Steve Zweigart wrote:

Just bought my first sailboat this year...a 1986 Mac25 which is moored
at Cave Run Lake in Kentucky..... ....What is the best type of paint
for a situation such as mine? I don't want to spend $$$ on an ablative
multi-season coating if it's not necessary, nor do I want to paint the
thing any more than is absolutely necessary. Suggestions?

It might be cheaper to buy an old 2nd hand trailer and store the boat out of
the water. Ablative anti-fouling paint is limited in time & works better for
a boat that is underway often. Hard finish antifouling paints are more
expensive. In any event, it would be best to sand off all old bottom pain,
get down to the original gel coat. It would be great idea to refinish that
iron swing keel & replace the cable, too. Normal preventative maintenance.

An option you have is to buy a can of anti-slime additive such as is mixed
with bottom paint, and mix it into cheaper house paint, and slap it on
there. You don't have to worry about barnacles.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King