Jump to content

Most practical colour to paint your boat


Featured Posts

I painted Jupiter on the towpath last year. I chose a light grey gloss from Epifanes Bootslak after seeing a boat I liked and calling Braidbar up to ask the code. I just did one solid colour. The thinking was to try to minimise the heat in summer and it is definitely helping with that.

 

But i have come to regret my choice. i think i went too light because streaks of greybrown dirt running down the sides (Jupiter doesn't have rain channels). The paint seems to still be quite soft or a little porous so it is very hard or even impossible to clean perfectly.

 

So I'm now considering putting on another two coats of a different colour.

 

I am not that fussed about what colour the boat is aesthetically. I'm considering trying to colour match the dirt streaks ha.

 

What's the best colour to paint a boat?

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

33 minutes ago, jupiter1124 said:

What's the best colour to paint a boat?

 

 

Few boats are painted just one colour. And as for 'best', everything to do with boats is a compromise. To avoid showing dirt streaks, a horrid mid grey-brown would be best. To look nice, lined panels in a different colour to the background colour, and pick out the cants etc in yet more colours. Buy the book "Colours of the Cut" for reams of detailed examples. To keep the interior cool in summer, paint the whole exterior of the boat white or cream. 

 

 

 

 

Edited by MtB
Clarify a point.
  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the plan would be to keep roof one colour but go for wrapping vinyl if practical, or if this is too expensive to go for camouflage graphics. See NB scribendi or for a more relaxed look try a few clouds and trees, grass, probably no wild animals though unless you are confident artist. In assuming rain steaks are not geometric. You could go for a zebra Stripe as used in Safari land rovers ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, Athy said:

Yes, that's where we found our colour scheme.

Really?  The orange, purple?

 

If you paint panels with framing in contrasting colours its easier to repaint a bit at a time or repair damaged panels.

The one colour and a coach line around is very hire boaty.

Avoid reds unless it is expensive paint that won't fade too much.  Or turn brown.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Tonka said:

Which firm had pink

You've got the wrong boat.

5 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Really?  The orange, purple?

 

 

No orange: she's purple with cream lining.

Chance & Hunt of Oldbury in the Black Country. They operated tugs in that livery.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, Athy said:

You've got the wrong boat.

No orange: she's purple with cream lining.

Chance & Hunt of Oldbury in the Black Country. They operated tugs in that livery.

 

 

The blue jars ever so slightly with the purple, to my eye....

 

Ok that's with my sunglasses on! 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

38 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

 

The blue jars ever so slightly with the purple, to my eye....

 

Ok that's with my sunglasses on! 

 

 

Well her recessed panels are lined in what looks like Cambridge blue but is actually called Process blue. That wasn't a feature of the original boats, it was dreamed up by our signwriter Robert Naghi.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, jupiter1124 said:

I painted Jupiter on the towpath last year. I chose a light grey gloss from Epifanes Bootslak after seeing a boat I liked and calling Braidbar up to ask the code. I just did one solid colour. The thinking was to try to minimise the heat in summer and it is definitely helping with that.

 

But i have come to regret my choice. i think i went too light because streaks of greybrown dirt running down the sides (Jupiter doesn't have rain channels). The paint seems to still be quite soft or a little porous so it is very hard or even impossible to clean perfectly.

 

So I'm now considering putting on another two coats of a different colour.

 

I am not that fussed about what colour the boat is aesthetically. I'm considering trying to colour match the dirt streaks ha.

 

What's the best colour to paint a boat?

 

 

Probably not red for large areas unless you want to repaint regularly, it fades faster than any other colour (absorbs blue light, blue photons have highest energy, pigments fade faster).

 

Different people choose colours for different reasons; I chose dark blue which some would reject because it's hot, but this doesn't matter when 70% of your roof is covered in dark blue solar panels which it hides. and silver grey panels and decks (and rear of roof) for contrast and because they hide the dirt better than a dark colour (rain channels help too). YMMV... 😉

final bow.jpg

side.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, Athy said:

Well her recessed panels are lined in what looks like Cambridge blue but is actually called Process blue. That wasn't a feature of the original boats, it was dreamed up by our signwriter Robert Naghi.

Maybe the year for a repaint Athy?  The Cropredy towpath is hard on the cosmetics. Did you find a car parking space for the Convention?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

27 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Maybe the year for a repaint Athy?  The Cropredy towpath is hard on the cosmetics. Did you find a car parking space for the Convention?

We repaint little and often, i.e. bits at a time. Sort of a Forth Bridge job but smaller.

Yes, managed to talk nicely to the owners of the camp side next to the town bridge, a modest sum changed hands and we left the car there for four days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, Athy said:

 

Yes, managed to talk nicely to the owners of the camp side next to the town bridge, a modest sum changed hands and we left the car there for four days.

 

You blagged them into paying you to park your car there? I'm impressed! 

 

:giggles:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

You blagged them into paying you to park your car there? I'm impressed! 

 

:giggles:

Tee-hee. Yes, I convinced hem that the presence of a Suzuki S-Cross would enhance their field and bring campers flocking.

Not.

Jeez, it already seems a long time ago!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Dazzle camouflage.

1280px-HMS_President_Dazzle_2.jpg.aaae1bc9b451c7e11f3be3a8ad3a2444.jpg

 

By DieSwartzPunkt - Photographed from Public Right of Way #Freedom of Panorama applies in UK#Previously published: Not previously published, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38402437

 

This is an often overlooked necessity... the last thing you want is another boat getting a firing solution on you...

 

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/07/28/article-2019983-0D01AC8300000578-701_634x502.jpg

Edited by The Gravy Boater
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, The Gravy Boater said:

 

This is an often overlooked necessity... the last thing you want is another boat getting a firing solution on you... https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ee/94/15/ee9415c7b1aae3cd5778621b4b35960b.jpg

Traditional roses and castles style narrowboat painting works well too, as no narrowboats were torpedoed by U-boats during the whole of the first and second world wars.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Athy said:

We repaint little and often, i.e. bits at a time. Sort of a Forth Bridge job but smaller.

Yes, managed to talk nicely to the owners of the camp side next to the town bridge, a modest sum changed hands and we left the car there for four days.

That is good to know, thanks. If I ever go again I will remember that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

 

 

This one's even more confusing. My fave actually:

 

 

image.png.0e4d1c5f58aff074496b4e9b3730ebba.png

Yes that is proper dazzle.  It is supposed to break up the silhoette of the ship so you want jaunty dark LINES against white that disrupt the apparent height and length.  The navy has repainted some of its smaller ships with these schemes as a wheeze but they should all have it... because why not... it's not like the paint will cost more.  If they need masking tape I have some spare...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, The Gravy Boater said:

Yes that is proper dazzle.  It is supposed to break up the silhoette of the ship so you want jaunty dark LINES against white that disrupt the apparent height and length.  The navy has repainted some of its smaller ships with these schemes as a wheeze but they should all have it... because why not... it's not like the paint will cost more.  If they need masking tape I have some spare...

The Mersey Ferry is now a dazzle ferry.  
But with bright colours instead of blacks, whites and grey tones. Peter Blake did the design. 
I think he’s done a few. 
 

8 hours ago, jupiter1124 said:

 

 

What's the best colour to paint a boat?

 

 


Post Office Red is the latest ‘in’ colour for the top. 
And Green sides are always in vogue. 
 

👍

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.