Deck paint colour in Med sun

[pcatterall]

Our decks and coach roofs on our old Neptune are a medium grey colour.
I note that in the sun the grey areas are too hot for bare feet while adjacent white bits are cool.
Would painting the decks and coach roofs White significantly reduce heat build up inside the boat?
The deck is of sandwich construction but the cabin roofs inside do get very hot. Thanks.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Our decks and coach roofs on our old Neptune are a medium grey colour.
I note that in the sun the grey areas are too hot for bare feet while adjacent white bits are cool.
Would painting the decks and coach roofs White significantly reduce heat build up inside the boat?
The deck is of sandwich construction but the cabin roofs inside do get very hot. Thanks.

Yes, it would help. I've noticed I can feel the heat from our blue bimini when standing under it, but my friends sand coloured one is much cooler.
Here is a thread on the subject .... Topsides colour/inside temperatures in hot climates

 

[Stemar]

White would be the best colour for reflecting heat, but likely to be a bit (very) glarey. I'd go for an off-white/cream/pale beige, whatever will go with the other colours around the boat.

 

[justanothersailboat]

I've not sailed in the med but based on the very hot days in the UK last summer, I second Stemar's suggestion of cream/light beige/"sand". Was fine on my boat where grey painted bits were cooking. Also looks quite nice, though a bit demanding on cleaning. It may grow green less quickly in the Med than the Medway though :-D

 

[geem]

We are Caribbean based at the moment. Decks are cream. They are cool even on windless days. I have had grey decks in the UK that I couldn't walk on in bare feet. We wouldn't go for any other colour

 

[Tranona]

Anything with blue in it (like the popular grey) will absorb rather than reflect.

 

[srm]

Another vote for cream. Not the Med but north Scotland and west Norway, white was too glaring in the sun so went to a mid grey. This was way too hot for bare feet on the steel deck. Cream worked well, comfortable on the eyes and did not get hot.
Also, cream was the traditional colour for canvas covered wood decks and coachroofs, no doubt for good reasons.

 

[ashtead]

Kiwi grip is what I’ve seen tired old Hallberg owners use after the teak deck has also become tired and old.

 

[pcatterall]

Thanks all, everything useful including the link to the other thread.
We will move over to something white or near white.
Some responses favoured up film on the windows and we will look into that as well. Any recommended makes will be appreciated
Thanks again.

 

[lustyd]

I went white on my old boat and it was blinding in the UK sunshine. My new boat is RAL 9016 (RAL is a colour code system) which is technically a grey and used on quite a few production boats including Jeanneau.

Polyester Gel-Coat - RAL 9016 Traffic White