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My boat has been in a freshwater slip for four years. Before I put it in the slip I had it bottom coated with epoxy (more than one coat) and Interlux Micron CSC ablative bottom paint over the epoxy.. From what I can see there isn't much algae clinging to it. The plan is to take it home about 60 miles, then worry about cleaning any algae off. I don't think my marina will allow me to rinse it off in their parking lot because opf enviromental concerns.. Will waiting until I get home make this a really hard job. It will be dry by hot Sacramento Valley air on the way home. I heard that a Scotch Brite can be used to rub the algae off. Thanks in advance for any answers. Bill

1. If you use Scotch brite pads, note that there is the common "green" and the "non-scratch" blue, that seems to work as well on marine growth while still wet.
2. Why would the marina object to cleaning off something that came from the lake?
3. Go immediately to a car wash or boat wash and power wash the hulll. You are right - it comes off much easier before it dries.
4. An epoxy barrier coat is not a marine inhibiting treatment. You are lucky if you don't get a lot of marine growth. We use VC offshore and still scrub the bottom at least once per summer.
5. If the water is warm, find a beach area and scrub the bottom in the water before you take the boat out. You can reach most of the hull with a brush on a 5' handle.

Thanks for all the information. My boat has a copper containing ablative anti-fouling coat. Any objections from the marina would be due to the copper in the anti-fouling paint, but it gets in the water from all the boats in the harbor anyway. With our hundred degree plus weather it is likely that the algae would be dry before I could get the boat de-rigged and ready to go to a car wash. I think I will try the long handled brush in the marina. Thanks again! Bill

I am amazed how our E-paint is working. I thought we would have some staining...since our paint is white. A little brush along the waterline...and the little scum comes right off. Nice knowing that we aren't filling the water with copper... or other nasty things. Our water is very salty-brackish... lots of nasties looking for a boat to cling to. Ours looks much cleaner than all our slip neighbors.

I used a very sturdy expandable pole like the type used for dry wall sanding and a stiff brush attached went early in the morning so as not to clog up the ramp, my wife hosed and i brushed clean as a whistle in 15 minutes...