Bottom paint for lakes

Sep 14, 2013
26
Hunter 26 Harbor Town Marina, Lake Allatoona
I may be moving my Hunter 26 from the Georgia coast, salt water, to a lake near Atlanta. Bottom needs repainting before re-launch into the lake. What bottom paint is recommended for lakes? Any environmental considerations in a lake?
 
Aug 1, 2013
61
Hunter 240 Muskegon, MI
I know in the Great Lakes at least, most everyone that I know uses VC-17. Upside is that it can be painted over itself after you get it on the boat. Downside is that you have to get all prior paint off before putting it on the first time.
 
Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
Can't say enough good things about Petit Hydrocoat. After two seasons a light powerwash is still enough to leave a clean bottom. The boat comes out with a very thin slime layer. I buy the cheaper version, the one without the slime biocide. I started with two coats over an old modified-epoxy paint. Could probably go a third season but will probably do at least three feet down from the waterline. So cool to be able to clean up with water. This is in Lake Erie.
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,453
-na -NA Anywhere USA
As a retired dealer, a lot depends if you are going to take the boat out after the season or leave it in. I Micron CSC which is a softer paint or the equivalent sold by West Marine with the bioguards in it. If the boat comes out for the season, the anti fouling properties are still good but may come off a little around the bunk boards but it lasted for a while. I applied this to all boats sold to include the H 26 and 260 in southern lakes.

Sometimes the West Marine brand is made by either Petit or Micron.

crzazy davve
 
Sep 14, 2013
26
Hunter 26 Harbor Town Marina, Lake Allatoona
Thanks Dave. I plan to put the boat on the trailer after the season. There are always repairs and projects to do in the off season.
 
Jul 29, 2004
413
Hunter 340 Lake Lanier, GA
I may be moving my Hunter 26 from the Georgia coast, salt water, to a lake near Atlanta. Bottom needs repainting before re-launch into the lake. What bottom paint is recommended for lakes? Any environmental considerations in a lake?
Petit Trinidad SR was on our boat when we bought it in 2003, and has been used twice since. After the last 3 years in the water (Lake Lanier), we did a short haul last spring, had the bottom pressure washed and dropped her back in for a planned 3 more years based on what we saw.
 
Last edited:
Jun 8, 2004
10,453
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Ed;

Petit Trinidad SR is what I use to put on my boats headed to the coast from my dealership in North Carolina which I closed due to retiring and that included most of the yards as well as it worked well. VC 17 is hardly used in the south. I am glad you used that at Lanier which by the way I have sailed on and delivered boats there or transported from there.

However, that paint if out for more than 60 days looses it's anti fouling properties but since you leave your boat in the water, no problem. With the trailerables, many are pulled even during the winter and with Micron CSC or the equivalent brand from West Marine, if the boat is left out of the water, the anti fouling properties are not lost. I am not an engineer but worked with many products and when I found a good one for the application, I stuck with it.

Prep work is the one if not the most important item when applying anti fouling paints. My specialty was the trailerables and I worked with most brands but mostly Hunter and Catalina.

crazy dave condon