M/Y Boadicea

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.