Blue or White Hull?

[Gludy]

I am soon to order my new Marlow and will have once again to make many decisions - one of which is the hull colour. Marlow can make it in amny colours but I have always liked blue the most - but is blue really a sensible colour?

In hot climates it really heats up the hull and it tends to show more dirt. With my last blue hulled boat, I applied a few coats ot Rejex that I frankly thinks is as good if not better than the expensive coatings and that kept the hull looking deeply polished for months at very little cost so I suppose what I am really worried about is a blue hull in the med where I shall probably spend a fair amount of time.

I think blue looks better but is it really sensible?

If you had a choice which would you go for?

 

[BrendanS]

I guess it comes down to comfort over looks? TCM keeps stating that he even dislikes teak on board boats in Med, because of heat underfoot, if I remember his posts correctly.

Maintenance of blue is always likely to be higher.

Close call, if you like the look of blue hull, and how much time you'll spend aboard. Live aboard for long periods in that climate, I'd go white.

 

[Gludy]

Yes - I think TCM did state that about teak.

I suppose I like a blur hull bit know it is not sensible so I am looking for an excuse to go blue.

I mean i think most would agree the blue looks better:-

 

[BrendanS]

Resale value?

Not spending much time aboard relative to total usage, and have good aircon that isn't noisy?

Common sense says white if you are going to spend much time aboard in hot climate.

Yes, in those pics, the blue looks much better.

 

[Gludy]

I do not think the hull colour makes much difference with good aircon - i think that it really heats the hull up though and surely that cannot do it any good?

 

[Sixpence]

As often happens , Brendan and I don't agree on this . White is a safe colour for lots of reasons but as the sun there tends to be hotter as it gets higher maybe it's the upper decks that need to be darker . Sunglasses are fine but if you aren't wearing them and you look at white superstructure with the sun beating down , it's dazzling to the point where it almost blinds you
Maybe an all blue boat would work better , you'll have aircon no doubt and that will help to keep the plastic cool from the inside

 

[BrendanS]

Try walking around or sunbathing or just sitting around on a dark superstructure in a hot sunny climate. That's why tcm doesn't like teak on decks. It's the hull that's in question though, it will still heat the boat much more than a white hull, even if a relatively low percentage of coverage, it will be heating up the areas below deck where you cook, sleep, etc.

Aircon will remove many of those issues.

Though blue hull more difficult to maintain and keep looking good.

 

[rubberduck]

We went for white hull on rubberduck cos is easier to keep clean etc. Also makes boat look bigger than same boat moored next door with blue. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Sixpence]

I do apologise Brendan , I wasn't aware of your vast experience in Med boating and simply wanted to point out what I found in St Lucia where I couldn't see a thing because of the brilliant white on the upper decks blinding me , nothing more . The maintenance of darker colours is something I would live with rather than get blinded like that again
On that note I bow out to those that actually live there , after all , I'm more of a knit one , pearl one , type

 

[BrendanS]

It's a discussion, not be all and end all.

I'd be interested in Ccscott's views, as he has a boat with lots of dark wood in Med

 

[Solitaire]

For what it's worth blue is a bugger of a colour. Firstly it tends to be thinner than white gelcoat and marks/rubs through more easily. Speak to any GRP specialist and they will tell you to go for white every time, I was chatting with one the other day and he said that it is very difficult to match and that many blue hulled boats end up having to be painted after time. I know of one large boat that "seeks the sun" where the blue has worn right through. Blue looks good, but is difficult to keep looking that way!

Plus of course it shows all the salt spray marks.

 

[Kawasaki]

[ QUOTE ]
For what it's worth blue is a bugger of a colour. Speak to any GRP specialist

[/ QUOTE ]
Had this conversation Today with "My" GRP Man.
His words as well.
OK, We were chatting about boats getting on in Years.
Dafydd (My Man) had previously completed a full hull respray of My previous boat in blue, an old Channel Island, and is now touching up and fairing My "newer" old boat.
We were discussing the application of some blue pinstriping (Evertonian you see!) so I have to have some blue about the place!
His comments seemed relevant ref maintenance, should there be any.
I am not Superstitious but maybe not blue this time Gludy?

 

[Sneds]

We are off to make an offer on a 28' boat at the weekend.
One of the attractions is the blue hull! Looks good IMO.
Plus, in amongst a plethora of white boats it'll look a little different plus SWMBO likes it and is a dab hand at polishing /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[omega2]

The one on the left is 21 years old, the oneone the right is 5 years old, which colour will/has stood the test of time?

 

[Sneds]

Um, I guess the white one......but SWMBO...........

 

[ccscott49]

For me, blue, I think it makes the sheer, look fine.
I would leave the top hamper white, which would reflect most of the heat anyway, it's beaming DOWN on the upper works, the sun in the meddy is high in the sky at the hottest times, reflecting off the water onto the hull, so nowhere near as hot.
Lines look smoother on that boat, looks more classy and anyway you will have AC and a genny running all/most of the time anyway.
Go blue, I like it! The hull will be insulated anyway.
My boat has dark wood on the saloon, w/house etc. It really needs covers when summer is here, but that is mainly to protect the varnish, to some extent, not really for heat prevention, curtains/blinds stop the sun from getting the interior too hot, it's windows that get the inside hot.
I have never known my teak to get so hot, that I cant walk on it, if it did, a salt water hose would solve that problem. Taking all things into consideration I would go for blue.
I would have Englander blue, but she is wood, another thing entirely. By the way, that marlow looks really lovely a serious bit of kit and my kind of motorboat! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[andyball]

actually, for the boat in those pics - I'd pick white /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[thefatlady]

I had a Sunseeker with a blue hull and white topsides in the Med, going as far south as Tunisia, for four years. I polished and waxed it once a year and it stayed beautiful. Exposed parts of the rear quarters used to bloom slightly, but it came off with a quick, light polish.

I sold the boat at six years old and the broker (and the buyer) thought it looked almost new.

Heat was not a problem because the hull didn't get that much direct sun.

I would go for blue without hesitation if you like the look of it.

 

[benjenbav]

[ QUOTE ]
Live aboard for long periods in that climate, I'd go white.


[/ QUOTE ]

I think you'd go brown actually, Brendan.

Gludy: my first reaction was "blue". I think blue hulls look very smart so long as you can afford the extra maintenance. And, let's face it, if you're spending squillions on the boat in the first place, a few bob to pay the lad with the zymol and the chamois is neither here nor there. Go for what you like the look of best and if that's blue, be prepared to spec up the AC.

 

[mainshiptom]

What about a mix of Blue and white ?