The time required depends on the size and complexity of the project. However, vinyl wrapping is significantly quicker than painting. With Unique Yacht Wrapping, a full hull colour change on an 80-foot yacht takes around 3 days, while a colour change on a 30-60m yacht hull takes 8-12 days to complete. These projects can be booked and completed quickly, even during your main operating season.

The cost savings are significant when comparing marine vinyl wrapping to marine painting. For larger vessels in the 50m+ range, a full wrap installation can cost just 10% of what painting would.

When you choose painting, a significant capital investment is required. While this can be considered an investment in your yacht’s value, the paint depreciates annually and needs to be redone every 8-10 years. Paint degrades significantly under UV exposure and is further eroded each time it is polished, eventually losing its protective qualities. Repainting involves a huge cost, months of downtime, and potentially millions in lost revenue if your yacht is used for charters.

Marine wrapping, on the other hand, lasts several years (5-8 years depending on the finish). The major cost difference is that wrapping is about 10 times cheaper than painting. These savings increase with the size of the yacht. The speed of installation means minimal downtime, which is a significant saving for busy charter yachts.

Owners, captains, and other industry professionals are realising that wrapping is a way to keep their paint fresh permanently, with options to wrap every season, year, or other intervals. This applies to interior wrapping as well, providing a complete refresh for charter yacht interiors that may look worn and tired from frequent use.

For exterior applications, vinyl offers excellent resistance to UV. If left undamaged (no contact with pontoons), vinyl can be as stable as the best paints and is certainly more durable than gel coat. With proper care, you can expect a lifespan of 4-6 years in a European climate. For interior applications, the lifespan extends to 6+ years.

A common question regarding full hull wraps is whether they can be done in the water. The answer is largely ‘yes’ for certain types of work. While the quality of a full hull wrap is best achieved out of the water, a lot of work can still be done in the water. Interior work is an obvious example, but work on the superstructure and detailing may also be possible while the yacht is in the water. We would advise against completing any hull installations on the water.

Today’s vinyl films can rival most aspects of paint and, in some cases, are indistinguishable from painted surfaces. Additionally, the range of finish options achievable with vinyl often surpasses what is possible with paint.

Superyacht paint is more durable and tougher than vinyl, but that’s not the question. We don’t consider vinyl to be a better option than paint, but rather an alternative.

With vinyl, you can achieve finishes in timeframes that would simply not be possible with paint. We have completed projects on 70m+ vessels in less than 50 days, compared to the 6-8 months it would take with paint.

Imagine if, instead of polishing your paint every couple of years, you wrap it. After ten years, your paint and gel coat would still be in brand new condition, saving you the cost of repainting without any operational downtime.

Vinyl wrapping also gives you the freedom to experiment with new colors and styles that you might not consider with paint. Whatever you choose to do with vinyl is fully reversible.

The lifespan of wraps varies based on several factors, including the chosen color and the climate where they are used. Black and white wraps have the longest lifespan, lasting between 8-10 years in some cases.

Colored wraps typically last around 5-8 years, while metallic and certain other finishes have a lifespan of 3-5 years. Exotic finishes, such as chrome, are not recommended for marine environments and should be used with caution. It’s important to note that vinyl wraps are designed to degrade over time, which helps protect the underlying paint. By understanding this and setting realistic expectations for the lifespan, you can ensure satisfaction with the product.

As awareness grows, we believe regular wrapping will become a standard part of superyacht paint maintenance. Unlike polishing, which degrades the paint, wrapping helps to preserve it.

Vinyl should not be polished in the traditional manner or scrubbed with abrasive materials. Instead, it should be maintained by cleaning with neutral soap and water or other appropriate vinyl cleaning products.

The durability of vinyl depends on various factors, including the quality and preparation of the substrate, environmental and climatic exposure, the angle of exposure, maintenance of the vinyl, and the level of pollution.

Both vinyl and paint experience natural and unavoidable material degradation over time, including slight and progressive changes in color and gloss.

For yacht exteriors, vinyl offers excellent resistance to UV rays. When left undisturbed, vinyl can be as stable as the best paints and performs exceptionally well against fender wear.

Using high-quality vinyl films is of utmost importance. Incorrect vinyl selection can lead to shrinkage, adhesion failure, and premature breakdown of the film. At Unique Yacht Wrapping, we exclusively use the highest quality marine-coated vinyl films to ensure optimal performance and durability.

At Unique Yacht Wrapping, we are committed to being as environmentally friendly as possible. Vinyl is a much more eco-friendly alternative to marine painting, as the solvents are locked within the material. Additionally, vinyl wrap can be recycled, unlike toxic marine paints.

Matt paint is very difficult to apply and touch up, as it can’t be buffed or polished like gloss paint. Issues often arise from sunscreen or oil-based spills, which soak into the paint and cannot be buffed out, similar to marks made when coming alongside pontoons. Buffing these areas can result in a glossy and uneven tone compared to the rest of the matte coat, often leading to the costly option of a total re-spray to maintain a consistent finish.

Matt or textured vinyls are much easier to repair and maintain, making them an ideal choice for a matte finish. Vinyl is also an excellent solution for touch-ups on a paint finish, providing an exact match for matt black. However, true matt black vinyl marks easily, so satin finishes are advised for greater durability.

For exterior films, rolls typically measure 1.52 meters wide and are available in lengths of 23, 25, or 50 meters. For interior films, the roll width is usually 1.22 meters.

We generally say that unless you know the joins are there, you won’t notice them. They are cleverly disguised over features and within the natural lines of the boat. Our skilled installers may also place joins in areas where the light naturally changes on the yacht.

With vinyl, it is important to follow standard health and safety procedures, but you do not need the extensive equipment required for a paint job. This means no need for breathing equipment, eyewash stations, technical clothing, or extraction systems, and it carries none of the fire and explosive hazards associated with paint.

There are two levels for repairing vinyl:

1. Owner/Crew Repairs: These repairs can be carried out as needed and typically involve placing a ‘patch’ over the damaged area in the same color to maintain color consistency. This is a convenient solution for small areas and while the boat is in service.
2. Skilled Fitter Repairs: For larger damaged areas, it is best to have repairs done by skilled fitters to ensure a seamless and professional finish.

Yes, vinyl is easy to remove and designed to be fully reversible. Depending on how long the film has been applied, it may leave some adhesive residue behind, which can be easily removed with a mild solvent.

A major advantage of vinyl films is that you can purchase a new boat in factory white, change the hull color with vinyl, and when you come to sell, strip it back to white—revealing a brand new gel-coated or painted surface to potential new owners.

We require a sound surface to wrap onto, which means no flaky, exfoliating, or peeling paint, and no areas with corrosion.

The more perfect the surface we wrap onto, the more perfect the finish. If you choose not to repair scratches, they will be visible through the vinyl. Vinyl isn’t forgiving, does not have filling properties, and cannot be used like a blanket.

It is very important to correctly prepare any cracks that could take on water. These should be filled, sealed, smooth, and dry before wrapping.

Full scaffolding and tenting are not always required, depending on the time of year and location for installation. We can complete installations using only scissor lifts and cherry pickers. However, the installation timeframe will be heavily dependent on weather conditions, as rainfall and heavy rain can prolong the process.