To antifoul or not to antifoul

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!!!

Comments

  • Liberty44140Liberty44140 Member Posts: 4,414 ✭✭✭✭✭
    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. 
    07' Cruisers 390 (Previous Rinker's: 06' 342EC & 01' 310FV)

  • randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,085 ✭✭✭✭✭
     I agree with liberty
    Boat Name : 

  • skennellyskennelly Member Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭✭
    Agree.  You will be sorry.
    2002 - 270FV Mag 350 B3
  • planesailingplanesailing Member Posts: 173 ✭✭
    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?
  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Not in salt water.
  • Liberty44140Liberty44140 Member Posts: 4,414 ✭✭✭✭✭
    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!
    07' Cruisers 390 (Previous Rinker's: 06' 342EC & 01' 310FV)

  • planesailingplanesailing Member Posts: 173 ✭✭
    I'll be polishing the boat before dropping it in water, shall I just polish the whole hull?
  • randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,085 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Since, I do not have bottom paint, I always waxed/polished the bottom also, so much fun under there
    Boat Name : 

  • planesailingplanesailing Member Posts: 173 ✭✭
    @randy56 do you keep your boat in the water all year round?
  • Liberty44140Liberty44140 Member Posts: 4,414 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Very interesting and good info, thanks! What about Sea Ray?
    07' Cruisers 390 (Previous Rinker's: 06' 342EC & 01' 310FV)

  • randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,085 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @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. 
    Boat Name : 

  • randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,085 ✭✭✭✭✭
    This is what it looked like after I pressure washed it with 3500 psi and roto tip.

    Boat Name : 

  • MarkBMarkB Member Posts: 4,009 ✭✭✭✭✭
    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.

    Boat Name: King Kong

    "Boat + Water = Fun"

  • boatman37boatman37 Member Posts: 810 ✭✭✭
    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 GregCableguy Greg Member Posts: 5,079 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Slimy Grimy also works very well getting the grime off the boat.
    2008 280 Express Cruiser, 6.2MPI, B3, Pittsburgh, PA "Blue Ayes" (Sold)
    2022 Cherokee 294GEBG Black Label land yacht. 
    Go Steelers!!!
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