What type of bottom paint for fresh water lake?

[tidalwave]

My 2004 was kept at a slip all last summer in a fresh water lake here in Minnesota...I thought I would try to get by without bottom paint.

I coated the hull with multiple coats of Poli-Glo (wax) to see if that would be the easiest way to go...I built up a moderate coat of slime, which pressure-washered off but I still had to use a 3M hand brush to get all of it off.

I checked the hull afterward, and didn't find any blistering (TG).

But all of the other sailboats at my marina had bottom paint.

Interlux paint corp. states that I should put six coats of their epoxy on first as an anti-osmosis, anti-blistering coating, then follow up with two coats of ablative anti-fouling paint.

West Marine suggests that I can just put on two coats of anti-fouling and I won't have to worry about blistering if the anti-fouling paint is good.

My question is for anyone who keeps their at a slip in fresh water...what types and sequences of paint do you recommend?

[Divecoz]

I know what Bill Told me. . . but he should be the one to answer and Mark P. as well . Scarey isnt it ?? I mean you hate to if you dont have to (once you bottom paint you will have to for the life of the boat BTW )Yet if you should have to and didnt ??? $$$$$$ OK Bill. . Mark and Others give us the truth ....

[KaiSchuler]

Hello from Chicago!

We have decided to put the M on a slip on Lake Michigan for the upcoming season (Reefpoint Marina, Racine, WI). I did a lot of research regarding different types and techniques of bottom paint and its application. I decided for the following:

3 to 4 coats of INTERLUX Interprotect 2000
3 coats of INTERLUX Micron CSC

That should do the trick of keeping the bottom of the hull clean, and protecting against blistering.

Just my 2 cents.

Best regards,
Kai

[Lorne Colish]

My 02X blistered after its first few weeks on Lake of the Woods, was sanded and coated with an interlux clear epoxy (paid for by the factory),then sold to me,osmossis history not included. I coated the shiny new bottom with Aurora Bottom wax,and dumped it back into Lake of the Woods for its second summer.
It came out in the fall full of little blisters, so I sanded it before winter and again lightly in spring before applying.......
-3 to 4 coats of INTERLUX INTERPROTECT 2000
-2 coats of INTERLUX Micron CSC
Good for 2 summers so far,ready for a touch up coat of CSC for this summer.(At $60+/quart,that's all she gets)
My 88 Macgregor blistered after 2 or 3 summers wax only,so I Interprotected it too.
So I guess you know what I recommend.