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Boat paint, and color.

2K views 17 replies 8 participants last post by  jmurdock 
#1 ·
So from what i gather here, ill need to scrape sand andnpaint on a yearly basis or isbit 2years?

Also why dont i ever see any boats that arent white? are there rules about boat colors?
 
#2 ·
If you look at the pictures in the gallery here, you'll see that most of the boats are white, except for bottom paint. If you're talking about bottom paint, rather than hull paint (as I suspect may be the case based on your first question), you typically want a contrasting color for the bottom paint so you can easily tell when it has worn off and needs to be reapplied. You don't HAVE to scrape the old paint off every year. The longevity of each coat will be based on where you keep the boat and how often you use it.
 
#4 ·
You can make it any color you want. White is the most forgiving. It does not show scratches and imperfections as much. Dark colors absorb more heat, making the inside of the boat hotter and the paint wont last last as long. That being said, my boat is Jade Green!
 
#5 ·
Are you talking about the deck? I'm wondering if the OP's terminology is off because even on boats with blue, red or green hulls, the part that's "always white" as he says is the deck.
 
#6 ·
The majority of boats are built with a white gell coat finish on the hull, they aren't painted, the color and finish are the fiberglass. Usually this finish just needs to be polished and waxed, and light scratches can be polished out. Once painted the hull is susceptible to scratches which may require periodic re-painting.
So try polishing a spot and see if it's painted already or the gel coat can be restored.
 
#8 · (Edited)
My boat has a painted hull and bottom. She previously had a white hull, but now it is a dark green. The problem with paint is that it requires periodic maintenance. I can't tell you how long ago my hull was painted, but I suspect it was 5 to 10 years ago. There are blisters, and places where the paint is clearly needing to be refinished. I have read many times, and have now seen firsthand, that once you paint, you can't go back. I love the look of the green hull, but if I were doing it over again, I would probably investigate having a colored gelcoat put on top instead. Now that we have paint, the only thing to do is continue painting.
 
#13 ·
The pigments in colored gelcote are notoriously susceptible to sun fading and oxidation. These hulls need a lot of polishing and waxing to stay nice. You have many more color options if you use an epoxy paint such as Awlgrip. You can epoxy paint at any time (unlike gelcote pigments). Like any painting project, this requires a lot of prep work and access to a spray booth for that mirror finish. And, as said before, the paint is subject to scratches (the white will show through) and the mars and rubs encountered at the dock. You will not have much success buffing out at “problem” on an epoxy painted hull. On the other hand, there isn’t anything as pretty as a dark blue hull (with the possible exception of a dark red one).
 
#14 ·
As you can see from George's post, there are advantages and disadvantages to anything. Most people go with white gelcoat hulls because they are easy to maintain and cooler in the summertime. Also, not all manufacturers let you order the boat with a colored hull.

All that being said, I do agree with George that the colored hull is sharp. I don't think that, if my next boat had a painted hull, I would let that stop me from buying her. But, in hindsight, I think a white hull with a nice bootstripe and pinstriping (or whatever it's called under the rub rail) and sharp canvas can look pretty good, too, and the maintenance would be less of a problem.
 
#16 ·








I don't know were your starting point is BUT paint is a last resort and i have no regret even with the massive amount of work it took as i was well past any reasonable restore of the gel

Gelcoat on a big boat is and even MORE MASSIVE amount of work as all that shine comes from wet-sanding and buffing
 
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