CONTINUOUSWAVE

Q1: what is gel coat color for the hull of a 1975 MONTAUK [17--ALWAYS GIVE THE MODEL LENGTH WHEN MENTIONING A BOSTON WHALER BOAT MODEL NAME]?

On my 1975 MONTAUK [17] the cockpit gel coat color looks to me to be DESERT TAN. The hull gel coat color looks like it is off-white.

Q2: is the hull color DESERT TAN but it looks lighter because it is on the exterior of the boat?

The REFERENCE section article on the 16/17-foot hull give the information you are seeking about gel coat colors. See

https://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/16-17/

HeyBuddy wrote:On my 1975 MONTAUK [17] the cockpit gel coat color looks to me to be DESERT TAN. The hull gel coat color looks like it is off-white.

The gel coat color DESERT TAN is an off-white hue. If the boat had a mooring cover that protected the cockpit from exposure to sunlight and weather, the color of the gel coat in the cockpit area may have not faded as much as the hull color has faded due to exposure to sunlight and weathering.

Before assessing any gel coat color, the surface of the gel coat must be throughly cleaned, then a mild polish used to restore luster to the surface, and then a wax applied to further enhance the shine. Only then will you get a true impression of the original gel coat hue.

Exposure to sunlight and weather will cause oxidation of the gel coat, which tends to shift its hue toward white. Cleaning, polishing, and waxing the gel coat will produce a new appearance much closer to the original gel coat, particularly when the hull is almost 50-years-old.

Thanks Jiim.