www.iFourWinns.com

I have a 2000 268 Vista and am going to have the bottom painted. One guy wants to put on a barrier coating on before the paint. My question is does Four Winns have any history of blistering when the boats are moored? We are only going to moore for 6 months then back on the trailer for the winter.

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2000 268 Vista "Reely Nauti"
http://www.facebook.com/#!/rivercruiser

If you keep your boat in for 6 months at a time, I would say no. You'd be wasting your money.

In fact - I probably wouldn't bottom paint at all unless you keep it in saltwater.

If in saltwater... the pacific northwest choice that I found is Interlux BottomKote with Ingarol. Seems to provide 3-4 seasons for most people I've talked to.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

I keep my boat in fresh water for 6 or 7 months a year and I love my bottom paint. I use a very hard paint (VC-17) and cleaning up the hull is a breeze. As for a barrier coat, I agree with cougar... Not needed unless it stays in the water all year.

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2000 Four Winns 248 Vista (Nice toys, no Air)
2001 Highly Modified Yamaha GP1200R (75+MPH)

If you keep your 2000 268 Vista in fresh water for 6 months per year like we do with ours, I would say yes , definately. It is totally worth the money. If it has never been bottom painted, I would suggest a barrier coat and 3 to 4 coats of bottom paint for your first time.

Four Winns are no different than any other fiberglass boat in this respect, none of them have a history of blistering, but the peace of mind knowing that your boat is protected the entire time it is in the water, is reason enough to have it painted.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

i had to paint my boat for the first time this spring. I am moving from fresh to salt water. I did the job myself so that I knew that it was done right. Not that bad of a job. all said and done about 250.00. I ended up with Interlux barrier coat and then Petit antifouling paint. I would barrier coat it if I was you. You really can not go back and do it later. You should bite the bullet and for the few dollars that it costs, I would rather have to much protection than not enough. The barrier coat costs less than the bottom paint

Ended up getting the bottom painted with Pettit Vivid paint no barrier coat. I couldn't be happier with the job. Cost was $1,100 for them to prep, define water line, and paint. It cost a little more since the bottom had never been painted. Thanks for all the help here.

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2000 268 Vista "Reely Nauti"
http://www.facebook.com/#!/rivercruiser

I just bought a 2000 230 horizon that sat in the water 5 months a year with no bottom paint and was very blistered on the entire hull. Just had bottom re-gel coated!!!! Trust me use bottom paint!!! Total job cost was $6200 for the entire hull.. Now this wasn't as bad because i only paid $6000 for the boat, because of the blistering. You don't want to go through this!!! Use bottom paint!!!!! Drew

GOOD CHOICE IN GETTING THE BOTTOM PAINT

Great choice!

That's about what I paid for mine as well.

Barrier coat is a tough one... We chose not to do it on the 318. In Seattle, we don't get weather swings and Four Winns puts a barrier in their hull molds.

The local boat yards on Lake Union - From Bayliner up to Ocean Alexander... Barrier coat was 50/50 by customers. and for the 50% that didn't barrier coat, only a very small handfull ever experienced any issues (like 1 person that I heard of).

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

Good choice on the bottom paint. I did not paint our cruiser because I really did not know how long we were going to keep it. If I knew it was going to be 4 1/2 years I would have. I never had any hull issues thank goodness. But pulling it out and cleaning 3 or 4 times a summer was a PITA.

+1 on that. It sucks.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

Some new bottom paint from Interlux introduced that might be a good alternative to copper based paints.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy