gets warmer.


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## Tumblehome32 (Jan 16, 2008)

You DO need bottom paint in fresh water! Obviously there are different paints for different regions, but even WITH bottom paint my boat grew algeae in MN 20 years ago.

It was bad paint, but still.


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## Valiente (Jun 16, 2006)

VC 17m is very popular here for a reason as it's not a great salt-water paint, but it keeps the slime and critters largely at bay. The bottom of my keel is nearly impossible to reach (as the boat sits on it) and the mussel growth there is significant. Elsewhere, we use Pettit Premium Performance liberally, and that does the trick for us. On my FG boat, it's VC 17m, which may change if it's raced next season.


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## Omatako (Sep 14, 2003)

Whilst being a long way from an expert on the subject, I was once told that fresh water is far more likely to cause osmosis and gel coat blistering because the water is less dense and thus has an easier time migrating up follicles of glass fiber.

As far as personal experience with goes, I lived on an inland lake many years ago and took a boat from the coast that lived in a marina for several years with no blisters and in two years in fresh water it was like a golf ball.

This doesn't perhaps prove anything but it seems reason enough to put a decent coat of anti-foul on, hobbly gobblies aside.

Andre


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## Fstbttms (Feb 25, 2003)

Omatako said:


> This doesn't perhaps prove anything but it seems reason enough to put a decent coat of anti-foul on, hobbly gobblies aside.


Unfortunately, since anti fouling paint does not block water from reaching the hull nor is it designed to, it plays little or no role in the mitgation of osmotic blistering.


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## EliaSOS (May 5, 2010)

*No.*

Many-most boaters in the Great Lakes put on bottom paint, I cannot see any reason. The 'slime' is insignificant its red gren algee. Fresh water boaties look at a boat hauled from the ocean, they grow gardens, that require hours-days of scraping. I know of a guy who had about 15 kg of Oysters when he haulled his ferro boat. Great lakes algee is nothing in comparison. An epoxy barrier coat IMHO and 2-part finish, is a far better barrier than bottom paint which in the past was had copper init to avoid animals growing and was designed to peel away. Lake superior where I spent most of my time is full of copper, Iron etc. Furtehr more if you are on the great lakes you mot likily pull your boat out every year May-October, put a good epoxy and powerwash it. Its a marketing ploy. (except maybe for race people)


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