Bottom Paint Brands Compared: Interlux, Pettit, and Sea Hawk

Last reviewed April 2026 · Reviewed by the West Marine Technical Team — marine coating specialists with hands-on experience specifying and applying antifouling systems from all three brands across saltwater, freshwater, and brackish water environments throughout the United States.

Interlux, Pettit, and Sea Hawk are the three brands that account for the majority of antifouling bottom paint sold at West Marine. Each has a complete product line covering ablative, hard modified epoxy, copper-free, and water-based formulations. Choosing between them is not primarily a question of which brand is best — it is a question of which specific product within each brand matches your boat type, fouling environment, and maintenance approach. This article maps the key products in each line to the situations they are designed for, identifies where the brands genuinely differ, and helps you narrow from three full catalogs to the one or two products that fit your actual needs.

How the Brands Actually Differ

Ownership and manufacturing background

Interlux and Pettit are both owned by AkzoNobel, the Dutch coatings conglomerate that also owns International Paint — the commercial marine coatings brand. This shared ownership means the two brands share some underlying technology and manufacturing infrastructure, though they are developed, marketed, and sold as distinct product lines with different formulations and positioning. Sea Hawk is independently owned by New Nautical Coatings, a Florida-based manufacturer that produces all of its antifouling products domestically. Sea Hawk has a strong following across the Southeast and Gulf Coast where the company has deep regional roots and products specifically engineered for warm-water, high-fouling conditions.

Where genuine product differences exist

Within the same paint type — copolymer ablative, hard modified epoxy, copper-free — the performance differences between brands are smaller than the marketing would suggest and smaller than the differences between types within a single brand. A boater who switches from Interlux Micron CSC to Pettit Odyssey HD is switching between two high-performing copolymer ablatives with similar copper content and similar expected performance in the same environment. The meaningful choices are paint type, copper concentration, and specific technology features — Interlux's Biolux slime-control additive, Pettit's water-based Hydrocoat platform, Sea Hawk's Biocop TF antifouling carrier system — rather than brand loyalty.

Where brands differ most clearly is in regional availability and support, price positioning at specific performance tiers, and the breadth of their specialty product coverage. Sea Hawk offers a strong range of aluminum-safe formulations at mid-tier price points. Pettit's Hydrocoat line is a well-established water-based antifouling platform with multiple formulations. Interlux's Micron CSC is one of the most widely used copolymer ablative products in the US market with a long continuous track record.

West Marine technical note: The most important brand decision is usually not Interlux vs. Pettit vs. Sea Hawk — it is whether to stay within the brand already on your hull. Switching brands within the same paint type typically works without issues, but requires compatibility verification. Staying within the same brand and type across seasons is the lowest-risk approach and simplifies the compatibility question entirely.

Interlux Bottom Paint: Line Overview and Product Guide

What Interlux is known for

Interlux is a widely distributed antifouling brand in North America with a broad product line. Its Micron CSC copolymer ablative has been in continuous production for many years and has a large established user base across US marinas. Interlux's Biolux technology — a proprietary slime-control additive formulated into many of its products — provides protection against soft growth alongside the copper-based hard growth protection.

Interlux ablative products

Micron CSC is Interlux's flagship multi-season copolymer ablative and the benchmark product in its category. It contains approximately 40% cuprous oxide, polishes continuously through the season to expose fresh biocide, retains effectiveness through winter dry storage, and builds longevity with each additional coat. It is appropriate for moderate to heavy fouling conditions in saltwater. The CSC in the name stands for Controlled Soluble Copolymer — the specific binder technology that controls the polishing rate independently of boat speed. It is the right choice for saltwater boats used regularly and hauled for winter storage.

Micron Extra SPC steps up in copper content and performance for heavier fouling conditions — extended tropical cruising, year-round warm-water use, or environments where Micron CSC has historically underperformed. Self-Polishing Copolymer binder technology maintains a consistent biocide release rate throughout the season regardless of boat movement.

