What Color Is Your Deck ?

[ksmith]

I am in the process of painting my deck. The majority of which is going to be very light blue (non skid).

Is there a real heat gain problem using something other than a shade of white.

[Bill_E]

Mine is a very light blue. In midsummer it is hotter than hell. I haven't done a careful comparison but it seems that it's hotter than my old white deck. But the white one was in Maryland and the light blue in Florida. I'm pretty sure that the latitude is more important than the color, in my case. But the light blue is sure pretty! Maybe a reflective silver would be good for our tropical destinations!
Bill

[Pblais]

Is there a real heat gain problem using something other than a shade of white.

The whiter the color the cooler the temperature. If you sail at high latitudes then do what you like. A slight off white can cut the glare from the deck back to the helmsman but I don't see any other advantage not going with white. When I say slight I mean mostly white. It may have other benefits to not use a pure white but that is the only one I would say I know matters.

[SkiprJohn]

As Paul says. Make it very light if anything other than white. Any color obsorbs heat to the point of being hard to handle in bare feet. All that heat will be transferred to inside the cabin unless there is quite a bit of insulation.
I like a light cream color but those of you who like blue then a very light blue is acceptable as well.
Kind regards,
JohnL

[David M]

Sort of related....is a teak deck cooler because the teak acts as an insulator or is a teak deck warmer because it is darker?

[GordMay]

Yes, there is a real heat gain problem (in sub-tropics, like Tampa) with coloured decks.
Yes, Teak decks are hot.

[SilentOption]

After talking to a friend who is living aboard in Guatemala I am considering trying a portable mister while I am in port on deck. It seems like it would be an easy setup.
The portable unit I looked at had a 5 gallon tank, 12/24 or 110 pump.
It could make things a tad slippery but comfortable when sitting around.
Anybody try this?

[GordMay]

Outdoor Misters are common in Arizona.
When ultra-fine mist is released into the air, it evaporates almost instantly. This "Flash Evaporation" literally sucks heat out of the air, as the water absorbs the energy (adiabatic saturation) it needs to evaporate. The result of this constant, immediate evaporation is a substantial drop in ambient temperature without wetness.
Depending upon the mister’s droplet size (1-3 microns ?), in areas with humidity above 80%, temperature reductions may be as high as 15-20 degrees. For humidity levels between 40% and 80%, temperature reductions may be as high as 25-30 degrees. Below 40% humidity the temperature reductions may be as much as 35 degrees.

[cooper]

Anything with any kind of tint from white can make a difference. I was lucky enough to be invited on board a boat (steel) with some wonderful people with the express purpose of feeling their decks. They had painted a combination of white and a VERY LIGHT grey to delineate the anti slip areas. With bare feet in a typical half summer Australian day , you could not walk on the tinted sections.
We discussed this at length. Regardless of what tint (red/blue/green) it seems that it makes an enormous difference. My bare feet told that much. Given that we where in a situation where the full Australian sun was yet to bite,they said, and I believe that it would mean you would have to wear shoes to deal with anything on deck. I am painting my new boat white and nearly white(for the non slip areas) on deck !!

[captjcook]

My partner and I recently painted a 1973 Morgan one ton with Awlgrip. Topsides and smooth surfaces, cabin sides and cockpit and along the top rail with Snow White, The non-skid we painted with Matterhorn White (has an exceptionally light blue tint) with flattening agent to kill reflection. Marlin Blue boot, cove and trim top it off. Absolutely elegant!!!
Jim
The point: This is not hot at all and gives a nice contrast for the non-skid!

[pirate_222]

I did the non-skid areas on my boat about 3yrs. ago in a tan color, acutually a "light fawn". While it looks nice and is holding up well, when the time comes to redo it I'm going to a white or cream.

By summertime noon here in the Florida panhandle it's too hot for bare feet, whereas the white areas (top of the stern lazzerette, companionway hatch, etc.) are completly cool.

The attached pic shows the color and you may notice my daughter is standing on a towel. BTW, there's supposed to be a sleeping grandson in this pic, can anyone see him?

For what it's worth...

Dave

[rebel heart]

Teak decks for me. Except for the weeks worth of labor it takes to maintain them every few years, they are awesome. Cool, comfy, pretty, and non skid.

I just had to make this post to pat myself on the back, since the last few weeks have been full of caulking.

[Roy M]

Hull, cabinsides and waterways (those little strips between areas of nonskid) are Sterling Cloud White, the nonskid is Sterling Moon Dust (slightly yellow and buff). Everything is cool to walk on. Looks nice, too.

[Chief Engineer]

I rarely go barefoot on the boat...any boat.

I'll take my clodhoppers off in the cockpit but that's it.

I've had one two many "close encounters of the worst kind" in bare feet.

[delmarrey]

Actually, the more reflective the deck is the less it absorbs the heat (in relation to it's color).

I noticed this last summer. I had a section of the deck that had fresh shinny paint and one that did not. BTW my deck is painted w/ a Interlux Seattle Gray.

The newly painted section was cooler on the bare feet then the old paint. It's too bad that one could not paint their deck silver like on roof tops.

MY eyes! My eyes!