OceanFroggie
regular
Reged: 21/08/2006
Posts: 2073
Loc: Killaloe Lough Derg
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I've heard a number of folk in the marine business express negative views on Blue GRP gel coat hulls, mainly about keeping it clean and requiring more frequent compounding and polishing. Is this a myth or not? Some say it's more a problem on fresh inland water due to lime staining, others that salt is the problem.
Personally I thing some blue hulls look fantastic, but weary of these maintenance myths. Any informed comments?
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Ocean Froggie 
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B175Chris
regular
Reged: 06/06/2006
Posts: 5812
Loc: B'ham + Port Grimaud
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I dont know any technical details about it, but there's a hell of a lot of blue hulls by us in SoF with very high salt concentration. The local french tend not to spend hours cleaning their boats, especially the small and often old ones, and despite this their hulls look very shiny and glossy and clean even after a quick rinse with fresh and sometimes salt water...
The bigger boats in the area probably go for a lift out and antifoul and scrub, but always look spotless.
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I think you'll find it goes without Sailing
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OceanFroggie
regular
Reged: 21/08/2006
Posts: 2073
Loc: Killaloe Lough Derg
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Thanks, wonder if it's a fresh water thing then?
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Ocean Froggie
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malcb
regular
Reged: 21/02/2004
Posts: 1814
Loc: Chichester
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I've got a brown GRP Gelcoated band round the top of my hull as per this picture.
It needs a lot of cutting and polishing to stop looking cloudy.
So maybe it's just dark colours.
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Virgo Owners Association
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S28
regular
Reged: 19/09/2002
Posts: 3976
Loc: South Coast
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One problem is that a blue surface that is exposed to sunlight at 90' is going to absorb a lot more heat and possibly UV than a similarly positioned white surface, which will stay cooler, and reflect more back.
Blue is fine if sheltered below the rubbing strake. Not so clever at the rear corners if exposed.
Worst case, you can always apply new gelcoat.
dv.
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Bandit
regular
Reged: 30/06/2004
Posts: 571
Loc: Guernsey
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Coloured hulls degenerate and chalk much faster than white.
The worst appears to be green and red followed by blue.
I have had several blue hulled boats they all look the business but after several years start to chalk.
This is most noticeable at the start on surfaces that are near 90 degrees to the suns path ie the transom area first or the accomodation.
You can delay with polish and restore with cutting and polish but eventually it gets them all.
Eventually the only answer is a respray of the affected areas.
An old boat of mine was a blue hull kept in the CI all of its life about 10 years old you cut back the chalked blue and polished it and it looked like the dogs nuts for a couple of months and then started to streak and chalk and by the end of the season looked as rough as hell.
If I was to buy a boat from new I would buy all white, not only does it chalk much slower but as its white it does not show it as easily.
My current boat is only 7 years old with a blue hull and styling lines but moored in Portugal stern to the sun and it is badly affected on the blue areas of hull. Tell me about it? A UK boat in my opinion would be in the same condition after about 10 to 12 years.
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Pinnacle
regular
Reged: 06/01/2006
Posts: 1869
Loc: Surrey
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Here are a couple of shots taken a week ago, of my 4.5 year old boat. Blue looks ok, yes?
I do agree that it has a tendency to chalk, but if you look after it ( at least in the UK climate ) it should look good for ages. 
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Gludy
regular
Reged: 19/08/2001
Posts: 6644
Loc: Brecon, Wales
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I have had a large blue hulled boat and agree its a bit harder to keep clean - I coated it with Rejex and the gloss lasted 4 or 5 months before needing another coat of Rejex.
Although I agree with the general remarks made by others I will still go for a blue hull next time vut only if the shape allows most if it to be out of direct sunlight.
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Paul
St Francis 50 Cat
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gravygraham
regular
Reged: 08/05/2007
Posts: 78
Loc: Faversham, Kent
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I'd recommend using (blue) fender socks.
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peterfs
regular
Reged: 02/10/2006
Posts: 111
Loc: London
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Blue for Boatshows. White for being practical. Have had both.
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