The divers have pretty much stopped cleaning ablative paint because of the "cloud" and water polution regs.

We had Micron 66 -- it was "okay", but I couldn't get it cleaned anymore.

I understand from comments by others (though I'm not sure, myself) that you can't have a diver in Narraganset Bay, either.

IF you use a ablative paint, and then try to go to a semi-hard one, you're going to have to have a LOT of sanding work to get it off before reapplying. I had a soda-blast job this summer because of that. VC Offshore is no my boat now. It's easier to wipe clean and is supposedly pretty good in the Chesapeake and north of here.

In Florida, I think you have different circumstances.

An ablative paint really dones "ablat" until you get some speed on the boat. I'm told you need 14-16 knots (powerboat speed -- or maybe Larry's hi-speed multihull ;^)))).

PS- How you use a boat has a big affect. If you leave it in a marina for 27 days a month, then you're going to have growth that's much different than if you sail it at speed 15 days a month.