ACT Ablative is Interlux's mid-tier single-season ablative positioned between the economy Bottomkote and the premium Micron line. It uses a controlled-depletion ablative system with 40% copper and Biolux slime control. It is a strong value-for-performance choice for moderate fouling conditions where multi-season longevity is not a priority.

Pacifica Plus is Interlux's copper-free ablative using ECONEA as the primary biocide and Biolux for slime control. It is the correct Interlux choice for aluminum hulls, copper-restricted marinas, and boats in freshwater or low-fouling environments. As a copolymer ablative it retains the full storage-tolerance advantage of the Micron line without the copper content that restricts use on aluminum.

Interlux hard antifouling products

Fiberglass Bottomkote NT is Interlux's entry-level hard antifouling, positioned as the economy single-season choice for fiberglass boats in the Northeast and other cold-water regions where dry winter storage is standard. It uses a dual-resin binder that provides more abrasion resistance than a pure ablative while offering some of the polishing benefit that reduces haul-out sanding. Copper content is 25 to 28%. It is an appropriate budget choice for boats in light to moderate fouling conditions that are painted annually and do not need multi-season protection.

Trilux 33 is Interlux's aluminum-safe hard antifouling, using cuprous thiocyanate (white copper) rather than cuprous oxide as the biocide. It is safe for use on aluminum hulls, outdrives, and outboard lower units — the most commonly specified product for these applications. It is also widely used on outdrives and sterndrives where galvanic compatibility is required.

Interlux pricing position

Interlux products sit at the mid to upper end of the market. Bottomkote NT is the entry-level option at $80 to $100 per gallon. ACT and Micron CSC run $110 to $150 per gallon. Micron Extra SPC runs $150 to $250 per gallon depending on size. Pacifica Plus is comparably priced to Micron CSC. All are available at West Marine in quart, gallon, and in some cases three-gallon containers.

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Pettit Bottom Paint: Line Overview and Product Guide

What Pettit is known for

Pettit has a long continuous history in the American market — the company has been making marine coatings since 1890. Its Trinidad SR hard modified epoxy antifouling is one of the most recognized names in the category and has a particular following among live-aboards and cruising sailors in warm-water environments. Pettit's Hydrocoat platform is a well-established water-based antifouling line available in multiple formulations covering ablative, ECO, and SR variants. Pettit also offers a comprehensive range of specialty primers and prep products that integrate with its antifouling line.

Pettit ablative products

Odyssey HD is Pettit's premium multi-season copolymer ablative and the direct competitor to Interlux Micron CSC. It uses a high-density copper formulation at approximately 42% cuprous oxide with a self-polishing copolymer binder. It performs comparably to Micron CSC in independent marina performance comparisons and is the right choice for saltwater boats used regularly in moderate to heavy fouling conditions. Like Micron CSC, it retains effectiveness through dry storage and builds longevity with additional coats.

Hydrocoat is Pettit's water-based copolymer ablative and one of the most established water-based antifouling products in the US market. It uses water as the solvent carrier rather than petroleum solvents, significantly reducing VOC emissions and eliminating the heavy solvent smell during application. Cleanup requires only water rather than mineral spirits. Performance in moderate fouling conditions is equivalent to comparable solvent-based ablatives. It is the right choice wherever VOC restrictions apply, wherever the applicator is sensitive to solvent exposure, or wherever the painting environment has limited ventilation. Available in standard and ECO variants — Hydrocoat ECO uses ECONEA rather than copper as the primary biocide.

Hydrocoat SR is the slime-resistant variant of the Hydrocoat line, adding a co-biocide specifically targeting soft growth alongside the standard copper formulation. It is the right choice when slime fouling has been a persistent problem in previous seasons with standard copper-only antifouling.

ECO HRT is Pettit's premium copper-free antifouling using ECONEA as the primary biocide. It delivers performance comparable to mid-tier copper-based products in most fouling conditions and is the correct Pettit choice for aluminum hulls and copper-restricted environments.

