www.iFourWinns.com

After 7 seasons of use, I need to get antifouling paint reapplied to our 2003 328 Vista. The boat is in fresh water at Norris Lake TN year round and since I am not the original owner, I am not sure what is on it currently but it is a 'off white' color so I'm thinking it is Interlux since they sell a 'shark while' ablative paint. I do like the color. Growth has never been a big problem being in fresh water but the biggest problem I've run into is that I like to take a sponge and clean the water line and the paint comes off very easily and I wore it off prematurely.

Does anyone have recommendations for bottom paint that works well in fresh water?

How about scrubbing at the water line? Would a 'hard' antifouling be better?

What about cost? I got a quote from the dealer in Knoxville for $4,400 which includes hauling but I thought that was high. I was hoping to be in the $1500-2000 range.


Can anyone recommend someone in the Norris Lake area?

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2014 Vista V435
2011 Glastron GT180
2013 Sea Doo RXT-260

That price sound reasonable, they want over $3000 to do my little 24' vista that if I trailer it to them.

As far as types of anti fouling paint. I dont know, I wish mine did not have it. I only priced out having it redone to try and make it look better. I hate it. Not going to spend $3k for looks.....

Our boat is luckly if it sees 14 days in the water. We dont need bottom paint, but thats what you get when you buy used.

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2000 248 5.7L DP
'92, '94 SXI 750, '08 STX 15F, '12 Ultra LX 300
Videos

Haul it and paint it yourselves?

Probably need a gallon to do a coat on a 328.

Haul it, pressure wash it, give it a light sanding, tape it off, and roll it on with a brush.

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

cougar cruiser, I've priced material and came out somewhere in the $1000 range. I think on a boat like this it takes a little more than 4.5 gallons for 2 coats at $205/gal for Interlux Micron. I'm sure 10 years ago this is a project I would tackle on my own but these days I'd rather enjoy my boat rather than bottom paint it

More comments please!!!!

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2014 Vista V435
2011 Glastron GT180
2013 Sea Doo RXT-260

We use a hard bottom paint, Black Interlux Ultra on our boat. Year 5 with just light sanding and touching up the smile each season before launch. I do have to scrub the water line during the season a couple of times, but the paint does not come off like an ablative type.

If you like the white ablative type paint, I would recommend going with Pettit Vivid in white. It is a hybrid coating and has characteristics of both ablative and hard paints. The copper thiocyanate biocide and zinc slime-inducers do dissolve away like an ablative bottom paint, but they leave behind the Vivid paint, as happens with a vinyl or epoxy like the Ultra we use.

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

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Good lord!! I just did the entire bottom of my 290 (31 LOA) with one gallon!! Granted mine was in a pretty decent condition but I still covered the entire bottom and sides with one gallon and I wasted some because I did it on 2 separate days. I can't believe you would need 4-5 gallons. Two at best, a couple rollers from home depot, a cheep brush or two, masking tape, latex gloves (unless you're alergic) and you can crank that out in 1 day. I couldn't imagine paying more that $300 or so based on supplies (my paint was $125/gallon) and time and effort involved. But that's just me. Heck, your price would pay for my gas and beer for all summer. Ok, maybe not my beer . ..

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Former owner of:
1996 Four Winns Horizon 200 5.8L VP
2006 Four Winns Horizon 260 8.1L VP
2007 Sea Ray 290 Sundancer

Current boat
2004 Sea Ray 290 Sun Sport Twin 350 Mags

OK, so I'm getting ready to redo my bottom paint as well. Here' the question - how hard is it going to be to get the thing off the trailer and up on jacks? I'm assuming I'm going to have to do this at my marina, where they can lift and put it on stands or in a sling. True? Or is this something I can do on my own with a good set of stands in the driveway? Just saying that makes me nervous.

