My wife and I are going to move up to a bigger boat this next summer (27/30ft) and we have been looking at an awful lot of ads online. I have a question about hull color. The majority of boats have white hulls. The dark blue hulls look really nice but I wonder why you see more white than blue. Is it because of heat buildup with darker colors similar to dark automobiles?
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Blue vs White
White is the most popular..... one reason is that white does not fade near as much as other color hulls. White is easier to maintain...cleans up better.
White is the most popular..... one reason is that white does not fade near as much as other color hulls. White is easier to maintain...cleans up better.
As I understand it, all blue hulls are painted on with an epoxy paint like awlgrip. That means that it may need to be re-applied in 10 years or so. I agree though, they are beauties. T
Dark Colors
IMHO, Dark colors show scratches, more so. They require more waxing and cleaning. And the dark blues tend to fade and lose their lustre.
IMHO, Dark colors show scratches, more so. They require more waxing and cleaning. And the dark blues tend to fade and lose their lustre.
You will only have ONE dark hull boat in your
lifetime. They are hotter than hell. OK for the high latitudes but anything below ~40 degrees latitude they are HOT. A dark hull boat also needs a very thick matting layer under the gelcoat. Without very thick matting the roving will 'print-through' in a few years after all that 'thermal cycling'. I owned a dark blue hull that was indeed very pretty .... never again.
lifetime. They are hotter than hell. OK for the high latitudes but anything below ~40 degrees latitude they are HOT. A dark hull boat also needs a very thick matting layer under the gelcoat. Without very thick matting the roving will 'print-through' in a few years after all that 'thermal cycling'. I owned a dark blue hull that was indeed very pretty .... never again.
Not if you like it
My 1976 O'Day 25 has a Green Hull. I liked the look the first time I saw it. I've had it four years and still love it. As I walk through the club and see all the white hulls and then the occasional color. I always prefer the colors. In the summertime here the walk-in cooler is hot as hell so I wouldn't base my color choice on that. It may discolor quicker, it may show scratches more but I find that when I have the tiller in my hand and wind in my sails I can't see nor do I care about how spotless the hull is. If you like blue buy blue. Enjoy, Mike
My 1976 O'Day 25 has a Green Hull. I liked the look the first time I saw it. I've had it four years and still love it. As I walk through the club and see all the white hulls and then the occasional color. I always prefer the colors. In the summertime here the walk-in cooler is hot as hell so I wouldn't base my color choice on that. It may discolor quicker, it may show scratches more but I find that when I have the tiller in my hand and wind in my sails I can't see nor do I care about how spotless the hull is. If you like blue buy blue. Enjoy, Mike
Color choice
It's mostly a matter of if you like it, do it. Our green hull hasn't faded at all, isn't "hot as hell", even in ambient temperatures of sustained 90 deg plus periods (at least no more so than any white boat) and is prettier to look at than white. On the other hand, it does show salt (i.e, needs daily washing after sailing) moreso than white, definitely shows imperfections in the hull such as scratches and requires waxing although no more than any other white boat. The only time I've ever seen the matting show through was on a white hull which was badly laid up. Go for it! Don
It's mostly a matter of if you like it, do it. Our green hull hasn't faded at all, isn't "hot as hell", even in ambient temperatures of sustained 90 deg plus periods (at least no more so than any white boat) and is prettier to look at than white. On the other hand, it does show salt (i.e, needs daily washing after sailing) moreso than white, definitely shows imperfections in the hull such as scratches and requires waxing although no more than any other white boat. The only time I've ever seen the matting show through was on a white hull which was badly laid up. Go for it! Don
Dark Colors are HOT!!!!
I painted the hul dark blue on one of my boats. Man it looked sharp. The bootstripe was goldleaf. She was an eyecatcher allright. But alas that sucker would cook you in the summer. I noticed you live in Texas and me thinks you get the same heat we do in Florida. If I lived in New York or somewhere up North I would try colors again. Note Dons reply he is from Rhoad Island. Fair Winds Cap'n Dave
I painted the hul dark blue on one of my boats. Man it looked sharp. The bootstripe was goldleaf. She was an eyecatcher allright. But alas that sucker would cook you in the summer. I noticed you live in Texas and me thinks you get the same heat we do in Florida. If I lived in New York or somewhere up North I would try colors again. Note Dons reply he is from Rhoad Island. Fair Winds Cap'n Dave
Darker is hotter, but
Up here in Vancouver, Blue is becoming the new white. I've seen 3 new boats painted dark blue with gold stripes this year (in one yard). White looks like every other Tupperware boat, so what? Find the boat you want, in the best shape for the money, and buy it. Don't pick the boat based on colour, find the one that is the best value for you no matter what colour it is. You can always paint it white if the colour is too hot. If you find two boats that are equal values (price vs condition and equipment) pick the lighter coloured one for Texas and low Lats. Electronics and other equipment come at 10 cents on the dollar on a used boat. Shop condition and goodies first, then colour.
