The majority of new boats are not painted above the waterline – instead, the surface finish is the outer layer of gel coat. However, with the passage of time, many boats acquire a number of coats of paint, either to satisfy an owner’s wish for a different colour scheme or to cover up the knocks and scrapes that accumulate as the boat ages!

Of the yachts that do have paint finishes applied from new, most are larger vessels, or high-budget racing yachts, whose owners have invested in a top of the range coating that must be applied professionally. This creates an outstanding high-gloss and exceptionally hard coating that’s even better than gel coat at resisting scuffs and knocks. On the downside, these advantages come at an eye-watering price in terms of material and labour costs.

The point at which the hull of a boat is first painted is often when the gel coat loses its shine, and a simple polish won’t restore the original gloss. This is especially true of dark colours that fade quickly in ultra-violet sunlight. However, many boats are painted prematurely – in many cases, even on 25-year-old boats, the topsides can be brought back to an as-new appearance if the surface is cut back more aggressively, by sanding with very fine abrasive paper.