5 Major Types of Bottom Boat Paint

All types of boats require to be painted regularly with boat bottom paint.

All types of boats require to be painted regularly with boat bottom paint. They all need frequent maintenance as well regardless of whether they are trailered from and to the marine water or they are docked permanently. Various contaminants and foreign elements have adverse effects on boat paint.

Algae slimes, water plants, mussels and barnacles all do pose some serious threat to the bottom of your boat. They do this by adhering and burrowing on the surface of the boat. Different bottom boat paint come with varying chemical ingredients as will be used for the various hulls. It’s good to learn which of the boat bottom paint complements the design and the hull of your boat. Here are some types of boat paint you can use on your boat to give it effectiveness and speed;

Old ablative boat paint

All boats have different uses, and so there are equally different boat paints to cater for them. Old ablative boat paint usually wears off like soap thereby exposing fresh paint. This happens when this boat bottom paint is in thick layers. Old ablative boat paint disperses marine growth but does not repel it. They can be found easily from the local marine stores. Old ablative boat bottom paint has anti fouling features.

Advanced ablative boat paints

Large ships and boats use advanced boat bottom paint to act as ablative protective coatings against marine growth fouling. Advanced ablative boat paints have better results as far as anti-fouling is concerned. They usually dissolve leaving behind a vivid base. They last a bit longer and they also wear out evenly and better than the old style boat paint.

Hard bottom boat paints

Boats used in racing need specialized formula boat bottom paint. Hard bottom boat paint gives a durable surface to your boat and results in smoother surfaces than when boats are painted with ablative boat paint. This is why hard bottom boat paints usually last longer than the rest of the paints. They also have very good anti-snarling characteristics. Hard bottom boat paints require more work when it comes to remove them with sanding, but they are easily applied with roller and brush.

High performance boat paints

It’s the kind of boat bottom paint that improves the performance of racing crafts and powerboats. This is because they usually reduce water frictions and drag. High performance boat bottom paint also presents a smooth surface that discourages the grip of marine plants and animals on the hull of the boat. They are made to work well on saltwater and freshwater but they should not be mixed with any other kind of paint.

Special chemical boat bottom paints

They contain hydrogen peroxide which prevents marine growth, plant fungus and algae from destroying your boat. It’s the kind of boat bottom paint that will show good results especially when applied on aluminum boats. This special bottom boat paint possesses excellent anti-snarling characteristics and they are the most popular of the bottom paints.

There are special boat bottom paints which do not have biocides and they have excellent results. They produce slick and smooth surfaces than all the boat paints and no aquatic growth can adhere to it.

About the Author

Boat Buddies Eddie Lopez is the author of this article on Marine Coatings. Find more information on Antifouling Paints here.