Pettit hard antifouling products

Trinidad HD is Pettit's premium high-copper hard modified epoxy antifouling at approximately 75% cuprous oxide. It is designed for boats kept in the water year-round in high-fouling tropical and subtropical environments where maximum biocide concentration provides the most meaningful protection. It is a benchmark hard antifouling product for live-aboard boats, charter vessels, and cruising boats in warm Florida and Caribbean waters. For boats hauled for winter storage in lower-fouling northern environments, a formulation with a lower copper concentration is typically a better fit for the conditions.

Trinidad SR is the slime-resistant variant of the Trinidad line, adding zinc pyrithione as a co-biocide alongside the high copper content. It is appropriate for the same high-fouling warm-water applications as Trinidad HD in environments where slime growth alongside hard growth is a persistent problem.

Vivid uses cuprous thiocyanate (white copper) rather than cuprous oxide as the biocide, making it aluminum-safe and producing a brighter color range than conventional cuprous oxide formulations. It is a modified epoxy hard paint rather than an ablative, and is one of the cleaner-looking antifouling products available in terms of color clarity.

Pettit pricing position

Pettit pricing is broadly comparable to Interlux across equivalent tiers. Trinidad HD runs $100 to $200 per gallon. Odyssey HD runs $100 to $150 per gallon. Hydrocoat runs $90 to $130 per gallon. ECO HRT runs $100 to $150 per gallon. Trinidad SR at the premium end runs $150 to $220 per gallon.

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Sea Hawk Bottom Paint: Line Overview and Product Guide

What Sea Hawk is known for

Sea Hawk is the specialist brand in this group — a Florida-based manufacturer whose products are specifically engineered for the high-fouling, warm-water conditions of the Southeast, Gulf Coast, and Caribbean. Its Biocop TF antifouling system uses a tin-free biocide delivery mechanism that the company developed specifically for warm-water performance, and Sea Hawk's coverage of aluminum-safe products is comprehensive at mid-tier price points. Sea Hawk also manufactures Aluma Hawk, a single-product etching primer and finish coat designed specifically for aluminum utility hulls that bonds directly to bare aluminum without a separate primer step.

Sea Hawk ablative products

Biocop TF is Sea Hawk's flagship antifouling product and the brand's most widely recognized name. It uses a patented Teflon-containing antifouling matrix that the company positions as providing a smoother hull surface than conventional antifoulings, reducing drag alongside providing fouling protection. Copper content is approximately 40%. It is available in ablative and hard variants and performs strongly in warm-water, high-fouling conditions where Sea Hawk has the most field data and regional credibility.

Smart Solution is Sea Hawk's copper-free ablative using ECONEA as the primary biocide alongside zinc pyrithione for slime control. It is the correct Sea Hawk choice for aluminum hulls, copper-restricted marinas, and freshwater environments. At mid-tier price it is competitive with Interlux Pacifica Plus and Pettit ECO HRT as a copper-free option.

Aluma Hawk is Sea Hawk's single-product solution for aluminum utility boat painting — an etching primer and finish coat in one formulation that bonds directly to bare aluminum without a separate primer step. It is the simplest paint system available for jon boats, duck boats, and aluminum work boats that do not need antifouling protection, and the go-to recommendation for utility boat owners who want a straightforward, proven single-product system.

Sea Hawk hard antifouling products

Black Widow is Sea Hawk's premium high-copper hard modified epoxy antifouling positioned as the direct competitor to Pettit Trinidad HD in warm-water, high-fouling environments. Copper content is approximately 67% cuprous oxide. It has a strong following among commercial operators and serious cruising sailors in the Southeast and Gulf Coast who value Sea Hawk's regional engineering and support.

Cukote is Sea Hawk's hard modified epoxy antifouling positioned at the mid tier — high-performance in warm-water conditions with copper content suited to moderate fouling environments where Black Widow is more than required. It is available in a broad range of colors and is one of the most versatile hard antifouling products in the Sea Hawk line.

