This Thread Is About Color . . .

[otherthan]

Do you like colors?

90% of sailboats have white interiors...Why?

[boatman61]

Creates an illusion of space... (the darker the interior the more claustrophobic for many...) great for selling new boats

[David M]

Is that true?

I see so many teak caves, but not as many as I used to. Boats have lighter interiors than they used to in general. I think white or creme is a color that is the least objectionable therefore it appeals to a larger market than if you were making all your boat interiors red for example.

Also, your eyes don't have to adjust as much when going below deck into a lighter interior. Your room lights are also more effective when much of the light is not absorbed by a mostly dark interior.

I also think many people are kinda traditional with boats and do not like seeing a bunch of bright colors on them. Interior upholstery might be a little different for many though. A few splotches of bright colors looks decent I think.

Nobody says you can't paint the inside of your boat whatever color you wish.

[Bergovoy]

i like white interior with some splash or accent color.

but

i was wondering what can be done on the outside.. any example of extreme or custom paint on boats??? n or are they all traditional

[rhr1956]

Cherry finished woods with ivory leather/vinyl seating is beautiful. I can do without the cute little nautical pillows though!

[David M]

I would add color in ways other than painting the interior fiberglass. But that's just a matter of what one thinks looks good. Colorful paintings, bedding, pillows, upholstery etc all work.

The boat I have has white panels, teak trim and dark blue upholstery...it looks very traditional East Coast which I like.

As far as exterior colors go, look up some of the big race boats. Some of them have some pretty outrageous paint schemes which is certainly more interesting to look at than the Clorox bottle look.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Bergovoy

i like white interior with some splash or accent color.

but

i was wondering what can be done on the outside.. any example of extreme or custom paint on boats??? n or are they all traditional

Some very dear friends and 'Helianthe' (Sunflower)

[otherthan]

i posted a link to an extream example but it dint show...perhaps we cant show adds?

the boat in question had reds orange yellows green sky blue all vivid and to my eye was delightfull.

[MarkJ]

Problem with colour exteriors is that gelcoat colours fade - they tried them in the 1970's. So now its either white or paint. And a painted fibreglass seems a waste. Paint it blue and get one sctratch....

[Pblais]

90% of sailboats have white interiors...Why?

Herreshoff said it best: "There are only two proper colors for a boat white or black. Only a damn fool would paint a boat black."

To be honest it had a lot to do with pigments. UV resistance as we all know is formidable. Titanium white pigment does about as well as is possible. It was true long ago as it is today.

[otherthan]

Originally Posted by Pblais

Herreshoff said it best: "There are only two proper colors for a boat white or black. Only a damn fool would paint a boat black."

To be honest it had a lot to do with pigments. UV resistance as we all know is formidable. Titanium white pigment does about as well as is possible. It was true long ago as it is today.

paul i am talking about interiors!!

[Pblais]

Still works. Bright colors done as accents are not for the rest of your life and allows a change down the road. Going with neutral interior colors allows maximum latitude with accents. It also is part of selling new boats. Nobody hates neutral colors even if they don't love them.

You can have a lot of freedom with fabrics if you want bold colors. Woven patterns hold up best if done with solution dyed yarns. If you have a lot of gelcoat (white) or wood (dark) you can get the personal touches from the rest. Fabrics don't last more than 20 years - even the really good stuff. The poor stuff is about 5 years. Normally what comes with the boats isn't the good stuff.

[otherthan]

I understand one thing about white...it reflects all other colors well...this including sunsets and ambient lights...maybe you are right and accesories are the better options to color our world.

[MarkJ]

Problem with colour exteriors is that gelcoat colours fade - they tried them in the 1970's. So now its either white or paint. And a painted fibreglass seems a waste. Paint it blue and get one sctratch....

[bljones]

You could always go with thecheap and cheerful "low-buck carribean cruiser" colour scheme: