Boot topping. The boot topping is part of the outside shell of the vessel between the light and loaded draught, that is, that part of the hull which is exposed alternately to wind and water. Moreover, the vessel’s berthing and unberthing and also tugs’ rubbing against the ship in the arrival and departure from ports lead to severe abrasion in this region.
It was customary to use a special kind of paint, which dries quickly, for the boot topping region. The normal antifouling paint, when exposed alternately to water and wind, is less cohesive. A coat of boot topping paint was laid over the anticorrosive paint.
However, with modem, high quality paints the boot topping hull region is no longer defined as requiring special coating. The same coating may be used between the light loadlines and the upper deck except that there is still likely to be a higher degree of abrasion in this region.
