The amount of time your boat spends in the water and the quantity of marine growth in that water will determine whether you’ll need to coat your vessel with anti-fouling paint. You don’t need to worry if you keep the boat on a trailer, or if it spends only a few days at a time in the water. But if the boat’s home is on a mooring or in a slip, a good bottom paint is essential for a number of reasons. Marine growth, especially barnacles, can damage gelcoat; it slows the boat and lowers fuel economy (not a good thing with today’s high fuel prices). A heavily fouled bottom…