Blacking up the gunwales

[Dave_P]

My boat is similar to most, it's blacked above the waterline up the the rubbing strake (?). Then it's painted normally above. The area between the top of the blacking and the gunwales gets far more scrapes and damage than anywhere else so I was wondering about having the boat blacked to the top of the gunwales. Is there any practical reason why I wouldn't do this? I thought it would then be easy to do quick bitumen touch ups a couple of times a year and then it gets completely re-done every time it comes out for blacking.

[dave moore]

No practical reason whatsoever, I far prefer to see the whole hull blacked. I think that the "paint the top bend " fashion started sometime in the 70s and has stuck since for no reason I understand. Perhaps someone could explain...

 

Dave

[David Mack]

I agree with Dave. Working boats were always blacked up the the gunwale, except for the decorated sections at the bow and stern. I think narrow boats of reasonably traditional hull shape look better with the top 'plank' black, rather than the cabin-coloured stripe you often see, and if black, better the same semi-gloss or matt black as the rest of the hull, which doesn't show up the inevitable scrapes and scratches so much, and easier to touch up too.

[Top cat]

Our boat has been blacked up and including the gunwales, works well. But I have had problems getting boatyards to actually do it, I don't know why.

 

Top Cat

[RLWP]

Ours is blacked up to the gunwales too

 

Richard

[dor]

There is special "gunwale" paint that is more resistant to knocks and scrapes and is in a matt black finish. You should be able to get a better finish than using normal blacking and it won't cost you much more - it's about £20 a litre and that will do several coats. Looks much better than ordinary blacking, and is easy to do yourself while the boat is in the water, then easy to touch up.

[David Mack]

There is special "gunwale" paint that is more resistant to knocks and scrapes and is in a matt black finish. You should be able to get a better finish than using normal blacking

But "better finish" means "different finish". Why do you want the top part of you hull to look different from the rest?

[Pete & Helen]

But "better finish" means "different finish". Why do you want the top part of you hull to look different from the rest?

 

If I remember correctly (and if its the same story about the paint) the idea is that if you touch up with normal paint or blacking you get patches that show up. With this "special" paint it matt's down quickly and matches the original coating so it doesn't look all patchy. Don't think it has any other advantages.

[Señor Chris]

I have a puddle of water sitting on the gunwale near the back almost permanently which was causing rust problems so I blacked all the way up, including a half-inch strip of the cabin sides.

[Tonka]

I have a puddle of water sitting on the gunwale near the back almost permanently which was causing rust problems so I blacked all the way up, including a half-inch strip of the cabin sides.

 

And this stopped the puddle ?

[BargeeSpud]

Its a very good idea, as the OP has already stated, this part of the hull tends to get scraped to death. The problem with the usual paint that gets painted onto this area is that its hard, which means it cracks on impact allowing moisture to get underneath & any resultant corrosion to spread beyond what you actually see. If you use blacking in this area, its a simple job to overcoat & being "softer", doesn't crack on impact & retain moisture, it tends to smear.

[BruceinSanity]

If I remember correctly (and if its the same story about the paint) the idea is that if you touch up with normal paint or blacking you get patches that show up. With this "special" paint it matt's down quickly and matches the original coating so it doesn't look all patchy. Don't think it has any other advantages.

If it's the Andy Russell Gunwale Black, it also dries in 20 minutes, which is a big advantage when repainting that area.

[Pete & Helen]

If it's the Andy Russell Gunwale Black, it also dries in 20 minutes, which is a big advantage when repainting that area.

 

Yes that's the stuff. and yes forgot to mention the quick drying so no need to keep it dry for a couple of days like blacking

[bag 'o' bones]

Were planning to black up to the gun whale in due course as like others have pointed out its easier to touch up.

 

If you have a shorter boat it also has the added benefit of making it look longer

[john6767]

 

If I remember correctly (and if its the same story about the paint) the idea is that if you touch up with normal paint or blacking you get patches that show up. With this "special" paint it matt's down quickly and matches the original coating so it doesn't look all patchy. Don't think it has any other advantages.

Ours was blacked up to the gunwale. When the boat was repainted last yes from the rubbing strake to the gunwale was done is some "special" matt black paint. It is exactly the same colour as the blacking, but the theory is that it touches up better, time will tell......

[dogless]

My lovely wife likes the gunnels painted in gloss.

We knock the paint off, then slap more on during the year.

Being a modern boat, there are no traditions to worry about.

 

Traditional boats obviously look best with just the cabin painted, but that need not form a rule for all.

In any case, gunnels scraped, whether blacked or painted, still look scraped, and once you've touched them up, if you cruise you're only going to scrape again.

 

Gives us something to do other than polishing brass

 

Rog

[mark99]

Paint below gunnels just looks wrong imho.

[nb Innisfree]

My boat is similar to most, it's blacked above the waterline up the the rubbing strake (?). Then it's painted normally above. The area between the top of the blacking and the gunwales gets far more scrapes and damage than anywhere else so I was wondering about having the boat blacked to the top of the gunwales. Is there any practical reason why I wouldn't do this? I thought it would then be easy to do quick bitumen touch ups a couple of times a year and then it gets completely re-done every time it comes out for blacking.

Blacking doesn't adhere well to paint, especially gloss, will flake off after a while. Best to remove paint to bare steel first before Blacking.

[RLWP]

Blacking doesn't adhere well to paint, especially gloss, will flake off after a while. Best to remove paint to bare steel first before Blacking.

You are quite right. After thirteen years there must be half a dozen patches that fell off and had to be reblacked

 

I wouldn't strip back to bare metal

 

Richard

[luggsy]

Can you put blacking straight over the paint or do you have to take it back to steel

[RLWP]

Can you put blacking straight over the paint or do you have to take it back to steel

 

See previous two posts

 

We blacked over the paint

 

Richard

[nb Innisfree]

You are quite right. After thirteen years there must be half a dozen patches that fell off and had to be reblacked

 

I wouldn't strip back to bare metal

 

Richard

Innisfree's blacking kept flaking, it would have saved me a lot of effort in the long run to strip back to metal, maybe roughing the paint surface may have worked.

[bag 'o' bones]

Not necessary to strip the paint back to bare metal. Flat the paint back with 400 grit paper and apply paint with a roller.

 

Satin black paint is probably the closest to freshly applied bitumen, although a lick of primer beforehand will improve adhesion.

[Dinz]

Worked ok on mine.

Standard Blacking.

Roughed lightly.

Been on 18 months now & no probs.

Edited April 18, 2016 by Dinz

[RLWP]

Innisfree's blacking kept flaking, it would have saved me a lot of effort in the long run to strip back to metal, maybe roughing the paint surface may have worked.

 

The reality was, the black paint above the rubbing strake looked scruffy, and I had a roller of blacking in my hand on the last day in dry dock. Sometimes, you can only do what you can do

 

Richard