Bottom paints can be broken into two basic categories. Hard, or contact leaching
paints dry to a porous film that is loaded with biocides. These biocides leach out
of the paint over the course of the season, killing and preventing growth on your
boat's bottom. Once the biocide is all gone, or when the bottom dries out such as
being hauled for the season, the remaining paint remains intact but has no more antifouling capability. Hard paints have the advantage of being resistant to rubbing
and abrasion, and they can be sanded to reduce drag and make the boat faster.
Ablative paints wear away and erode as they pass through the water, providing
an unstable surface for marine growth and delivering biocides more efficiently than
hard paints. There are several types of ablative paints, but all wear away either
through chemical reactions or the physical action of the water over the surface of
the bottom. These paints work best in high growth waters and, for the most part,
their longevity is related to how thickly the paint is applied.
Find more information and links to independent sites on our blog. Please check
We are available to discuss the merits of any and all brands and types of paints
and would be happy to make recommendations as to which paint might be the best
