Bottom paint

[Joe]

Is it necessary to paint the bottom every year? I have a Catalina 25. It's in the water (fresh water; Lake Michigan) about 6 months every year.I don't race it.

 

[Melody Miller]

Every Other Year

Hi Joe:If you're talking about anti-fouling paint (prevents barnacles from attaching) I'm not even sure why you have to paint it at all if you're in a fresh water situation (I'm sure someone will tell me why). But even in the brackish water of the Chesapeake, you don't have to paint every year. Most people around here paint every other year and just touch up in the alternating years if they see a "bare spot."Good LuckMelody

 

[Joe]

Why paint in fresh water?

Even in fresh water, over the course of a summer, a significant amount of plant growth will accumulate on the bottom.