New colour of fiberglass hull
- Thread starter Bradyawl
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http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=117266
You might want to consider that a darker color makes the boat a LOT hotter in the summertime.
You might want to consider that a darker color makes the boat a LOT hotter in the summertime.
if you must change the color, or for some other reason that you decide to paint the boat, use the best quality paint you can get. it will last longer with less maintainence, is easier to touch up and is way cheaper than new gelcoat....
and if you want it to look its very best for the longest possible time, put most of your effort in to the prep work before you get to the painting part.
and if you want it to look its very best for the longest possible time, put most of your effort in to the prep work before you get to the painting part.
Changing the color of a hull from white to a 'dark' color has risk as most hulls that are originally black or dark blue have 'extra thick' fiberglass matting layers to prevent 'print through' of the course fiberglass roving layer - the actual structural layer of the fiberglass composite structure. 'Print-through' occurs due to additional thermal cycling of the hotter dark surfaces due to the 'dark' color and after a few years of sun exposure will show up as 'slight pimples' all over the hull. Such hotter temperatures forces a 'further' forced curing of the polyester and is 'uneven'.
When changing from white to 'dark', be sure that the particular boat brand you select historically does not 'print-through'. Do a careful search of such color changed boats by walking the boat yards and observe the exact boat type, model and manufacturer. Print-through can be very ugly, can require that the print-through be resanded/repaired which can be very costly and time consuming.
Most white hulls with relatively thin matting layers between the roving and the gelcoat cannot be painted or recolored to 'dark'. If you have this color change done by a professional be sure to get a warrantee that the color change will not result in 'print-through' that shows the outlines of the underlying roving layer - and get it in writing. Most white colored boats built in the 1960s through the 1990s will eventually 'print-through' when painted black or other dark colors.
When changing from white to 'dark', be sure that the particular boat brand you select historically does not 'print-through'. Do a careful search of such color changed boats by walking the boat yards and observe the exact boat type, model and manufacturer. Print-through can be very ugly, can require that the print-through be resanded/repaired which can be very costly and time consuming.
Most white hulls with relatively thin matting layers between the roving and the gelcoat cannot be painted or recolored to 'dark'. If you have this color change done by a professional be sure to get a warrantee that the color change will not result in 'print-through' that shows the outlines of the underlying roving layer - and get it in writing. Most white colored boats built in the 1960s through the 1990s will eventually 'print-through' when painted black or other dark colors.
RichH - thanks. Who would have guessed this? thank you for the term print-through, as I could Google more on the subject. Here is posts that cover a lot of detail;
http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/fi...ing/help-print-through-problem-hull-4765.html
thanks, Brad
http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/fi...ing/help-print-through-problem-hull-4765.html
thanks, Brad
How can I tell if a fiberglass hull is either epoxy or polyester? One of the boats I like is a Catalina 30' Tall rig. Probably just Google the model and year? What do you think? Also, could a professional who has experience with changing the hull colour be able to know what the likelihood will be after looking at a particular boat? There are a good number of glossy dark blue hulls in our area, I suspect near the equator is even worse?
Catalinas et al are polyester .... usually when you get into the mega-expensive boats are they epoxy hulled.
Those glossy dark blue hulls were probably that way from the factory ... and most likely have extra thick matting layers to 'cushion' the underlying roving layers from print-through. Rarely will you ever see a long term 'successful' color change from white to 'dark' ... they usually always result in print-through.
Those glossy dark blue hulls were probably that way from the factory ... and most likely have extra thick matting layers to 'cushion' the underlying roving layers from print-through. Rarely will you ever see a long term 'successful' color change from white to 'dark' ... they usually always result in print-through.
I have a factory flag-blue hull, blue gelcoat, live in your neighborhood and see lots of hulls that have been painted dark. There is a high risk that the hull roving will print through on boats not built for a dark color. In addition, the hull absorbs huge amounts of heat in the summer making A/C mandatory. Even though I like the look, I would not go dark again. Any contrasting hull shade will highlight the lovely sweep of a nice shear. So I understand your desire to contrast the hull and deck color. I see boat hulls painted shades of light blue, grey, or green that look stunning. Particularly fond of that fog grey color.
