Blue or White Hull?

Are good blue hulls, just painted or is the blue gel coat so thin that a small scratch shows through white? Why dont they put a heavier gelcoat on? Maybe it's just cheapy type boats have thin gelcoat, but I would agree with some kind of "when new" treatment like crystal on the hull. By the wya I dont like the upper w/house boat, like the open flybridge one.
 
Paul,

I would get Blue and Pay for a Glaze every few years. You could also get covers made for protection of the hind quarters (have seen them on Sunny seekers over the winter). Blue looks great...go blue and enjoy!

Paul /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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I have never known my teak to get so hot, that I cant walk on it

[/ QUOTE ]I guess in your boat the teak is not just made of thin panels glued upon the deck structure, but is instead part of the structure itself, hence much thicker. Innit?
Can't explain why, but I did notice a relevant difference between the two solutions, under the same weather conditions.
The first (which is typical in grp boats) gets definitely hotter.
 
The thiner the gel the better the quality, any monkey can lash it into the mould thick but the finish is awful, to get the best finish you need it thin and to get it thin you need to be pretty much top of the tree if it is to look the business on a really big boat. Some will awlgrip or paint after the moulding cus again its easier than applying the colour in the moulding, hence the lower quality manufacturers tend to steer clear and if they are smaller boats stick loads of graphics and blue bands to break up the white.
 
Whilst still undecided, there are some points that have come up that i can add to.

1. The Marlow has in effect an inner an outer Kevlar hull with some 8 inches in between so the insulation value is very high 0 I am not worried about heat into the boat but that extra heat must damage the glass itself .... Maybe.

2. If you leave the blue hull as gel coat, then it fades with time so it seems you need both gel coat and awl grip in blue. This means that repairs are a bit easier.

3. On a previous blue-hulled boat i noticed that over time the 'ribs' of the boat showed through a fair amount - as if the heat had slightly distorted the hull.

4. I do not accept glazing a boat as other than a very expensive waste - I use a similar product and a 60 foot boat costs £20 in materials - the glaze produced lasts about 6 to 8 months. I think it is the same technology that is behind the glaze products and the one I use. So I am not too worried about appearance as a 6 monthly treatment more than keeps it looking good with a shine deeper than any wax finish.
 
Take your point Paul on a good wax jobbie in defense of A glaze I have to say after two seasons of charter and demo work it still looks brilliant and a quick hose off is all that is really needed, don't know which product you used and perhaps its a similar product but for me so far its a grand well spent.

The ribbing thing is something you see on all boats after a few season just its more prononuced on a blue hull, it can be to a greater or lesser extent depending on the builder and how they have structured the bulkheads, ribs and interior glasswork. I would imagine on the Marlow with its sandwich construction providing they have mastered core construction would not be that noticable but not doubt you will see some distortion after a few year particularly if you keep her polished up to a good standard.
 
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On a previous blue-hulled boat i noticed that over time the 'ribs' of the boat showed through a fair amount - as if the heat had slightly distorted the hull.


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Yes, I've noticed that before myself. Is it an optical effect of the colour or actually a structural effect?
 
I'm not sure Hatteras would agree with you about paint finishes. They claim HERE that their paint finish gives better UV resistance and a longer shine
Actually I was wondering whether the Marlow has a paint finish rather than a gelcoat finish?
 
[ QUOTE ]
I'm not sure Hatteras would agree with you about paint finishes. They claim HERE that their paint finish gives better UV resistance and a longer shine
Actually I was wondering whether the Marlow has a paint finish rather than a gelcoat finish?

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usuall marketing claim or fact????

the best blue I have seen is on the Pershings which after a couple of years looks in perfect condition, they dont use Gelcoat but Awlgrip or similar

as for the ribs all Sunseeker, Fairline and Princess in dark colors show up after 2 years maybe in some cases even more
I think it is more a problem of heat which makes the blue or dark color this effect, then a real structural problem...
 
I agree with you, jez. I've been idly surfing the net looking at types of boat I might buy in a few years time when I hopefully (semi) retire and do some longer term cruising and, actually, the ST52 ticks most of my boxes like

Semi D hull with 1000nm range at displacement speed
20knot capability if required
Midships master cabin
Separate pilot house with side access doors
Internal access to flybridge
Fully covered cockpit and walkways
Good sized lazarette storage
Side access doors in bulwarks for easy pontoon boarding

I reckon Beneteau have given a lot of thought to the design of this boat and it certainly has more features that I value than equivalent models from the likes of Grand Banks, Fleming, Skagen and a few others I've looked at. I also think it's the right sort of size for long term cruising, big enough to look after itself in a seaway and small enough to get into most marinas and harbours. All for under £600k including VAT and all the toys
 
I use a product called Rejex that is at least as Good as A glaze and can be applied yourself.

The Marlow does not have that sort of rib construction - in fact no fixed bulkheads other than the ones designed into it for safety and none protuding through to the oter hull - so that is not a problem - I have only just realised that!

So far, I am swaying towards blue because:-
1. The hull is highly insulated
2. It has no rib construction to show through.
3. I can Rejex it a few times and have a deep shine lasting a year

I had not seen it all this way before this threead which has made me think.


I am having the boat inspected in construction.
 
Geez... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
disturbing your guests if you need to check the mooring lines at night is not an issue, I guess!
 
The boat i am actually going for is not the one in the pictures - i just picked them from the marlow site to show the hulls.
The images are the 7oE and I have now decided on the 72 ELR (stands for extra long range) it has a range of over 4000 miles. So an occasional fillup in the CI's will be the routine!!

Also - I will be welcoming any forum members on board as I owe a big favour to this forum for its support over the last year.
 
No fact. Hatteras are one of the highest regarded manufacturers in the USA and you only have to look at a 10 or 15yr old Hat to see that the hull finish is usually way better than a gelcoat finished boat of the same vintage
 
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