Up here in Vancouver, Blue is becoming the new white. I've seen 3 new boats painted dark blue with gold stripes this year (in one yard). White looks like every other Tupperware boat, so what? Find the boat you want, in the best shape for the money, and buy it. Don't pick the boat based on colour, find the one that is the best value for you no matter what colour it is. You can always paint it white if the colour is too hot. If you find two boats that are equal values (price vs condition and equipment) pick the lighter coloured one for Texas and low Lats. Electronics and other equipment come at 10 cents on the dollar on a used boat. Shop condition and goodies first, then colour.
Like the blue
No problems with heat, but if you don't keep the topsides de-oxidised you will see streaks from the runoff. With a dark hull you won't blend in with all the white-hulled boats. This could be good or bad.
No problems with heat, but if you don't keep the topsides de-oxidised you will see streaks from the runoff. With a dark hull you won't blend in with all the white-hulled boats. This could be good or bad.
Dark Hulls
Have a friend that spent $3000 for a beautiful blue paint job. Best looking boat on the bay. After a couple of years you could see all the white nicks from dingies and docks - now he has the uglest boat on the bay...
Have a friend that spent $3000 for a beautiful blue paint job. Best looking boat on the bay. After a couple of years you could see all the white nicks from dingies and docks - now he has the uglest boat on the bay...
Please Don't Call My Boat a Tupperware Boat
Moody, many of us are proud of the boats we have. Simply because all we can afford is a "production" boat vs. a custom-built boat. I would never consider my boat (or anyone elses boat) a "Tupperware" boat. I've seen some beautiful Shannon, Sabre and Hinkley boats that are white. I respect your comments on this thread. And you make a good point with your advice here.
Moody, many of us are proud of the boats we have. Simply because all we can afford is a "production" boat vs. a custom-built boat. I would never consider my boat (or anyone elses boat) a "Tupperware" boat. I've seen some beautiful Shannon, Sabre and Hinkley boats that are white. I respect your comments on this thread. And you make a good point with your advice here.
Proud
Hey Paul, Mine's Tupperware too. I must be proud of her, I'm probably going to spend close to what the old girl is worth this winter sending her to the bottom spa. Its hard to describe the emotional attachment sailors have for their boats. Pride is certainly part of it. I love Befana, I'm proud to own a plastic classic. She may be Tupperware, but that's not a bad thing.
Hey Paul, Mine's Tupperware too. I must be proud of her, I'm probably going to spend close to what the old girl is worth this winter sending her to the bottom spa.
Its hard to describe the emotional attachment sailors have for their boats. Pride is certainly part of it. I love Befana, I'm proud to own a plastic classic. She may be Tupperware, but that's not a bad thing. Thank you everyone
I never expected this many replies. Thank you . I appreciate your wisdom and advise. I was afraid that what I would hear is what I have heard. We always figured we would buy the best boat for the dollar but were curious about what if the best boat had a dark hull. The dark blues do look pretty but I am not moving up north again just for a dark hull. I will have fun and frustration looking for our perfect 27/30 footer that is right for us. I just wish I lived closer to the TX coast.
I never expected this many replies. Thank you . I appreciate your wisdom and advise. I was afraid that what I would hear is what I have heard. We always figured we would buy the best boat for the dollar but were curious about what if the best boat had a dark hull. The dark blues do look pretty but I am not moving up north again just for a dark hull. I will have fun and frustration looking for our perfect 27/30 footer that is right for us. I just wish I lived closer to the TX coast.
Texas Coast
rgallager, We're just about neighbors (I live in North Richland Hills, over by Ft Worth). First of all, don't paint your boat hull. Texas gets WAY too hot. Guy has a Newport 32 that he bought recently. Its hull had faded to a very light green. He restored it to its original dark green. Looks great, but in the summer it's an oven. You're better off with an ugly boat that you can use than one that looks good in the slip. I too, longed for the coast. Told my wife that I wanted my boat to be where the land ends instead of the water. We "solved" that problem by buying a boat that we keep at the coast, and go to every 4-6 weeks for "mini-vacations". We kept the O'Day 25 here on a local lake so I can get my 2-5 times a week "sailing fix". Of course, two boats presents its own set of problems, as does "long distance ownership" (my Coronado, thankfully, survived Katrina, even though my marina didn't).
rgallager, We're just about neighbors (I live in North Richland Hills, over by Ft Worth). First of all, don't paint your boat hull. Texas gets WAY too hot. Guy has a Newport 32 that he bought recently. Its hull had faded to a very light green. He restored it to its original dark green. Looks great, but in the summer it's an oven. You're better off with an ugly boat that you can use than one that looks good in the slip. I too, longed for the coast. Told my wife that I wanted my boat to be where the land ends instead of the water. We "solved" that problem by buying a boat that we keep at the coast, and go to every 4-6 weeks for "mini-vacations". We kept the O'Day 25 here on a local lake so I can get my 2-5 times a week "sailing fix". Of course, two boats presents its own set of problems, as does "long distance ownership" (my Coronado, thankfully, survived Katrina, even though my marina didn't).
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