What is covering?
The covering (or wrapping) consists in covering the dead works of a boat with an adhesive film. This alternative allows to have a visual rendering equivalent to a hull painting. Wrapping can be applied on a new boat or in the case of a refit.
For the past few years, several boatyards have been offering this option for new boats, and many buyers have opted for this solution, as the application of a covering can be more economical than a paint or a tinted gelcoat.
An installation reserved for professionals
Let's go back to our Atoll, whose refit is conducted jointly by the companies Yacht Wrapping and Bosco Maintenance Navale in Marseille. After removing the decorative strips, the hull was sanded with a very fine grain to improve the grip. The few scratches on the hull were smoothed out with a coating, and all the fittings (bow fitting, vents, scuppers) were removed.
The strip is pre-positioned and then applied to the hull using a set of spatulas and a heat gun. There is no room for error when it comes to gluing! Otherwise, you will have to remove everything and start over. The use of a cutting wire and a cutter allows to adjust the angular zones.
The finishing phase remains. The various hull passes were repainted in the RAL of the cover, then the decorative strip at the waterline (the tie) was installed.
A more economical solution
A covering costs between 20 to 35% less than a paint job depending on the length of the boat. The longer the boat, the more economical it is to use a covering. Under 6-7m, a hull paint will be just as economical.
This price difference is mainly due to the fact that covering requires less time than painting. Two days are enough for two technicians to cover the hull of a 50-foot boat. Then there is the raw material, which is relatively inexpensive. Today, there are 4 suppliers of adhesive film, who share a market that has been growing rapidly in recent years. The price of the adhesive per linear meter is around 45-50 euros TTC, but can double for particular colors or advertising customizations.
Depending on the manufacturer, the colorimetry of the adhesive film is guaranteed between 7 and 10 years, which corresponds to the life of a mid-range paint.
