Until people started seeing colorful coatings on superyachts, they probably didn’t pay much attention to yacht paint. Nowadays, metallic colors are calling even more attention to how well craftspeople do their jobs. These glimmering treatments bring out the mirror-like finishes, compound curves, arresting angles, and smooth surfaces of a yacht, if done right. Done improperly, even with “plain” paint, and the flaws are all too visible. Between this and the cost, more owners should pay attention to yacht painting. In fact, according to Feadship, yacht painting represents five to 10 percent of the cost of building one of its projects. So, the yard hired a film crew to provide an inside look at, and understanding of, yacht painting.
Feadship relies on a combination of its own employees and subcontractors (the latter of whom the Dutch often refer to as “co-makers”). For the in-house team, training is intense. They need at least five years of indoctrination before Feadship considers them ready.
As its yachts have gotten larger, so, too, has the job of yacht painting become more complex. Yet another challenge is the ever-increasing environmental regulation. Certain compounds are no longer permissible for release into the air. That can impact how paint goes on, how it cures, and how it ultimately appears. In addition, there’s the age-old issue of a colored hull heating up. As you’ll learn in the video, an egg can truly cook on the surface of a yacht.
The video is as entertaining as it is informative. Trust us: You won’t complain about it being as much fun as watching paint dry.
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