Basecoat is quite a necessity. If you are not a regular surfer, then you may not treat it as a necessity for you. The thing is the basecoat helps the topcoat to last longer. You will notice that the topcoat lasts longer if applied on the basecoat rather than when used without the basecoat.nnAnother reason is that it provides the board with some permanent bumps on it. These bumps help to improve the traction on the board and become prominent later when the topcoat is applied. Also, do not overdo with the basecoat, added extra weight on your surfboard is something you will want to avoid.