Bottom Paint and Algae

[BGraz180]

I have a 2008 Stingray 220DR. I trailer the boat in the winter, but during the summer I keep the boat in a slip at the local marina on the Intercoastal Waterway. The water is brackish, fairly close to the ocean.

The problem I have is that the algae growth on the bottom of the boat is pretty bad. By the end of the summer, the bottom looks horrible - completely covered in algae. It usually takes a couple of days of scrubbing just to get it close to clean.

My question is this: Is there something I can do to prevent this? Can I paint the bottom of the boat, or treat it, or something that will prevent this algae from attaching itself? If so, how much should I expect to spend?

Thanks in advance...

 

[JoLin]

Hi, and welcome to iboats.

For how many months at a time is the boat left in the water? Is there any paint at all on the bottom, or is it bare fiberglass as it came from the factory?

Any boat left in the water needs to have at least 2 barrier coats (special marine paint) applied to the bottom to prevent blistering of the fiberglass. Over that, you'd apply a couple coats of anti-fouling paint (another marine paint with biocide) to help prevent growth. You won't eliminate it, but it'll help. Since different AF paints work better in different waters, your best bet may be to ask locally what people use. Since you have a trailer, you could pull the boat out of the water every couple of months to scrub off any growth. It's an easier chore if you can do it periodically.

As for cost, a 22' boat will need approximately 1 1/2 gallons of paint for 2 coats. Cost of the paint varies depending on what you settle on. $150-250 per gallon is a good benchmark.

My boat is slipped for 6 months a year on Long Island. A pressure washer does a good job of taking off the growth when I haul it out.

My .02

 

[tpenfield]

+1 ^^^

A slime reducing anti-fouling paint over the barrier coat. The cheap stuff won't really work, so spend the extra $100 or so on the good stuff.

 

[BGraz180]

For how many months at a time is the boat left in the water? Is there any paint at all on the bottom, or is it bare fiberglass as it came from the factory?

The plan is to keep it in the water for 6 months. The bottom is bare straight from the factory. I know I should do something; I'm just trying to get a handle on what that something is.

It sounds like a few hundred dollars that I should spend before summer gets here!

You all have given me a starting point! Thank You!!

 

[JoLin]

Read, read, read. Prepping for and applying the barrier coats is critical. If you don't get good adhesion there, the rest is wasted money and effort. Concentrate on that first, then figure out what kind of ant-fouling you'll need.

Don't forget to regularly inspect your anodes and change them as needed. Does your boat have an outboard motor, or an I/O? You can raise the outboard out of the water, but an I/O will need specific (made for metal) anti-fouling paint, too.

My .02