Colored (bottom) hulls
 

thinking about getting a blue or black bottom gel coat (actual under the boat part)
our lake has a rock bottom and i like to beach occationally. how bad do these show scratches over standard white? how deep is the color/gelcoat? 1/32"?

experiences?

i have a grey hull on my nautique. wouldn't have it any other way. i'd stay away from black on any type of painted vehicle personally. i don't know anyone w/ a colored hull who is upset about it though.

I would sacrifice beaching the boat over not getting color on the bottom. Takes a whole 5 minutes longer to throw an anchor and tie the stern to the shore and then remove the anchor when your done. plus speakers point towards the shore when you park stern in

If you want to beach it, get a white boat. My X2 is black and I bought it with only 48hrs on it and the PO beached it a few times at Havasu in what he sewars was soft sand and it left noticable scratches, took me several hrs of wetsnading and buffing to get them out and it's still not perfect, but it was all I could handle working off of a creeper on my back.

Cory, I've got a black hull but I've protected it with a KeelGuard in black. You can't tell it's on unless you are looking for it. I had the dealer install it as I did not have a good way to lift the boat with the front of the keel free. It's really tough stuff.
My last boat regularly beached on gravel shores with rocks but it did that for many years. I had repairs done once and almost all were in the area covered by the KeelGuard. The gelcoat is not as thick as a dime.

If you plan on beaching it definately dont get a colored hull. Although White will start to show scratches as well if you beach on a rocky bottom.Get an aluminum boat and run it up on the beach all you want.

please dont beach a 30-70k boat...just lazy

I have been to Havasu and beaching is a must (the channel is sand and not wide / deep enough to anchor). I have a white hull with a Keelguard and it still looks nice. I would never do it with a dark bottom and I would'nt beach a "rock bottom" with white either.

good idea on the keel gaurd Art. i think ill go with the blue lower hull and add the gaurd.

when i say beaching i didnt mean all teh way on shore. i softly bring it up until the turn fins touch. when you get out the boat is still afloat and in the water.

A blue bottom might be harder to find an exact color matching keel gaurd then a black hull.

im ok with a black gaurd on a blue bottom

Doesnt anyone make clear film like they use on cars? Keelguad works, but they have limited colors. A tough clear film would be my choice if it existed.(assuming I had to beach a boat)