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Bottom paint or not
slockyear	#1  Posted on 11/02/10 - 3:48 PM
Member Posts: 6 Comments: 0 Joined: 05/02/08	I have a 1989 Montauk that I use as a kid puller (mostly tubing). Mostly sits behind the Chris Craft in fresh water (Kentucky/Barkley Lake). The bottom is currently not painted with antifouling paint. I need opinions on whether to paint the bottom or leave it as is. I pull it every 6 weeks or so and powerwash the bottom which is starting to get old. I'm curious as to whether it reduces the value and how much performance I will loose or gain as a result. The boat is in otherwise excellent condition. Thanks.
ioptfm	#2  Posted on 11/02/10 - 4:51 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 1533 Comments: 3 Joined: 10/28/06	If the growth is excessive then paint it, if not then don't. As far a effect on price, so purist want no paint and others, depending on where and how they will use it might end up painting it themselves. In other words, do whatever is best for your particular need Tom 1979 Sport 15'
Marty Johns Isd SC	#3  Posted on 11/02/10 - 5:49 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 80 Comments: 2 Joined: 05/17/09	Don't do it. I grew up in the upstate of South Carolina and my parents had a place on Lake Hartwell. Dad had a Ski Nautique and it stayed at the dock in the water all summer long. He and I had dive masks and and towels and would wipe off the bottom of the boat once a week or so (while it was docked). Took about 10 minutes max! In the fall we would pressure wash it and it was fine. Since I just got my second whaler now and this one had red bottom paint on it. My dilemma was to either remove the bottom paint or just keep repainting it where it was flaking off once a year like the previous owner had been doing. I bit the bullet and removed it all. So you just have to weigh your options. Pressure wash at the end of the season or go and repaint it. The bottom paint I looked at in West Marine was around $100.00 per gallon. If you left it in salt water for long periods then yes, bottom paint it. With fresh water use I would not want to bottom paint it. You will need to have the hull primed, then bottom painted, then some up-keep when a pressure washing seems a whole lot cheaper. Just my honest opinion. Good Luck Marty Durham 1989 17' SS Limited Johns Island,SC
tedious	#4  Posted on 11/03/10 - 5:24 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 1072 Comments: 2 Joined: 09/07/08	Are you pulling it because of growth buildup? Keeping it in the water for 6 weeks at a time, I'd be more worried about osmotic blisters than I would about growth. How long have you been keeping the boat in the water behind the Chris Craft? If you've been doing it for several years already, and you don't have osmotic blisters, then you're probably not going to get them, for whatever reason, possibly having to do with the water chemistry in your lake. If that's the case, try pulling the boat, cleaning it well, and giving it a couple of coats of good wax. Then see if that helps cut down on your need to clean. I also like the idea of jumping in and giving the boat a quick scrub in the water every few weeks. Tim
Blackduck	#5  Posted on 11/03/10 - 6:24 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 519 Comments: 0 Joined: 02/25/06	Yes, blisters are the problem. If you leave a fiberglass boat in fresh water long enough, you will get blisters. Walter Reynolds 1973 Boston Whaler 16 Nauset 90 HP Yamaha
HarleyFXDL	#6  Posted on 11/03/10 - 5:33 PM
Member Personal Page Project Albums Posts: 917 Comments: 30 Joined: 07/24/07	I personally feel a bottom painted boat losses value. Once a boat is bottom painted it is a nightmare to bring it back. I would not buy another bottom painted boat unless the deal was too great to pass on. I ALWAYS trailer and went through hell to get the bottom paint off of my boat. As I don't moor my boat, the bottom paint slowly comes off and looks like crap. I have no intention on spending good money on bottom paint to keep it looking uniform. Kevin 1988 11' Super Sport, 1987 Johnson 15hp. If you think education is expensive, try ignorance "Vegetarian - old Indian word for bad fisherman."
jeff7334	#7  Posted on 11/04/10 - 7:41 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 1 Comments: 0 Joined: 08/22/10	Ask youself these questions: How much do you want to spend? Are you going to do the work? How much time and effort do you have to put in to it? If you plan on keeping the boat for a long time and have the money to spend on it . .. then re-gelcoat.
Blackduck	#8  Posted on 11/04/10 - 8:04 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 519 Comments: 0 Joined: 02/25/06	I think the question is wether or not the boat can be left in the water for 6 weeks at a time without damage. The answer to that question is no. While "Trailer Queen" boats will generally bring more money at resale, some of us want to leave our boats moored, or docked, so we can use them at will. For me, this sure beats launching and hauling the boat every time I want to use it. Edited by Blackduck on 11/04/10 - 9:59 AM Walter Reynolds 1973 Boston Whaler 16 Nauset 90 HP Yamaha
slockyear	#9  Posted on 11/04/10 - 8:10 PM
Member Posts: 6 Comments: 0 Joined: 05/02/08	thanks to everyone for the thoughts. Blisters are not a problem yet but if they come I'm not going to freak. all and all it's a Montauk used for fun. Just getting lazy on the bottom cleaning.