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barnakiel · 25-10-2016, 07:53

My educated guess is other than steel or alloy non insulated hulls, the difference is less than 1 degree centigrade, max two F points.

If you do not like my guess, I can measure this here as we have remote thermometers reading throughout the boat. I can move them about and tell you the difference.

Big boats I have worked on (also my current employer's) many were dark blue - navy blue. One was cream white (a HR). At times I spend many hours inside doing odd jobs. Never noticed the white boats being any cooler than the dark painted ones. What I did notice is huge variations depending on how many portholes and hatches are fitted and where they are placed.

In port, big boats benefit heaps when they have opening portholes in their topsides. Deck hatches and dorades seem less efficient in port but they may beat the topside portholes when anchored off.

b.

KadeyKrogen38 · 25-10-2016, 08:30

My last two boats I have had painted black, One with Awlgrip and one with Imron. Neither chalked up much. The current with Imron was last painted in 1987 and still looks great, still shines. Imron has held up better that did the Awlgrip'd boat. I do not believe heat to be an issue, but the hull is cored with a type of closed cell foam, which provides both heat and sound reduction.

Rohan · 25-10-2016, 08:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by SimonV

I love the look of a dark hull, but for the tropics not so good. I left about 3 layers of skin from my palm and fingers on the hull of a beautiful dark blue boat in Fiji. They do get extremely hot and anyone who says otherwise is hiding the truth.

I don't think anyone denies that the hull gets hotter, but it's more a question of how much of that heat is transferred inside.

In one of other threads, someone showed data that darker cars don't heat up inside any more than white cars do. But since most cars are made of steel, and most boats are fiberglass, that may or may not be applicable.

Clipper4730 · 25-10-2016, 09:23

We grappled with same decision to make several years ago and ultimately choose the dark hull and have zero remorse. We get more compliments on the color and it is really not too hard to keep up. It is awl grip and we just use a towel or sponge and a bucket of fresh water on a paddle board, takes about twenty minutes and it clean and shiny. Paint is over ten years old and still looks like new. As far as the heat we cruised to the Bahamas last year in late spring and didn't use the ac once.

Will

KetoNomad · 26-10-2016, 23:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clipper4730

We grappled with same decision to make several years ago and ultimately choose the dark hull and have zero remorse. We get more compliments on the color and it is really not too hard to keep up. It is awl grip and we just use a towel or sponge and a bucket of fresh water on a paddle board, takes about twenty minutes and it clean and shiny. Paint is over ten years old and still looks like new. As far as the heat we cruised to the Bahamas last year in late spring and didn't use the ac once.

Will

Yeah I really like how your boat looks! I think it's probably in part due to the fact most yachts are white (pretty sure) that darker colours stand out. Even a small, cheap boat probably looks much better in black. I saw an Albin Vega with black topsides with white trip at the tops and stainless steel grab rails replacing the wood; looked like a million bucks, so clean and modern.