Same colour antifoul as topsides?

[JakeMM]

Hi,

I've just bought my first boat and am currently preparing it ready for launch.

The topsides have a nice gloss black finish to them, and I quite like the idea of using black antifouling.

From looking around the boat yard, it appears everyone seems to have their antifoul in a contrasting colour though.

Is there a reason for this?

Thanks Jake

 

[JakeMM]

I did find a boat with a white hull (and topsides) in the yard yesterday, but I think it might have just been the gelcoat, rather than white anti-fouling.

 

[Babylon]

You're free to do whatever you wish, but I'd go for a contrasting colour/tone: light blue, red, etc. Do you have a bootline in say white or red?

 

[Niffler]

I tried navy hull and navy a/f one year, which coincided with a summer of anchorages. I had about a hundred heart attack moments when rowing back to the boat and thinking she was sinking. Don't do it! It doesn't look good anyway.

 

[Concerto]

There are no hard and fast rules, just go with what you think is right. It would look good with black antifouling and either a red or white boot top. Alternatively you could have white antifouling without a boot top. Do let us know what you choose.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Contrast is the aesthetic equivalent of seasoning in food. If you take the best gourmet plate, with all the finest ingredients, pass it through a liquidiser and serve it without any seasoning the result would be a bland 'something' that has no character and nothing that sets it apart.

It is the same with a boat's hull. This is only IMHO, of course.

 

[reeac]

Contrast is the aesthetic equivalent of seasoning in food. If you take the best gourmet plate, with all the finest ingredients, pass it through a liquidiser and serve it without any seasoning the result would be a bland 'something' that has no character and nothing that sets it apart.

It is the same with a boat's hull. This is only IMHO, of course.

Not sure about the food analogy - who would add seasoning to a good orange, pear or raspberries? You'd just spoil or mask their fine flavour. I do agree, however, about the value of contrast in external finishes ...white window frames against a brick wall etc. A contrasting boot topping would be sufficient.

 

[prv]

Is there a reason for this?

No special technical reason, just what most people consider looks good. I always used to buy reddish antifoul on the grounds that it's easiest for the maker to put lots of copper into - not sure how much difference that makes any more although I have heard at least one example of the white option having less good stuff than the other colours of the same product. Harder to keep it white with a full dose. Again I don't know if that's universal but I would tend to avoid white.

Pete

 

[JakeMM]

Thanks very much for the replies.

That's a good point about spotting where the waterline is!

I think I'll stick with red, as it seems to look nice with the black topsides and also ties in with the colour of the sail.

I was tempted by black antifoul as I thought it wouldn't show up any slime/weed as much as the other colours would. Although I've read that red paint can contain more copper, it's also opposite green on the colour wheel and so should in theory be the colour which shows up slime the most (except white).

 

[alahol2]

Note that most 'red' antifoul is actually more of a brown than a red colour. The only antifoul I've found that has a true 'pillar box' red is International Trilux 33.
I use it for the boot top and I wish I could find a more 'economical' alternative.

 

[Robin]

I did find a boat with a white hull (and topsides) in the yard yesterday, but I think it might have just been the gelcoat, rather than white anti-fouling.

We had white antifoul on our last two UK boats with white topsides, it showed any fouling so I could dive on it and clean it if needed, looked good too. White Micron actually looks bronzish when applied until it has been in the water a while. Our current white hull, in the USA, has a black bottom mind.

 

[fainche]

Any color of antifoul can be pair in black topsides.

 

[Spirit of Glenans]

Not sure about the food analogy - who would add seasoning to a good orange, pear or raspberries? You'd just spoil or mask their fine flavour. I do agree, however, about the value of contrast in external finishes ...white window frames against a brick wall etc. A contrasting boot topping would be sufficient.

I'm quite partial to strawberries marinated in balsamic vinegar