By Sandy Lindsey

 You've sanded and scrubbed and otherwise properly prepared your hull for a new coat of bottom paint. You've taped off the boat perfectly at the waterline. You've even chosen what you view to be the perfect paint for your boat and the waters you boat on. So what else is there to do but whip out a brush and start slapping the new paint on with enthusiasm? Hold on a moment.
 First off, you've paid a small fortune to get the best bottom paint available. You don't want to squander it. To keep your expensive bottom paint from accumulating in the can rim and running down the sides, which not only wastes paint but means that you won't be able to close the can properly when you're done, punch or drill small holes in the rim groove to allow the accumulating paint to drain back into the can. While you've got the drill out, drill 1/4 holes in your paint stirrer to make mixing easier and more thorough. You may also want to tape a paper plate to the can bottom to create a drip catcher. This won't really save you any paint but it will reduce the mess and save cleanup time.
  Lay down your paint can handle after opening it, then straighten a hanger and attach it to one side to the paint can handle where it attaches to the can. Run it straight across the top of a paint can, and secure to the other side where the wire handle meets the can. Now you've got a brush cleaner that runs directly over the top of the can and will put all the drips back inside the can. This keeps the edge clean, making the can easier to close securely and thereby extend the life of your unused bottom paint.
  When painting, wrap the metal band that holds the brush bristles in place with Saran Wrap to prevent it from nicking the paint as you go along. The Saran Wrap can also smudge the paint, but the damage won't be as bad, and if caught right away can usually be smoothed out.
  Speaking of messes: To keep paint from dripping back on you, cut a hole in a desert size paper plate wide enough to put a paint brush handle through and push it towards the middle of the brush just beneath where the metal band holds the bristles to form a cheap, replaceable drip catcher. Slide your brush hand against the underside of the plate to hold the catcher in place as you work. Yes, this sounds a bit ridiculous, but once you get painting you'll see that it really works.
  Paint roller fans, before you do anything else, trim the fuzzy edge off both sides of your bottom paint roller to eliminate the roller lines that often appear after the paint has dried and it's too late to do anything about them.

Time for a break
  When you're ready for a lunch break, wrap your brushes loosely in aluminum foil or plastic wrap; loose enough not to mash the bristle, but tight enough to keep air from circulating around them. This will keep your brushes fresh and ready for use when you return. And you'll save the time, paint, and perhaps paint thinner you would have used cleaning the brushes before chowing down. Note: When you're ready to put your brushes up for the night. Clean them with paint thinner, then clean the thinner residue off in a baking soda and warm water solution.
  Hardened bottom paint brushes discovered the next morning because the paint smell got to you (always work in a well ventilated area!) and you forgot to clean your brushes properly can be revitalized by soaking them in a solution of 1/2 gallon boiling water, 1/4 cup vinegar and 1 cup of baking soda.
  If you're using an oil-based paint and the fumes give you a headache despite proper ventilation, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to each gallon to lessen odors. To further lessen the odor of all types of paint, set a dish or two of ammonia or vinegar nearby. This is especially important when painting a small boat or dinghy inside a work area with minimal cross-ventilation.

Proper prep
  If you haven't already prepped your old bottom paint before reading this, the following will come in handy:
  To make your paint stripper lift more paint from the rare wooden hull, brush it heavily on the wood, then cover it with sheets of Saran Wrap. This prevents the active solvent in the stripper from evaporating easily into the surrounding atmosphere. By slowing the solvent's evaporation rate, more solvent stays against the surface of the coating, allowing the stripper to cut the paint film better. Hours later, or even the next morning, peel off the plastic a section at a time and remove the softened paint film.
  Try wrapping your sandpaper around a sponge instead of a hard sanding block when sanding a contoured surface before repainting or re-varnishing. The soft sponge will allow the sandpaper to conform to the surface better. This works on fiberglass hulls as well as wood.

Touch-ups
  And as there's no such thing as a perfect paint job:
  When, long after you've put your painting equipment away, you find spots that you've missed (and you know you will find them), don't roll your eyes and begin hauling all your equipment out again. Instead, simply touch up the area quickly with paint on a cotton swab. In fact before you close up any spare bottom paint, you may want to fill a container with a small amount of it for dings and touchups just like this. This is especially important if you're painting topsides, where future dings will be more noticeable.
  Touching up with old paint with curdles in it? Strain the paint through your wife's panty hose and you'll have virtually new paint to work with ... then hide before she has to get dressed for work on Monday.
  To save excess bottom paint for next year, first make sure you put the lid on TIGHT, then store the paint can upside down to stop a "skin" from forming.

A few more tips
  The general formula for figuring out how many gallons of bottom paint you need for one coat is: your boat's LOA x beam x .85 divided by square feet covered per gallon as listed on the paint can.
  Want to lengthen the life of your bottom paint? Don't use metal putty knives to scrape off algae and other growth. Instead, use a scrub brush or plastic scrubbing pad -- they're much gentler on your current coat of bottom paint.
  To remove accidental paint drops and spills from fiberglass and/or wood hulls, wrap a clean rag around a putty knife and gently scrape up the paint. Wash afterwards with warm, soapy water. On a wooden hull you can also use a scouring powder such as Comet on a damp sponge. Rub gently so as not to hurt the wood. Dry thoroughly.
  When masking tape starts to pull off paint at your water line, quickly grab your wife's, daughter's, or your own hair-dryer to warm up the adhesive so that the tape lifts off cleanly. 

Sandy Lindsey grew up boating in the waters of Long Island. The author of "The Women's Guide to Powerboating" (McGraw-Hill) and "Quick & Easy Boat Maintenance (McGraw-Hill), she now lives and boats in Florida. She can be reached at themariner@chespub.com