Black boats?

A question came up this weekend.....

So are boats with Black hulls as hard to keep clean as Black cars?

Yes

Harder IMO but look sick!

I disagree. Of course it depends on the type of water though that you boat on.

My water is pristine. Get boat out of water, kids dry off...boat looked showroom forever. No joke. Never needed any fancy hull cleaner or buffing at all. Boat was a '98 also - just sold her a year or two ago and she was absolutely beautiful.

For me, all boats are the same. It doesn't matter what color it is, I always spray and wipe it down after every outting (multiple times a week).

yes, they show dirt and water spots more. Are they harder to keep clean? only if you are anal and like a boat that looks clean all the time. My guess is some people with white boats spend as much time cleaning them as some people with black ones. When black boats are clean and waxed they look great. When i had a white boat i would spend almost as much time in the the spring cleaning it up and it looked about the same after a days worth of work as when i started. With black at least you get some sense of accomplishment as it looks fantastic when cleaned up.

I had an all white boat and just recently had balck boat (Hull & Deck). IMO, no difference. Waterspots, dirt etc.. are noticeable on both.

The big issue I've noticed with black is it quicker to oxidize. Takes more care and preventative maintenance for any areas that are constantly exposed to the sun. Water spots show more on darker colors, but those are easy to take care of with a good regular wipe down

..also forgot scratches tend to show up much more on darker colored hulls.

Had two black boats. They're not all that different. They're a little more work, but not much.

Originally Posted by cjh1669

..also forgot scratches tend to show up much more on darker colored hulls.

Yes.. that is true for sure...

eh, ive never had a black boat, but i agree with everyone hear, if you are taking care of it properly it shouldnt matter too much if its black or white

I thought the question was "are boats with Black hulls as hard to keep clean as Black cars?" And everyone answered black boat vs. white boat.

I hold to my answer that yes it's harder to maintain than my black truck, I get my truck washed whenever it gets wet with snow or rain not every time I use it. Water spots seem to come off my truck easier than boat I'm not sure why.

I agree with everyone that my white boat was no easier to keep clean then my black one.

They shine!

I just went with a black hull on my vlx, I am anticipating more maintenance than white. However, I have always maintained my gelcoat extremely well with all my boats. I have had a darker boat with black and a mostly white boat, both of them I spent about the same amount of time keeping it prestine. I am really liking the black hull, it adds a lot of depth to the boats lines... one thing about the hull is it is not exposed to as much direct sunlight as the upper deck of the boat, which is always a plus for keeping water spots in check.

I am a huge fan on Collinite Paste Wax, best wax I have ever used... I apply at beginning of season and once before our Shasta trip in July and it definitely keeps the gelcoat spotless. I also use Driven to Performance quick spray boat wipe after every use. Gave my VLX a heavy dose last week.

For sure go with the black hull... Second season on my all white boat with the black hull and it's easy to clean with the right products. I keep mu hull as clean as the rest of the boat and damn does it look sharp. I wouldn't go black if you plan on letting it sit on the shoreline though...

I've owned quite a few black trucks and they suck trying to keep clean. My all black hulled boat however, is easy to keep clean, in fact, i traded a white hull boat in to get a black hulled boat because i could not keep the white hull clean. Best move I ever made, owned the black one for 6 years now, sits out all season and still looks new.

In salt or dirty water it can look spotty. Regardless, my biggest issues is the surface heat.

I wouldn't say they are much harder to maintain in general. I use a wipe down product after every use. On a black boat it's 100% necessary. However on my white I can get away with skipping one(if I chose to, but again I w always wipe down after use with a product ).

The black hulls and gunwales tend to show every imperfection like scratches n scuffs much more that a white boat or lighter color. If you are trailering or riding in murky water the sediment gets between the bunks n the boat when launching or storing on a lift and will scuff and scratch over time. White hides it a bit better IMO. It shows instantly on the black. Same goes for a stray board or rope handle that catches the transom or side.

Upside though just like a car. Nothing beats a glossed, waxed up black car or boat.

If you ask me black boat vs black truck.......black truck is harder to maintain. The clear coat paint vs the Gelcoat I think is the big reason. Painted metal gets more swirls than gel

Cool. Thank You all for the info. It leads me to another question though....
We currently have a red hull boat. Would a black hull require that much more attention then the red?
Or is it basically a white hull vs. colored hulls?

Dude...stop overthinking this. It's a boat. Buy whatever you want and enjoy it. Clean it...don't clean it...who cares! GO RIDE!!!

black boats look sick....just wipe it down every use like every one says

Wazzy,

In the area and water you ride in it would be the same. If you were riding where the water sees some more salts or minerals I would say the black would be a bit tougher, but its mainly the top decking and gunwales than the hull. The black on the top deck and gunwales is gonna be the same in your case unless its left outside 24/7 in the sun and elements. If its on a coverless lift or on a driveway it's gonna be prone to sun fade a bit more and you will be waxing it a bit more frequently to prevent it. If you remember I had that Dark Blue Avalanche from Huels. It was way tougher to keep clean than my Previous all White one with a reverse blue hull, white top deck.