How to Streamline a Boat

A boat's interaction with the water, called laminar flow, occurs at and below the surface of the water, the point where fluids of two different viscosities -- water and air -- interact. Because the boat is operating at this interface, the laminar flow around the boat's hull is disrupted by anything that prevents a smooth flow of water over the surface, such as marine life that has attached itself to the hull.

Things You'll Need

  • Paint scraper
  • Paint stripper
  • Copper sulfate bottom paint
  • Paint roller
  • Gelcoat repair kit
  • Sharp-tipped tool
  • Plastic wrap
  • 600-grit sandpaper
  • Automotive paste wax
  • Jack plate
  • Safety glasses
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Instructions

    • 1

      Strip the hull of marine life every time you remove the boat from the water. Most marine organisms will wash away with a fresh water rinse; others, such as barnacles, may require mechanical removal with a paint scraper or even chemical removal with a paint stripper -- if they are allowed to remain in contact with the hull for more than a few minutes after the boat is hauled from the water.

    • 2

      Check the condition of the boat's bottom paint regularly, and use bottom paint with copper oxide to do touch-up painting below the waterline.

    • 3

      Repair any scratches or breaks in the gelcoat surface of the boat, below the waterline, using a gelcoat repair kit. Enlarge scratches by dragging a sharp tool tip through them, to allow the gelcoat paste you spread into the scratches to "get a grip" on the surface. Mix and spread the gelcoat according to the directions on the kit. Cover repair with clear plastic. After the gelcoat cures, usually 24 hours, remove the clear plastic. Sand the repair with 600-grit sandpaper. Wash the repair and wax the area with automotive paste wax.

    • 4

      Assess the condition of the bottom paint at the beginning of each boating season. Chips, peeling or other damage over more than 20 percent of the surface below the waterline mandates that you strip the bottom paint from the boat, using a scraper or chemical paint stripper. Reapply bottom paint, using a paint roller, to ensure even coverage. When the first coat dries completely, apply a second coat of bottom paint.

    • 5

      Install a jack plate on the rear -- the stern -- of your boat and mount the motor on the jack plate, rather than directly onto the stern. While boating, raise the jack plate so that the bottom of the motor's cavitation plate -- the flat, horizontal plate above the propeller -- is at the surface of the water, to minimize drag induced by the outboard.