Picking An Interior Color For Your Classic Boat.

While restoring Sylvia, the question kept coming up regarding the color and material of her interior. The options are endless if you decide to change directions. I for one chose to go original. It cost me, but it looks amazing. Something about following a decision that was made in 1941 means something to me. It’s why I own the darn thing after all. Color choices change over time. Red is not red, there are thousands of reds, same with whites. Go to paint store one day and pick out a white, it will make your head spin… A shade difference can make a huge difference. Maybe it’s just me, and the 30 years of dealing with minute color decisions. A color pallet of the 40’s is completely different than the color pallet of the 50’s and so on. So before you decide to change colors, one make sure you are not hating a bad color change choice from a past restoration. The original color may be only a shade different, but make a huge difference. Red and blue are the worst for this by the way. I didn’t want Auquamarine because of some bad leather samples I had seen. They were way to turquoise. The real deal is stunning. Thanks to Don Ayers and MBBW..
So, you say, no thanks Mr. Museum pants…. I own this sucker, and I will do what I please. If you decide to go against her original build card, or found sample in the boat tucked away behind a frame or such. What color is right? How does one decide? The possibilities are endless. You can match your trailer, you can match your wife’s hair. Here are some simple tricks I have used to help folks make a decision.
1. Stay true to the period, look at ads and brochures and go to boat shows. The easiest way to change color is to something that would have been an option if you had , had that choice at the dealership. There are countless stories of boats coming from the factory one way and a customer wanting something else.
2. Take a photo and photo shop the color change, that way you can decide if the direction is for you.
3. Steal from another make. Like I have a Chris Craft, but dang that Hacker Craft green is killer.
4. Samples… Sometimes you may think that a color might clash with varnish when in fact its very cool.
5. Get someone that you trust to help you, a good upholstery person will know what works.
6. When all this fails. Go back to the original color, it may surprise you.