Gunni - thanks, we will have ac in any case - purchase a boat with it, or add it, so not as worried about the summer heat factor ( I think!). I've talked to a couple of people who have the dark hulls, and they don't feel a big difference down below, but when they touch the hull they do feel it's hotter than white hulls. because of the number of blue hulls, it seems like it must be ok for those owners. Also dicussions about near the equator and further north where we are, dunno, it seems if there is that degree of parsing out the details, it's not a slam dunk kind of issue so I'm thinking the look will be worth the pain in the temp. department...
BUT, any advise on this part - would a very good fiberglass person be able to tell in advance if the colour will, or will not, cause the print through.. so I look for someone who can advise of this pre-purchase? Or,, the idea is that no one can tell in advance, and it's just a risk you take when painting your hull a darker colour?
.... but also have read hull manufacturers discuss the odd nature of this "print through" even when un-moulding the hulls just created.. yikes!
BUT, any advise on this part - would a very good fiberglass person be able to tell in advance if the colour will, or will not, cause the print through.. so I look for someone who can advise of this pre-purchase? Or,, the idea is that no one can tell in advance, and it's just a risk you take when painting your hull a darker colour?
.... but also have read hull manufacturers discuss the odd nature of this "print through" even when un-moulding the hulls just created.. yikes!
Gunni - sorry to have replied so quickly - question about your boat; because your Flag Blue colour was applied in the factory, you must have no issues with the print-through, correct? Is your main reason for not going dark next time the temperature ( in the cabin, or on the hull fittings, etc?) ?
My understanding is that boats like yours skip the whole print though issue due to additional layup of the fiberglass during manufacture and therefore don't have the particular pattern of the fabric showing. What are your thoughts about this? Thanks, Brad
My understanding is that boats like yours skip the whole print though issue due to additional layup of the fiberglass during manufacture and therefore don't have the particular pattern of the fabric showing. What are your thoughts about this? Thanks, Brad
How does one use a/c at anchor? In our climate we don't have it nor do any of our brethren, so I just don't know. Folks in FL and your neck of the woods might.
FWIW, we've spent maybe all of three nights on the boat in our marina. All the rest have been anchored out (95%) or the rest at other marinas visiting. That's in 25 years.
Stu - ok, duh.
so, while I'm not getting caught up in so many details ,, I'm thinking sailing = daytime = breezes = little fans maybe. Anchor = sunset/evening = cooler = fans or most likely stay in hotel at marina. Our boat will be 30 minutes away from home, so not the end of the world if it's just too hot of a summer day to go sailing. (WHEN would that be???) Perhaps what others are saying is the dark hulls get too hot if you want to use swim ladders, play off/around the boat and the hull gets just that hot? Gunni - what are your thoughts?
Then again, for our first boat, it might be most prudent to leave the hull white and be sure the next boat has more of the "pretty" features we really want.
so, while I'm not getting caught up in so many details ,, I'm thinking sailing = daytime = breezes = little fans maybe. Anchor = sunset/evening = cooler = fans or most likely stay in hotel at marina. Our boat will be 30 minutes away from home, so not the end of the world if it's just too hot of a summer day to go sailing. (WHEN would that be???) Perhaps what others are saying is the dark hulls get too hot if you want to use swim ladders, play off/around the boat and the hull gets just that hot? Gunni - what are your thoughts?
Then again, for our first boat, it might be most prudent to leave the hull white and be sure the next boat has more of the "pretty" features we really want.
Easily accomplished by using a 2000 watt (portable) generator and a 'soft start' or capacitance assist starter on the AC unit to allow sufficient starting power/torque on the typical 8-16kBTU AC unit.How does one use a/c at anchor?
example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/SmartStart-..._Accessories_Gear&hash=item35bad80c95&vxp=mtr
Brad: My hull was constructed by Beneteau USA with flag blue gelcoat, not paint. It is 10 years old and shows no sign of print through. The cabin gets very warm in the summer. At anchor or at the dock in the summer with 7 overhead hatches and 10 ports open you can feel the heat radiating off the hull sides. The interior furnishings absorb the heat and it requires 2 A/C units (28,000 total BTU), 30 amps of electricity and a 5,500 watt diesel generator to manage the temperature. My deck is standard white gelcoat and presents no temperature problems.
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Shore is a good looking color, though. I saw a Bene at boat show that had a lighter blue-gray color that I really liked. It sounded like they were discontinuing the color though. The folks from the dealership in Haverstraw were selling that boat.
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