Why Apply Antifouling Paint?

If you’ve ever taken a look at a tall ship or even a cruise liner, you may have noticed an element that most of those enormous boats have in common. Along the bow, the stern and the underside of the boat you’ll find barnacles and other saltwater mainstays. A shipwrecked vessel will attract even more barnacles than an active one. Needless to say, these crusty objects clinging to the underside of the craft do much to slow things down.

The hull of a boat running in saltwater might also acquire a collection of weeds and slime over time – something that must be avoided in order to maximize engine efficiency. The idea is to reduce drag, and that means dropping the dead weight. If the barnacles, seaweed and other assorted gunk have already taken hold, you’ll have no choice but to hose and scrape the hull.

Otherwise, simply apply some antifouling paint to the underside of the boat. The paint dries to form a smooth, hard surface that’s resistant to vegetable growth and clinging barnacles. The paint will thin out through the course of use, so it simply needs to be replenished at the beginning of each boating season. By keeping your boat running slick through the water, you can save money on other vital supplies – especially Evinrude oil.