CONTINUOUSWAVE

[My 1998 MONTAUK 17 boat has] never had any [bottom paint] applied. [Applying bottom paint] seems to be a bit of a job, prepping the hull, marking the water line (while in the cold water), figuring out right paint, lifting the boat to get all the places, and so on.

[The boat] sits in the saltwater at the marina for two or three months, and then goes on the trailer and gets winterized. There is quite a bit of sea life attached to it when I pull it out and I use a soft scrub pad to get most of it off.

[Is there] any harm in leaving it as is?

Should I be thinking about a bottom paint [for a 1998 MONTAUK 17 boat]?

[What are your] thoughts?

For Boston Whaler's thoughts about the necessity of bottom paint, see

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/manual9-17/maintenance.html#bottom

In my experience, the rate of growth of aquatic organisms on the hull will be quite variable depending on water temperature and how much movement there is on the boat. If the boat sits in a slip without much movement for months in tropical saltwater, more growth will occur than if the boat is in use everyday in much colder saltwater.

Perfect, thank you once again !

No harm in leaving as is.
There is actually more harm if applying an ablative paint, and more work than once and a while a good scrub. Unless you can't haul you boat out due to considerable expense or difficulties once and a while I would not apply a bottom paint.

jimh wrote:For Boston Whaler's thoughts about the necessity of bottom paint, see
http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/manual9-17/maintenance.html#bottom

I would add one thought... Some marinas, local municipalities, etc., may have regulations or restrictions on the type of anti-fouling paint that can be used. Best to check if that is the case in your area.