Sea Hawk pricing position

Sea Hawk is generally priced at or slightly below Interlux and Pettit at equivalent performance tiers, particularly for mid-tier products where it offers strong value. Biocop TF runs $65 to $350 depending on size. Black Widow runs $200 to $280 per gallon. Aluma Hawk runs $60 to $120 per gallon. Smart Solution runs $100 to $260 per gallon.

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Head-to-Head: Which Brand for Which Situation

Coastal Northeast and Pacific Northwest — seasonal haul-out, moderate fouling

For a fiberglass sailboat or powerboat kept in a slip from May to October and hauled for winter storage in the Northeast or Pacific Northwest, the most appropriate products are mid-tier copolymer ablatives: Interlux Micron CSC, Pettit Odyssey HD, or Sea Hawk Biocop TF in its ablative formulation. All three will perform adequately in these conditions. The decision between them is straightforward — use whatever brand is already on the hull if it has been performing well, or choose based on local availability and price. In this environment there is no meaningful performance difference between the three that justifies switching from a working system.

For owners who prioritise low VOC application and easy cleanup, Pettit Hydrocoat is a strong choice in this region — its water-based carrier is a genuine advantage for boatyards and enclosed workspaces, and it performs well in cold northern waters.

Southeast and Gulf Coast — warm water, heavy fouling, year-round

For a boat kept in the water year-round in Florida, the Gulf Coast, or the Caribbean where fouling pressure is intense and continuous, the appropriate products move up in copper concentration and shift toward hard modified epoxy for boats cleaned by divers. Pettit Trinidad HD and Sea Hawk Black Widow are both strong choices for this application — high-copper hard antifoulings designed for warm-water, high-fouling environments. Sea Hawk Black Widow has a particularly strong following in the Southeast where the brand has deep regional roots and field experience in these conditions.

For boats in this environment that are hauled seasonally rather than left year-round, Interlux Micron Extra SPC or Pettit Odyssey HD at higher copper concentrations are appropriate — the ablative advantage of retaining effectiveness through haul-out is meaningful even in the Southeast where the season is long.

Aluminum hulls — antifouling required

For aluminum boats kept in saltwater slips or moorings where antifouling protection is genuinely needed, the correct products are copper-free or cuprous thiocyanate-based formulations. Interlux Trilux 33 and Pettit Vivid are the most widely specified products for this application — both use cuprous thiocyanate and are explicitly rated for aluminum hulls and outdrives. Sea Hawk Smart Solution using ECONEA is the correct copper-free choice in this category. For aluminum boats that only need topside protection rather than antifouling, Sea Hawk Aluma Hawk is the simplest and most purpose-built single-product system available.

Freshwater — Great Lakes and Midwest

Freshwater fouling pressure is primarily algae and zebra mussels rather than barnacles, which changes the biocide requirements significantly. Copper-based antifoulings are less effective against algae than against hard growth, and zinc pyrithione or Irgarol as co-biocides are more important in freshwater than copper concentration. Pettit Hydrocoat SR — water-based with zinc pyrithione co-biocide — is one of the strongest choices in the Great Lakes specifically. Interlux Pacifica Plus with ECONEA and Biolux is a comparable copper-free option. Sea Hawk Smart Solution covers this application from the copper-free side. Thin-film vinyl antifoulings with PTFE surfaces are also well-suited to freshwater where the slick surface prevents algal attachment without requiring copper.

Budget-conscious single-season repainting

For the owner who hauls annually, paints fresh each spring in a light to moderate fouling environment, and prioritises cost over multi-season longevity, Interlux Fiberglass Bottomkote NT at $80 to $100 per gallon is the economy choice with a long track record. It is a hard antifouling rather than an ablative, which means it requires more aggressive preparation if it builds up over multiple seasons, but as a single-season product on a hull that is scraped and repainted each spring this is less of a concern than on a hull painted repeatedly without stripping.

