Hoping anyone with experience or an opinion on the subject can help me out. I'm looking at purchasing a '90 Formula 357 out of the Great Lakes. I would keep the boat in Lake Michigan and don't own a truck capable of towing it. As a result, the boat will have to stay in the water. The boat I'm looking at currently has the bottom painted. Would this be better for my situation as the boat will sit in the water or will the bottom paint greatly reduce the value or make the boat very difficult to sell in the future? Anybody been down this road before who can help a brother out?

I've had boats with and without bottom paint here in Lake Erie and the bottom painted ones were easier to keep up on with virtually no maintenance. I've also soaked non bottom painted boats for entire seasons with just a routine cleaning. Each weekend when we beached at our usual hang out i got in the habit of spending about a half hour cleaning the bottom, really wasnt to much of a hassle. If you use the boat regularly it shouldn't build up to bad and it was mostly the sides and waterline that scummed up the most. Currently my ScarabIII is bottom painted and I feel thats the best route for something that will remain in the water. It does negatively affect the value of the boat in the resale but you should also see that same devaluation in whatever you are paying for it now or at least use it to negotiate in your favor. If you are buying one thats already bottom painted you should back that into your offer not take the hit later on.