Research vessel Foulbottom II has been an- chored in shallow, sheltered water in Niantic, Conn. The panels lying on deck have just been pulled from the water and are on their way to be scrutinized.

Powerboat Reports has been testing bottom paint for 10 years now, though it sometimes seems like forever. It’s been a lot of work, but from reader reactions, the findings appear valuable enough to make the effort worthwhile.

The industry’s recent pattern of mergers and acquisitions has reduced the number of major players in the marine paint field to essentially three: Kop-Coat owns Woolsey and Pettit; Azko Nobel owns Interlux, which sells the Interlux, VC, Nautical Paints, and Gloucester brands; and U.S. Paint, which owns its own line of products. …