Blacking above rubbing strakes?

[Big Bob W]

I am blacking the boat in a few weeks with Intertuf 16.

Last time we blacked up to the rubbing strake. Above that to the gunwales was left with its original matt black which is now looking a bit tatty.

Looking around, I reckon something like half the boats seem to be blacked up to the gunwales.

Is there a problem doing this?

 

[mrsmelly]

Theres no problem whatsoever. It makes sense. Its your boat, paint it exactly how you like. 

[Tonka]

1 minute ago, Big Bob W said:

I am blacking the boat in a few weeks with Intertuf 16.

Last time we blacked up to the rubbing strake. Above that to the gunwales was left with its original matt black which is now looking a bit tatty.

Looking around, I reckon something like half the boats seem to be blacked up to the gunwales.

Is there a problem doing this?

 

No problem. Mine has been like that for 29 years.

[Tracy D'arth]

Apart from appearance and getting blacking on your shoes etc. not really. Its not non-slip on the gunwales remember as you slid off into the water.

[MtB]

I always black mine up to the gunwales. Looks weird with gloss on the hull in my opinion. 

 

 

[Higgs]

It's a matter of personal preference. I like the gunnels painted in gloss, to match the boat. It can depend on how deep/tall the cabin sides are. Aesthetically, blacking up that far (the gunnels) can look odd. But it doesn't matter, usually. I've painted about 100 boats, and can only remember one with the gunnels painted with blacking.

 

 

Edited April 3, 2023 by Higgs

[David Mack]

Working boats were always painted with the same blacking up to gunwale level apart from at the bow and stern. So why would modern narrow boat hulls, loosely based on working boats, need to be any different? It's quicker and easier than messing about with gloss, and easily touched up if you scrape it.

The top surface of the gunwale, which you walk on, should not be painted with bitumen blacking, but it can be black or any colour of your choice. I use red oxide. You should also consider a non slip paint (or dry sand or non-slip granules added to ordinary paint) for this.

[Higgs]

1 minute ago, David Mack said:

Working boats were always painted with the same blacking up to gunwale level apart from at the bow and stern. So why would modern narrow boat hulls, loosely based on working boats, need to be any different? It's quicker and easier than messing about with gloss, and easily touched up if you scrape it.

The top surface of the gunwale, which you walk on, should not be painted with bitumen blacking, but it can be black or any colour of your choice. I use red oxide. You should also consider a non slip paint (or dry sand or non-slip granules added to ordinary paint) for this.

 

Proportion, I think. IMO.

 

 

Edited April 3, 2023 by Higgs

[MtB]

16 minutes ago, Higgs said:

But it doesn't matter, usually. I've painted about 100 boats, and can only remember one with the gunnels painted with blacking.

 

Painted 100 boats and 99 of them, wrong! 

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In my opinion. 

[Higgs]

4 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Painted 100 boats and 99 of them, wrong! 

.In my opinion. 

 

You'd better tell the customer. 

 

 

[Pie Eater]

Gunwales to top running strake were done in black gloss and everything below in bitumen on our narrowboat.

[dmr]

I would say very much no, blacking above the rubbing strake/guard iron/D section looks wrong to me. It will get scraped and touching up with blacking is a pain. Some blackings go off quite quickly once the tin is opened, brush cleaning is a fag, and it often fades a bit so the repairs stand out. I don't like colours either as all the scrapes look bad. Find a nice cheap easy to apply and fast drying matt or almost matt black paint and use that. Touch up several times each year.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

15 minutes ago, dmr said:

I would say very much no, blacking above the rubbing strake/guard iron/D section looks wrong to me. It will get scraped and touching up with blacking is a pain. Some blackings go off quite quickly once the tin is opened, brush cleaning is a fag, and it often fades a bit so the repairs stand out. I don't like colours either as all the scrapes look bad. Find a nice cheap easy to apply and fast drying matt or almost matt black paint and use that. Touch up several times each year.

No need to clean, use once, Wooden handled brushes are great for getting the fire going, especially with a bit of tar on the bristley end. 
 

 

[dmr]

27 minutes ago, Goliath said:

No need to clean, use once, Wooden handled brushes are great for getting the fire going, especially with a bit of tar on the bristley end. 
 

 

 

Yeah, I got a pack of cheap brushes so that I could use once and throw away, but they were quite nice so I couldn't resist and cleaned them.

I have a sort of sequence:

good painting

bad painting (primer etc)

epoxy

bin

 

(but with a bit of acetone you can do a couple of epoxy jobs before they go into the bin.)

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Yea, I’m similar really. 
Too tight to use once 😂

 

Actually I just don’t like wasting stuff 

Edited April 3, 2023 by Goliath

[matty40s]

I reckon it's about 10 % or less that are blacked above rubbing strake and 1% blacked  on the walkway bit.

Epifanes black is being used more often than gloss black now, being semi matt in finish and easy to touch up.

[Big Bob W]

18 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Epifanes black is being used more often than gloss black now, being semi matt in finish and easy to touch up.

Epifanes was what I was considering. But as far as I can see, 4 litres is the smallest container you can buy. Well over the top for the amount I need. That’s what got me thinking about blacking up to the gunwales. 
The top (walking bit) is still fine, so just the sides.

[Cheshire cat]

I'm interested in the Epifanes silk black. Can you provide a link? The only one I can find is gloss

[Big Bob W]

Epifanes Multiforte is what was suggested to me.

https://www.epifanes.uk/product-page/epifanes-multiforte

 

But I think I'm going to be blacking up to the gunwales.

 

 

 

[matty40s]

43 minutes ago, Cheshire cat said:

I'm interested in the Epifanes silk black. Can you provide a link? The only one I can find is gloss

The one Bob links to is the one we use most of the time nowadays.

[peterboat]

I use a satin black on the gun Wales, it matches well and is easy to clean 

[Cheshire cat]

Thanks Matty and Bob