Best Anti - Fowling paint bottom & 4 twin I.O's

[Al B]

I am a in/out customer at my marina here in Fl.

Marina offered as a courtesy for in/out customers a slip (when available)

Sleep aboard at times since I am 75 miles from home ,
As a in/out customer bottom always clean , no growth on IO's
Marina lot busier No more courtesy slips

A concern I have always had , Barnacle growth, pin wholes from corrosion from electrolysis destroying lower units ,
Presently lower units clean , year 2004 all original everything , has some pitted areas

Marina offered me a stationery slip , this way I have my own slip , stay aboard as often as I wish , Boat is 30 ft , Same pricing
Many hire divers too clean bottom .
My concern is barnacle growth on lower unit & behind by bellows
I have a trailer & truck and can haul out monthly too power wash ,
If I go this route what bottom paint for hull ,
Paint for lower units
antidote
Heard there is a device I can plug into electric that keeps away electricity from other boats that is a big cause of electrolysis

I have had many boats , all smaller, kept home , all had IO's and never a concern , Always heard IO's are not designed long term too be left in salt water , Makes no sense . I have spent a lot on new engines , and maintain this boat avoiding costly repairs , Not eager too spend thousands on lower units cause of pin wholes & gear lube leaking ??

thanks in advance

[a64pilot]

Best ask your local yard that applies bottom paint.
A great paint for one area for some reason may suck in another. I’m not sure why, but how well particular paints work seem to be affected by region.
I’d say though that you want an ablative paint, and that your outdrives require a special paint, you can’t use average bottom paint that contains copper apparently.
Your bellows is a weak area, one that sinks a lot of boats, be sure they are in good shape and not original.

The device you speak of is often called an isolation transformer, or galvanic isolator. If you don’t already have one, you certainly need one, they aren’t an option in my mind. I bet you already have one.

I would use aluminum anodes and hang an additional aluminum anode that is connected to the engine blocks to ensure those drives are protected from stray current.

I/0’s are not a good choice for a wet stored boat, but I believe the risks can be managed as long as your aware of them and inspect often, and replace the bellows when needed. I believe most problems are of boats that sit for months and nobody visits or inspects, pretty soon a few years go by and the boat sinks, giving rise to the opinion that I/O’s aren’t safe to wet store.

I don’t see much difference in an I/O and a sail drive, but many consider a sail drive as being fine for a wet stored boat