Best bottom paint

ScottK

What is the best bottom paint to use in Lake Erie and will not hurt the performance of the boat and lasts. 

Handymans342

See What your local marinas use. 

LaRea

Search other threads here ... it's all about local knowledge.  A paint that works 100 miles away might not work at your marina.  

Some members here with freshwater boats have said that Micron CSC worked for them, but you really have to talk to other boaters and mechanics near you.

Liberty44140

I am on Lake Erie and love petit hydrocoat. I get 5 full years out of it before recoat. Strongly suggest. 

Cableguy Greg

I am on the river and I just repainted with MicronCSC. I have a blue hull and they make a dark blue paint called Sea Ray Blue. Looks sharp on a navy blue hull. 

MarkB

I never had an issue with my Micron CSC bottom paint ... on Lake Ontario.

Black_Diamond

VC-17M. No build up. Slick. Sailboaters use it all the time due to reduced drag. Fresh water use only though. Commonly used in Lk Michigan. 

MarkB

I had a choice between VC17 and Micron CSC.  VC17 is ablative right?  I was worried it would need more maintenance each year than CSC, although I heard VC17 is easy to touch up.

Black_Diamond

VC-17 will last more than a year. Most redo it yearly...no sanding, just a clean bottom. Goes on easy too. I had the CSC before. What a disaster sanding to recoat. Horrible!  3qts does my 342. 

LaRea

Micron is ablative, so maintenance is easy.  The only annual maintenance is pressure wash at winter haul-out.  After 4 seasons, give it a good pressure wash, then light sand to scuff the surface before recoating.  You don't have to remove the old paint.

But the easy maintenance is irrelevant if Micron doesn't work where you live.

ScottK

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am trying the Pettit vivid white to see how it does. 

Cableguy Greg

ScottK said:

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am trying the Pettit vivid white to see how it does. 

@tniggel uses that in the same river that I boat in and he loves it.