Which Bottom Paint is Right for You?

Revised by BoatUS editors in April 2012

No single bottom paint is the best choice for everyone. The type of bottom paint you need depends on how fast your boat moves through the water, how smooth you want the bottom, how long the paint needs to last--year-round or just through the summer--and perhaps the type of paint already on the bottom. Also, paint formulations that are a good match for the fouling conditions in one body of water sometimes give disappointing results in another. The best way to pick a new bottom paint is to find other boaters in your area who use their boats similar to the way you use yours and ask what paint they like. If it works for them, it will work for you. Buy the paint you hear praised most often.