Adding color to your skin on frame boat
In the past we used acid dyes to color our skin on frame boats, but now we almost exclusively use earth pigments. Mixed directly into the coating, earth pigment is more colorfast than dye and actually increases the lifespan of the coating by blocking some UV damage.
JUMP TO: Earth Pigment Swatches | Acid Dye Swatches
Watch: Coloring a skin-on-frame boat
Earth Pigment Color Samples
These color samples show what our earth pigments look like when mixed with the coating and applied the cloth. The left side is freshly coated, the right side is after 1000 hours of direct sunlight exposure. Above are some examples of these colors on finished boats.
IMPORTANT READ THIS ENTIRE PARAGRAPH: Each of these swatches shows the tint strength of 4 level teaspoons per 32 oz of spirit line Part B polyurethane, which is the maximum amount of pigment we can guarantee won’t disrupt the chemistry of the coating. What this means is that you should pay attention the COLOR of the swatch below, not how dark it is. Any of these colors can be lightened significantly by adding less pigment, which will also result in a more translucent boat and an easier application. Also, these swatches were created with less mixing and heavier coats than we use when coating actual boats, so any blotchiness or dark spots is related to application, not the pigment itself, although in general oxide pigments colors are a bit less “smooth” than ocher and natural earth pigments. Oxides also tint much more strongly and are more opaque at full strength. The left side of each color swatch shows
Acid Dye Color Samples
Before switching to earth pigment, we often used acid dye to color our boats. Unlike pigment, which is mixed directly into the 2 part polyurethane, acid dye is mixed into a solution of boiling water and vinegar and painted directly onto the cloth before coating. The advantage of acid dye is that it gives rich vibrant colors. The disadvantage is that it looks much worse over time as the coating ages. For this reason we have switched over almost exclusively to earth pigment, but acid dye is still an option for those who would prefer to use this system.
Like the pigment swatches above, these color samples show what the dye actually looks like after the coating has been applied the cloth. The left side is freshly coated, the right side is after 1000 hours of direct sunlight exposure. Above are some examples of colors on finished boats.
Color mix key: All numbers represent level teaspoons.
Abbreviations of Jacquard Acid Dye Colors: GO= Gold ochre AG=Aztec gold B=Brown C=Chestnut R=Russet