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2006 Vista 258
2007 Yukon Denali

I did exactly this in the Fall with the "new" Vista. I was very nervous and sent everybody away except me and my buddy. Getting the boat off the bunk trailer is a real b*tch! I had to keep the trailer attached to the truck then pull the boat backwards until it "teetered" then put blocks under the rear corners, held the boat steady with the tractor and slowly pulled out the truck putting some blocks under the keel as we went. After the trailer was clear I jammed some 4 x4's along the strakes for added stability. Not an easy (or smart) feat in the least.





For safety's sake I would recommend you get a hydraulic trailer to pull your boat and deliver it to your driveway.

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Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive

Those things are amazing to watch in action. They moved my 348 on one. The amount of adjustment was considerable. They could raise/lower it about 5' on the trailer. Plenty of lift to allow putting it up on actual boat stands.

As a side note, if you decide to put it on dirt make SURE you've got sufficient support under the stands to keep them from sinking into the soil. I'd prefer to pay for storage and do it at the marina. Storage usually includes all the proper stands and blocking, along with their expertise in doing it. That and their soil is usually already pretty well compacted against anything sinking.

When I dealt with some peeling on our 348 I sanded and painted a few sections. That got us through another season. It's nasty work. And the labor is pretty hard on the back and arms unless you're used to doing it. But when it came to doing the whole thing I didn't hesitate in paying someone else to do the job. I had it ALL removed via soda blasting and repainted. I think the total was around $3k (blasting and then 2 coats of barrier and 3 ablative paint).

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Wow ... I guess I'm lucky. I got the bottom painted on mine with the "good" paint back in September 2009. Much thicker and tougher than what was on it. Interlux Ultra, IIRC is what I had them apply.

They pulled it, prepped and painted for $1200.00. Paint included.


Craig C.

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2003 Vista 248, VP 5.0 GXi-C, DP

Sunday Dinner, I blocked my 24' vista this fall without any problem. First one thing that makes it a little easier I had tree to tie the stern to and then pulled ahead to leave about a foot or two of the stern off the trailer. Then I jacked the whole trailer up and placed my blocks under the stern and at the bow. The trick is to position the front block so when you let the trailer down you can pull the trailer forward a few feet until the axle is close to the blocks. I have a tandem trailer so you the have to place another set of blocks behind the axle by jacking the bow enough to remove the first set of blocks and place the new ones. It is like leap frogging the axles. Keep doing this until the trailer is clear of the forward block. This explanation might sound confusing but it is simple just have a little patience and it is no problem.

We did the sides and the bottom of ours last year. We only used a gallon. I taped it off and did a light sanding of the bottom. Then roll it on the side and bottom. I just can't believe that it would take that much paint. Ours was in good shape.

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348 Vista ( Last Call )
Raystown PA

If all you're doing is touch-up then it would certainly take less paint. But if you're starting over then it does take quite a lot. I find it pretty hard to believe complete coverage would take only a gallon. At least not with what I put on there (iirc, micro csc). The paint was fairly thick, and this was on an 85F summer day. It's possible other paints are thinner and spread more easily.

The paint is cheap in contrast to what bottom blistering and other damage costs to repair.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

So, in fresh water does it really keep stuff from growing on the bottom of the boat? If it costs $250 to get the bottom cleaned, will $250 in paint prevent me from having to do this any more?

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2008 Four Winns F224
5.0 Volvo Penta
Towing with Audi Q7 4.2 V8

You don't mention where you're boating. (You can update your profile with a location). It depends on what sort of water you're in.

What the paints seek to do is keep anything that grows on the bottom from destroying the bottom. Growth starts with slime and then more troublesome organisms gain a foothold on that. The ablative paints essentially peel themselves off in microscopic amounts every time you take the boat out for a trip. This sloughs off the slime. Eventually the ablative wears off. Under that is usually a barrier coat, typically a hard epoxy type paint. This doesn't slough off like ablative. It protects the gelcoat from the gunk from eating into it or getting stained.

You typically cannot scrub or power wash ablative paint as the pressure strips the paint. Barrier paint can usually be scrubbed or power washed.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista