So how are you supposed to choose your new boat colour....

[rwoofer]

.... when it uses the RAL colour system? Dealer doesn't have colour swatches, printers don't, art shop doesn't and all the internet sites look different. Oh, but you can buy a colour swatch from RAL itself for about £60.

Any suggestions??

 

[Twister_Ken]

Warning - colour seen on titchy swatches rarely looks the same when applied in quantity to a surface.

 

[ChrisE]

Easy peasy it has to be dark blue, see below

 

[fluffc]

[ QUOTE ]
Warning - colour seen on titchy swatches rarely looks the same when applied in quantity to a surface.

[/ QUOTE ]
For most colour swatches, I would tend to agree. However, since RAL is a very tightly-controlled colour system, the colours do match from swatch to end product.

You may find that some normal paint colour swatches include equivalent RAL numbers. I have this odd feeling that I've seen Dulux swatches with this information on in the past.

 

[Cotillion]

Repaint it the same colour as it is now. That way it won't notice so much when you, or someone else takes a lump out of it.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

Not familiar with RAL. What are the options?

If it is painted on, rather than dyed gel coat, I wouldn't have anything but white.

 

[rwoofer]

Actually Dark blue is what it's going to be, just got a choice of about 10. Steel Blue is looking fav, then cobalt blue, sapphire blue.........

Problem is that on different sites, different ones are darker or lighter...

 

[rwoofer]

No gelcoat. It's a 29ft epoxy plywood boat, with twin keels that can dry out - ooh and it goes fast (up to 9.5 knots on the polars)....

Here is a picture of a Cobalt Blue (RAL 5013) version:

Problem is that I want slightly darker and depending on which site I go to changes which colour is a bit darker. Here's one of many full colour swatches online:

RAL Colours

Richard

 

[photodog]

Wow, thats a nice boat, wot is it?

The problem that you have with different websites showing the colors differently is down to the way that color is copied/reproduced on digital devices.

Every device which either scans/copies/reproduces colour shows that colour in a different way due to the limitations of the technology.

So; one supplier will have scanned the colour card and this scanner will not scan quite the same as the other supplier.
(These are known as Device Dependent Colour Spaces)

Plus, your computer probably does not know what the current profile is for your monitor, (Ie how your particular monitor reproduces the colour) and cannot then reproduce the colour accuratley even if the supplier has embedded the profile for the particular device that scanned the card, or the monitor on which the material was edited.

phew.

Colour managment is a huge bugbear and we have invested tens of thousands in trying to get it right, but if our customers are not part of the solution then its still a problem.....

So,, you really need to see the cards in person, and then view the cards with the same light that you will be viewing the boat under, and then you may get close.

Just dont try to rely on what you see online, it will not be accurate because its not possible given the way colour managment works. You may get close, and you may even luck out and it may be almost spot-on, but it will not be accurate.

Colour is hugely subjective, and managing colour is actually more difficult in the current digital enviroment than it was when we were on film. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Ta
Doug

 

[akirk]

Ask to see painted samples and then look at them under different lighting conditions (esp. those when you will usually see the boat - cloudy, raining, lighting, storms etc.) and of course sunny for the optimists...

As Doug mentions colour management is an absolute nightmare.

The only way in which you can be accurate is to see the exact colours on the exact same material the boat will be...

only by reproducing the exact same conditions will you see it accurately.

Next best is looking at printed versions - basically physical colours (e.g. on paper - Cyan / Magenta / Yellow / Black (K)) are differently made up than electronic (e.g. web - Red / Green / Blue), so it is not possible to choose accurately between shades in one format to be accurate for another...

 

[rwoofer]

It's an RM880, which is made in La Rochelle. It is a fantastic boat that a lot of English manufacturers could learn from. Mine will be the first boat into the country and will be the SBS boat.

I was at the factory a few weeks ago and the construction techniques and quality really impressed me and gave me a lot of confidence in the boat. One of the reasons I'm getting it is ease of maintenance - it has a large technical room that you walk in and can access everything, no pulling joinery apart or squeezing into tight spaces. Being 6'6" the other big benefit is the large berths - I fit in all of them, which is rare on any boat under 45 feet let alone 30 feet.

The manufacturer site is

RM Yachts

The english bit is still under construction, but the french site is easy enough to navigate around. The owners association site is also very useful for pictures and stuff:

RM Association

Google and Babelfish both work well on the site for translations.

Here is a picture of a red one!!

 

[sarabande]

Given that shadows, mist, reflections, sunshine, moonlight and other conditions are going to change the "perceived"colour of any hull, why is it necessary to want to define a specific colour, which can be seen as that colour ONLY under very restricted circumstances ?

Am I not picky enough ? I quite enjoy seeing my boat change "colour" throughout the day; it does make a difference to her hull shape.

 

[sarabande]

A few years ago there was an article in PBO which described an earlier version as being rather like a LandRover in terms of access and simplicity.

The concept has certainly developed racier lines, but it's good to see such a practical bilge keel arrangement.

Happy sailing !

 

[rwoofer]

I guess it's because it's the first time I've bought a new boat and the fact that they are spoiling me for choice /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Was the same the only time I bought a new car. When you've buying used it's simply a case of do I like it or not.

Anyway isn't most of the pleasure of owning a boat in the buying.......

 

[sarabande]

Happy with that ! I was just curious to try and understand more about people and colour preception.

Keep the pix posted when you do the launching bit !

 

[BlueSkyNick]

interested that you are going for the 880 as the smallest, when you could get all the same benefits plus more from teh 1050 or 1200, no?

 

[rwoofer]

Will have pix of the construction as well, which I'll post for those who are interested

 

[rwoofer]

The plan is to use the small RM for Solent/Channel cruising and charter abroad with a bigger boat. We realised we don't have the time to do all the passage sailing involved in getting the boat somewhere warm for our summer cruises. What really forced the decision was that this year, we wanted to take the boat to Northern Spain, cause that is the next destination after La Rochelle. After doing the research we knew that this involved at least 2 weeks of getting boat there and back. Given I've still got a long working life to go I'm just not going to get the long holidays required.

What really makes a difference with the small one is the draft of 1.25m, which opens up a whole load of smaller harbours that aren't chockablock with the SS fleet.

By the way, this is all part of my post rationalisation, as we will really miss Hana as she has been a fantastic boat which we would definitely keep if we had more time. Everyone keeps telling us why are you selling!!! I'm just hoping I'm not going to regret this, as it would be very difficult to get a boat in as good condition as Hana again. Gulp!!

 

[Rob_Webb]

Very interesting/nice. Do me mind asking me much GBP?

 

[Neddie_Seagoon]

RM1200 was reviewed in PBO Nov '06

Went straight onto my list of boats I'd like to have.