Our friends at BoatU.S. have some tips for successfully painting the bottom of your vessel. And preparation begins the second your hull clears the water.

First, watch off the slime and growth while the hull is still wet. It’s a lot harder to scrape the stuff off when it’s dry.

Next, remember that adhesion of the new paint is only as good as that of the paint under it. If you see old paint flaking or lifting, scrape with a small knife or chisel. If the paint zips off, the bottom needs to be stripped.

After stripping, it’s time to sand it, wash it, tape the waterline and roll on a fresh coat or two. But don’t use a belt sander since it’s designed to make things flat and that‘s the effect it will have on your hull.

Many boat yards now prohibit normal power sanding because of the dust it generates. The solution is a shop-vac and a random-orbit sander with a vacuum hose connection.