My Express has been in the water in SoCal for at least 15 years without any blister problems. The previous owner applied barrier coat in about '94, but I don't know the history prior to that, other than the boat's been in the water for most of it's life without any blister problems. The keel doesn't leak either. VC Offshore or VC 17 seem to be popular racing bottom coats. In the summer, I have my hull cleaned by a diver twice a month; once a month in the winter.

:: There is no need to fair the bottom of an unpainted
:: Express 27. In contrast to most other production boats,
:: the E27 mold was faired and the boats came from the
:: factory with fair bottoms!!
::
:: A couple of coats of Interprotect barrier coat before
:: the antifouling paint would be a good idea. The type of
:: anti-fouling paint might depend on whether or not you
:: have easy access to a hoist for cleaning the bottom
:: periodically. In any event, get the best anti-foulding
:: bottom paint recommended for salt water. Anti-fouling
:: paint is not a good product for going cheap. I don't
:: know what's best for San Francisco Bay conditions. I've
:: had good luck on a bigger boat in Mexico with Interlux
:: Ultra which claims to be formulated for warm water and
:: troublesome fouling conditions.
::
:: Painting the bottom would probably reduce the re-sale
:: value slightly in the Bay area where nearly all the
:: racers dry sail. But we'll take it in Detroit where
:: everybody wet sails!