RANT: Antifouling color selection

Figment · Post by **Figment** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:26 pm

Why is it so hard to get a reasonably accurate color chip for antifouling paint? I know that the primary function of the product is the antifouling and the color rendition is secondary, but man the color still matters, or else we'd all use black!

If they're going to sell paint in colors, they should be able to show us what the colors are going to look like pre-purchase. How hard is that?

Yeah, Ultima-SR green looks to be a bit darker than I would have hoped.

feetup · Post by **feetup** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:42 pm

I was on the Interlux site just the other day, checking out the 'Perfection' polyurethane. there are seven whites shown on the page and all but one look identical. They say something like "indicative only, see your dealer for accurate color chips."
Good luck going to Worst Marine and hoping to find a color chip, or at least someone who knows where it might be hidden. There probably is a torn cover from a booklet in a drawer somewhere. :(
I agree about bottom paint as well, if we didn't care about the color, why sell colors?

Feetup

Ganges #363 · Post by **Ganges #363** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 6:55 pm

Colors can seem to 'change' when put next to different other colors. They can also seem to change when seen from different angles...if you paint your walls and ceiling the same color, the ceiling will look different.

Take a color sample and put it next to your boot stripe, or topside, to see how it will look on the boat.

Bill
Ganges #363

Figment · Post by **Figment** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:32 am

It is a crime of waterfront aesthetics that accurate color samples for antifouling paint aren't availble, but I need to look at this as an opportunity to fill that void and serve my fellow sailor.

I should go out and buy a quart of every non-black antifouling on the market and paint up a couple thousand 8x8 masonite samples. $5 each, plus postage.

Perspective is everything.

bcooke · Post by **bcooke** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:26 am

but man the color still matters, or else we'd all use black!

Worry not. This is the last year I will have black on the bottom.

Don't forget to have both pre and post launch versions of each color.

-Britton

Ganges #363 · Post by **Ganges #363** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 11:18 am

I like black bottoms, have used black bottom paint on my boats for many years. But then, out here the boats stay in the water year round. We don't see the bottoms as much as those who haul for the winter.

Bill
Ganges #363

MikeD · Post by **MikeD** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:11 pm

Hear hear! Black can be used as a valid color combination as any of the others. Enough of these anti-fouling, colorist, and inflammatory remarks!

bcooke · Post by **bcooke** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:12 pm

Suggesting that Mike not voice his opinions is like building a boat that will never get wet.

... Both are a rather pointless exercises

:-)

sal's dad · Post by **sal's dad** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:02 pm

Bottom paint, at least on the small boats I am accustomed to, should be international orange, or similar, with reflective "HELP" in huge block letters.

If the bottom is visible, I want it to be VERY visible, with no room for mis-identification or confusion!

Kinda like the bright PFDs and outerwear that are standard in my family - no camouflage here!

feetup · Post by **feetup** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 10:18 am

The go fast racers, and the "keep the rail wet" crowd are really into colorful bottoms. It is important that everyone see the root of the keel, especially when a powerboat load of photographers passes to windward. I would be willing to throw down my magic bones and sacred winch pawls to read the future and say that "there will be advertising on the bottoms of AC boats in the future.'

Feetup

catamount · Post by **catamount** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 11:55 am

Orange bottoms are fastest, especially orange keels. Everyone knows that, right?

Summersdawn · Post by **Summersdawn** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 2:18 pm

Common knowledge! Orange is fast!