Switching Brands: What You Need to Know

Compatibility between brands

Switching brands within the same paint type — copolymer ablative over copolymer ablative, hard epoxy over hard epoxy — is generally compatible without additional preparation beyond the standard sand and solvent wipe. The binder chemistries within a type are similar enough across brands that adhesion is reliable on a properly prepared surface. The compatibility risks arise when switching paint types — hard over soft, vinyl over anything — regardless of brand, not between brands within the same type.

When switching brands, consulting the compatibility guide of the brand you are switching to is worthwhile for confirmation. Both Interlux and Pettit publish antifouling compatibility charts that specifically address painting over other brands' products. Sea Hawk's technical support line provides the same guidance for their products. These resources take five minutes to check and eliminate the uncertainty entirely.

When a tie coat is needed between brands

A tie coat primer between an existing brand system and a new brand is only required when the new product's data sheet specifically calls for it — typically when a 2-part topside system is being applied over a 1-part system, or when a hard vinyl antifouling is being applied over any other type. For standard antifouling-to-antifouling transitions within the same type, a tie coat is not required and adds cost and complexity without meaningful benefit.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which bottom paint brand is best?

There is no universally best brand — there is only the most appropriate product for your specific boat, fouling environment, and maintenance approach. Interlux Micron CSC is a well-established copolymer ablative with a long track record in the US market. Pettit Trinidad HD is a benchmark for high-copper hard antifouling in warm-water environments. Sea Hawk has strong regional recognition and field experience in the Southeast and Gulf Coast. For most recreational boaters, the best brand is whichever one is already on the hull and performing well.

Is Interlux better than Pettit?

At comparable performance tiers — Micron CSC versus Odyssey HD, Trinidad HD versus Black Widow — the performance difference in real-world conditions is small and both are well-regarded products. Both Interlux and Pettit are owned by AkzoNobel. Each brand has specific strengths: Pettit's Hydrocoat water-based platform offers a well-developed range of water-based options, and Interlux's Biolux slime-control technology is integrated across a broad range of its products. Beyond these specific features, the choice between them is largely regional preference, price at point of purchase, and what is already on the hull.

Is Sea Hawk as good as Interlux?

Sea Hawk produces high-quality antifouling products that perform well across a range of environments. The brand has particularly strong regional recognition and field experience in the Southeast and Gulf Coast, where its products are specifically engineered for warm-water, high-fouling conditions. All three brands — Interlux, Pettit, and Sea Hawk — offer products appropriate for every major US boating environment. The right choice is the product whose specifications match your specific conditions, not the brand name on the can.

Can I apply Pettit paint over Interlux?

Yes, in most cases, provided you are staying within the same paint type — copolymer ablative over copolymer ablative, hard modified epoxy over hard modified epoxy. The compatibility risks between antifouling brands within the same type are low. Check the compatibility guide for the product you are applying to confirm, and follow the standard preparation sequence: pressure wash, sand, solvent wipe, apply fresh coats. Do not apply hard antifouling over soft ablative regardless of brand — type compatibility matters more than brand compatibility.

Where can I buy Interlux, Pettit, and Sea Hawk bottom paint?

All three brands are stocked at West Marine in gallon and quart sizes, with three-gallon containers available for Interlux and Pettit flagship products. West Marine carries the full active antifouling line for each brand including copper-free, water-based, and aluminum-safe formulations. In-store Associates can advise on which specific product is most commonly used by boaters in your local marina environment, which is a reliable indicator of regional performance.

What is Biolux and which Interlux products have it?

Biolux is Interlux's proprietary slime-control additive technology — a blend of biocides specifically formulated to prevent the soft growth, grass, and algae that accumulate at and below the waterline in addition to the hard growth that copper controls. It is integrated into Micron CSC, Micron Extra SPC, ACT Ablative, Pacifica Plus, and Trilux 33 among others. In regions where slime growth is a persistent problem alongside barnacle pressure — much of the Southeast Atlantic and Gulf Coast — Biolux provides measurable additional protection compared to copper-only formulations.

Shop all bottom paint brands at West Marine.