Hull color

[cnbirrell]

Hello all ..... I've got a question about repainting. After a great summer cruise to Alaska I'm back in Olympia WA and have stripped the hull of my 1971 Grand Banks 36 woodie. I was wanting to break with the norm and paint the hull a dark blue, but had a conversation with a boat painter who felt that a dark hull on a wood boat presented possible problems with heat buildup and possible moisture problems. I hadn't really thought about potential practical problems. I know that while I was in Alaska I saw endless old wooden trawlers with dark colored hulls, and clearly it wasn't a problem for them. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

 

[Marin]

Yes. Pose your question to the Grand Banks Owners Forum Grand Banks Owner's Resources. This topic has come up before over there. I would suggest addressing your question to Bob Lowe specifically although there are other very experienced shipwright-types on that forum as well. But Bob for years owned Oak Harbor Boatworks, a yard that specialized in Grand Banks boats, wood and glass, and has had more experience with these boats than just about anyone around today.

 

[markpierce]

A dark hull color shows up better in reduced-daylight visibility as opposed to the ubiquitous white. The most visible objects on the boat in this photo are the crew on deck wearing dark clothing. It's best to have both light/bright and dark colors for best all-around, to-be-seen visibility, but definitely not pink which is stealthy.

 

[rochepoint]

Found this on the net.
Why not paint a wooden hull a dark color?

 

[Northern Spy]

A friend of mine has a wooden boat that has been black for 113 years. She seems to be doing OK. Carlotta

 

[Ocean Breeze NL]

I saw lots of woodies that are painted blue, here are some pictures.

Elwin

 

[markpierce]

A friend of mine has a wooden boat that has been black for 113 years. She seems to be doing OK.

It's a beauty!

 

[markpierce]

I saw lots of woodies that are painted blue, here are some pictures.

Elwin

Not dark enough.

 

[Marin]

The issues of temperature affecting the planks that was brought up on the link Mike posted are interesting. Almost all the fishing schooners of New England and the Canadian Maritimes had dark hulls, usually black. Bluenose being a typical example. The Elizabeth Howard was one of the exceptions with her white hull. And dark-hulled wooden fishboats are not uncommon in the PNW, BC, and SE Alaska. But it doesn't get all that hot up here. And the commercial guys don't get all wrapped around the axle over cracked paint and whatnot like the yachties do.

 

[Northern Spy]

“There are only two colors to paint a boat - black or white. And only a fool would paint a boat black.”

Ol' Nat whatshisname

 

[markpierce]

Just wishing no one copies my paint scheme. Do your own "thing."

 

[Moonstruck]

“There are only two colors to paint a boat - black or white. And only a fool would paint a boat black.”

Ol' Nat whatshisname

Take it from me, black hulls have always been discriminated against.

 

[Rambler]

Take it from me, black hulls have always been discriminated against.

That's because they make a boat look cool.

 

[Rambler]

I saw a dark green hull a while back. It looked cool too. I suspect they draw your eye because they are different from all the other boats you see.

 

[JD]

I believe that the dark colors are frowned upon buy both builders and painters due to a couple of reasons. Back in the 80's I wanted a new sail boat done in black and the builder, a friend, refused. The reason was that with only one mold it was a PIA to clean the mold so the next white boat would not have black streaks in it. Now that more new boats of color are being painted that doesn't seem to be as much of a factor anymore.

The second reason is that any dark color will show all of the imperfections in the hull as it does with the body when painting a car. So the painter has to be extra careful with the prep work to avoid customer problems.

My hull is painted with Awlcraft Jade Mist Green and my decks and topsides are an off white direct from the factory. The A/C's cool the boat in the summer here in NC without any problems. My guess is that the air leaks make it harder for the A/C than the hull color does.

I have had both white and colored hulls and really don't see much of a difference. More of a difference in things like marring of the hull than in heat. Awlcraft makes for a beautifully durable finish if it is maintained correctly. Which for the most part is very easy by using the correct cleaning agents and no rubbing compounds.

 

[Moonstruck]

My hull is painted with Awlcraft Jade Mist Green and my decks and topsides are an off white direct from the factory.

Awlcraft is a great choice. Not as hard a finish as Awlgrip, but much easier to touch up.