Is the persistent marine growth on your boat’s hull has been the bane of your fishing experience? We understand your situation. These pesky pests just affect your ability to maneuver safely plus they also make your boat hull look ugly and cleaning and repairing the hull is a big hassle. If it makes you feel better, a lot of boaters face this problem as well.

But in every problem, there’s always a solution. And that solution is an antifouling paint. Using an antifouling bottom paint for your boat’s hull helps prevent hard and soft marine growth from attaching to the bottom of your hull.

Do I Really Have to Paint the Bottom of My Boat?

Actually, the right answer for this is that it depends. Not all boats need antifouling bottom paint. If your boat is only in the water for short amounts of time or stored out of the water, a solid coat of wax along the hull and a routine thorough cleaning will do the trick on keeping your boat’s condition great.

However, if you have a trailer-sized boat, such as a Cruise Craft boat, there are two important things to remember:

If you’re frequently moving your boat into and out of the water, you’ll wear the paint faster. If you’re planning to sell your boat in the future, be aware that the bottom paint might hurt your resale value, as potential buyers may see it as high maintenance.

On the other hand, if your boat is in the water all year long, or for the majority of boating season, you should be using boat bottom paint. It’s important to note that once you bottom-paint your boat, you will have to continue painting and cleaning it regularly to ensure it stays in its best shape.

How to Paint the Bottom of a Boat

So now that the decision to get an anti-fouling paint is out of the way, it’s time to teach you how to paint the bottom of your boat. Here is a step-by-step guide to the cleaning process:

Clean the bottom of the boat: Pressure wash or scrub the hull. Scrape off hard growth that has accumulated on the hull. Use a dewaxing solvent if your boat hasn’t been painted before.

Determine if you need to strip the old paint: If the existing paint is chipping and/or flaking, you’ll need to strip everything, especially if you’re not sure what type of paint is the original one. Regardless of how well the old paint adheres, you’ll need to strip it if you’re planning on changing the type of paint. The reason is that different types of paint have different properties and don’t adhere firmly to one another.

Sand the hull: Use an orbit sander with 80- to 100-grit sandpaper. Sand away the old paint. If this is the first time your boat has been painted, don’t forget to use dewaxing solvent before sanding. If the old paint isn’t flaking or peeling, it’s probably safe to assume it’s in good condition, which means instead of stripping all of the paint off, you can skip the stripping and sand it.

Tape the waterline: Use a long-mask tape to avoid removal issues. Start at a natural break point and work in 1.5–2-inch increments. Tape around all metal parts that can come in contact with the paint since some ingredients in some paints will cause corrosion. That’s the last thing you want to happen.

Avoid letting paint come in contact with the skin: Wear long sleeves and gloves to avoid splattering the paint on your hands and arms. Most marine paint will have some biocide in it and shouldn’t come in contact with your skin. Avoid splashing the paint near your eyes as well. Use a pair of protective goggles to keep your eyes safe.

Stir the paint: The ingredients in the paint must be thoroughly mixed before painting. A paint shaker or power mixing paddle is best to mix the paint well as this will distribute all the ingredients together.

If you don’t have a paint shaker or a powered mixing paddle, pour half of the paint into a bucket and stir it vigorously by hand. Make sure you get the copper off of the bottom. It could take a solid 15 minutes to get it thoroughly mixed, but don’t worry as this small sacrifice will be worth it. You can get marine paint and a paint shaker in hardware shops or in marine boat stores.

Roll the paint onto the hull: As you start painting, don’t forget to stir frequently as you’re painting. Make sure to use a paint roller for a smooth process. Use a paintbrush to reach the crevices and hard-to-reach corners of the back. Apply 1–2 coats to properly cover the surface. Read the label instructions carefully since they will guide you on how to apply paint to the hull.

Dry the paint: Before launching your boat into the water, allow it to dry completely. Wait at least a day before you take your boat to the water.