To antifoul or not to antifoul

planesailing

Looking at buying a new boat that has been dry stacked since new and has therefore never been antifouled. I will be keeping it in the marina which is fresh water and has very little marine growth. Should I antifoul or Not? I would prefer not too but am after some advice from you all!!!

Liberty44140

When I had my 2001 Rinker 310 it had no antifoul, was a clean gelcoat bottom. We are in fresh water. Boy would the bottom get incredibly nasty, I had the boat hauled twice throughout the summer and we did a clean and it was a miserable experience. In two months we would it would be like green carpet on the bottom. I will now always have bottom paint when keeping a boat in a wet slip. 

randy56

 I agree with liberty

skennelly

Agree.  You will be sorry.

planesailing

There appears to be very little marine growth in our marina which is why I am considering not bottom painting. Will it cause any damage to the hull by not bottom painting?

Handymans342

Not in salt water.

Liberty44140

Al, question on that- I’ve seen plenty of boats with blisters from being painted with anti foul but no epoxy barrier coat. These were mainly sailboats and recently a newer carver. Never a Rinker. So are our boats made of a better material that will not blister? Thanks!

planesailing

I'll be polishing the boat before dropping it in water, shall I just polish the whole hull?

randy56

Since, I do not have bottom paint, I always waxed/polished the bottom also, so much fun under there

planesailing

@randy56 do you keep your boat in the water all year round?

Liberty44140

Very interesting and good info, thanks! What about Sea Ray?

randy56

@planesailing no the boat's in storage half the year seems like. last year I pulled it out monthly and  cleaned the bottom. This year I did not, waited till October to pull it, and clean. Bad idea for me. My water is nasty river water. Will not do that again. 

randy56

This is what it looked like after I pressure washed it with 3500 psi and roto tip.

MarkB

Try it for a year, and if it's too much, then get it bottom painted. You can do it after the fact. As Al says an acid wash will get it clean ... I had to do that to a Tahoe I owned. It was nasty, and then decided in my conditions to bottom paint.

boatman37

I used Mary Kates Om/Off this fall and it worked great. Spray on and rinse off. Only had to scrub a few spots that were bad. It has oxalyc acid in it

Cableguy Greg

Slimy Grimy also works very well getting the grime off the boat.