Talk me out of a blue hull...

[Sticky Fingers]

If the boat is alright, do not let yourself be deterred by the colour....

Well, we viewed three boats today, two of which had blue hulls, and had a casual look at a few others. Both blue-hulled boats looked good, both had recent AWLGrip on top of blue gel coat. The Moody had a superb finish (newly re-done) - looked great externally and we loved the layout but... interior was very tired, sad. So despite the colour and how it looked externally, the boat wasn't right for us. Disappointing but useful. The surprise was a Beneteau, much cheaper, several years newer, and, well - we found much to like. Was also blue.... but the colour had little to do with the appeal to be honest.

Anyways, good progress today.

 

[johnalison]

Blue hulls look best with orange wheelhouses

Yes, but you have to go to sea in storm force winds to rescue people.

 

[ChiPete]

I confess I haven't read the entire thread, I'm simply replying to the OPs question.

We have a 2008 Beneteau Oceanis 323 with a dark blue hull. She still looks the business and I have zero regrets about buying her in the colour she is. She's turned heads and is a talking point at most places we've put in despite being a Bendytoy!

That said, I have been asidious in her annual gel coat maintenance, ensuring that she's properly cleaned to get rid of salt streaks and general crud. I then go around and polish out the dings (yes folks, I have been known to cock up a close quarters maneauvre!) using progressively 180/240/360/600/800 wet and dry then 3m imperial compound and finishing material (06044) I was recommended to this product and as far as I can see is just the best on the market, a lambs wool bonnet at about 2100 rpm will bring the gel coat up like new. You don't need to go to W&D 1200 either.

I'll then put on two coats of 3m ultra performance wax (09030). Rub on using mutton cloth by hand, go for a couple of pints and a good lunch, come back and polish off with a lambs wool head at about 1800 rpm. And repeat (especially the two pints bit!).

I've never had any issues with UV fading or showing marks. Anything that sticks, such as bits of dirt and seaweed are swiftly dispatched with the soft bristle brush once alongside.

So, NO! I'm not going to talk you out of a blue hull, I say go for it!!!

 

[Angele]

So, NO! I'm not going to talk you out of a blue hull, I say go for it!!!

Conversely....

When I bought my boat (from new), there were two pricey options that I considered. Both £7.5k (on a 40 footer, 2004 prices). Not sure, but I think that was the ex-VAT price. One was all-teak decks (in addition to teak in and around the cockpit on the base model), and the other was a blue gelcoat hull.

I quizzed the UK agents at the time. "Does it really cost £7.5k to lay up a hull in blue rather than in white?"

The reply: "No, far from it. Barely any difference in price. But the £7.5k gives us a fund to pay for warranty work when the owner inevitably becomes dissatisfied with the discolouration/fading and we can show him/her that we are doing something about it ....... until the warranty runs up when it becomes his/her sole problem."

I got the impression they weren't keen to sell me a blue hulled boat, so I went with white. :nonchalance:

 

[ChiPete]

Conversely....

When I bought my boat (from new), there were two pricey options that I considered. Both £7.5k (on a 40 footer, 2004 prices). Not sure, but I think that was the ex-VAT price. One was all-teak decks (in addition to teak in and around the cockpit on the base model), and the other was a blue gelcoat hull.

I quizzed the UK agents at the time. "Does it really cost £7.5k to lay up a hull in blue rather than in white?"

The reply: "No, far from it. Barely any difference in price. But the £7.5k gives us a fund to pay for warranty work when the owner inevitably becomes dissatisfied with the discolouration/fading and we can show him/her that we are doing something about it ....... until the warranty runs up when it becomes his/her sole problem."

I got the impression they weren't keen to sell me a blue hulled boat, so I went with white. :nonchalance:

£7.5K??!! Blimey, the £750 that my blue cost seems cracking value now! Each to their own :encouragement:

 

[Angele]

£7.5K??!! Blimey, the £750 that my blue cost seems cracking value now! Each to their own :encouragement:

Yep.

Just to clarify. The £7.5k had nothing to do with how much it cost them to lay up the hull in blue. But, quite evidently, Dufour had received several warranty claims from dissatisfied purchasers of blue hull, so they were simply making sure they still made a profit on a blue hulled boat even after spending a lot of effort keeping their customers happy.

 

[rivertest]

Explores, I'm thinking about having my hull wrapped. I'm based in Falmouth so wondered who did your mates boat and if he would recommend them. R.T.