Blue Hull Concerns

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

"2. And why then are roofs usually black even in warm parts of the country??"

Ah, because the most common roofing material is asphalt shingles, and the color of asphalt is...wait for it...BLACK.

There are other materials and in places like Florida and Texas where the sun kills everything, you'll see ads for white and silver roofs for larger buildings expressly to cut the heat and insulate them. Not applicable to shingled roofs, which often are terra cotta tile in hot places--not the hot black asphalt either.

Asphalt shingles are quick and cheap, that's why they dominate so many markets. Black just comes with the package.

We just redid our roof with shingles that were some asphalt composite. They were covered with colored particles like coarse sand and came in a whole range of colors, mostly shades of black, grey, dark brown but, for a little extra a very light, almost white. I wanted to go for the white to reduce the heat load which the roofer agreed would be the case. BUT, the white didn't "look right" with the trim so we have dark brown.

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Most important reason not to go to sea in a blue boat: As any Greek can tell you, blue is Neptune's color and Neptune can be a jealous god. Go to sea in a blue boat, and you are just daring him to take it.

Had not heard this one but will take it to heart. Don't want to anger Neptune. Also you shouldn't pick a boat name that is arrogant or insulting to Neptune. He may take revenge.

[BandB]

We've chosen a different approach to adding some color. Accent treatment. Stripes, borders, whatever fits your boat's styling. Not where it's going to be getting a lot of contact, small enough that only a spot here or there requires touchup. Not in contact with the water. Not enough to impact heat. We wanted to do something other than all white but not a tremendous amount of color. Also, our accent will be a lighter blue.

[hellosailor]

skip-
When you say it didn't cost much extra, bear in mind that the big market for new construction usually goes for the cheapest possible bid on everything. You know, an extra $50 for one roof, 200 units in a development, golly that's ten thousand dollars someone can save. And of course, if it isn't "normal"...no one wants to gamble sales on something invisible, like lower power bills, do they? (sigh)
Not that aesthetics don't count, but even if someone gave me a Picasso, I still wouldn't feel right about hanging forty million dollars on the wall. (Hey, a very small Picasso.(G)

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

...

Most important reason not to go to sea in a blue boat: As any Greek can tell you, blue is Neptune's color and Neptune can be a jealous god. Go to sea in a blue boat, and you are just daring him to take it.

A white boat is harder to make out in the fog and can be hard to distinguish among wave whitecaps. Better to have a combination of dark and light colors, like blue hull and white superstructure.

[markpierce]

My boat has a dark hull (green), gray decks, white superstructure, and yellow pilothouse roof. In direct sunlight, the darker colors are significantly warmer than the white (per temperature gun). At the 38th parallel and with well-insulated interior, ten opening windows, three portholes, three exterior doors, and two roof hatches, heat accumulation isn't a particular problem.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

skip-
When you say it didn't cost much extra, bear in mind that the big market for new construction usually goes for the cheapest possible bid on everything. You know, an extra $50 for one roof, 200 units in a development, golly that's ten thousand dollars someone can save.

Yes, even covered that in one of my engineering classes. If you're making eleventy million electronic widgets and put in a 3 cent resistor instead of a 5 cent resistor then you will save umpty thousand dollars a month in manufacturing costs.

On a more personal basis, we got to experience that in our house. We have seen dozens of houses from the same builder in neighborhoods around town and guess he must have built hundreds over a several year period. Every one used the absolute cheapest windows and doors, kitchen cabinets, fixtures, siding, shingles and everything else where he could shave a dollar. The basic house was built quite well but all the added pieces were crap. Since the house is paid for and we'll probably stay here we have replaced all of the above mentioned items.

This is the second time in 30 years we have replaced the shingles so the choice was made at home, not by the cheap thrifty contractor. The person in charge of decorating and aesthetics choose dark brown shingles, vetoing the choice of lighter, more energy efficient shingles suggested by the engineer in the family. And that's all I will say about that.

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Not that aesthetics don't count, but even if someone gave me a Picasso, I still wouldn't feel right about hanging forty million dollars on the wall. (Hey, a very small Picasso.(G)

Gee, you know people that would give you a Picasso? I must be hanging out with the wrong crowd.

Actually do know a guy that made it big in software and bought a couple of paintings including a Monet . The Monet he donated to the local museum but he kept the smaller painting that I think was a Picasso or something like it that he hung over the sink in his kitchen. However, he didn't offer me anything, not even a print.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by markpierce

A white boat is harder to make out in the fog and can be hard to distinguish among wave whitecaps. Better to have a combination of dark and light colors, like blue hull and white superstructure.

For visibility nothing beats International Orange but not sure if I could live with an orange boat.

On a more serious note, I did buy my wet suit with red/orange arms and shoulders just in case I get separated from the boat.

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by skipmac

For visibility nothing beats International Orange but not sure if I could live with an orange boat.

I initially thought of having an orange-colored pilothouse roof, but chose a bright yellow instead. Less commercial-looking yet it still stands out.

[hellosailor]

mark-
If you can distinguish colors, you're not in a fog. Yet. (G)

Which is also why, after decades of recommendations, the ORC has finally joined the bandwagon in calling for "brightly colored" storm sails. Which conveniently can be used in a fog.

First time I was in heavy fog, I KNEW I should be about midstream under a very large highway bridge. I could hear the bridge traffic, couldn't see any part of the bridge though. I figured if a whole bridge could hide in that stuff...I really didn't want to be there. If the hull was dayglo magenta, it still would have been invisible.