Herreshoff green

[Dubb]

Can anyone tell me exactly what color "Herreshoff green" is? Thanks.

[EdenRose]

I am also interested. I have a Herreshoff pram finished bright and my wife, who I gave the boat to for a birthday present, wants the topsides painted green. I guess it might as well be
Herreshoff green.

[Wild Wassa]

Dubb, When I'm tracking down no longer available proprietry colours one of my local trade suppliers has extensive lists of modern day equivalent colours. When I have been able to tell him the old name we have had 100% sucess so far. Two paints that he was able to match were 24 and 18 years after the date that production was halted by the original manufacturers.

He will tint the main base in any medium and we have the old colour.

His lists cover all Australian Manufacturers. I wonder if you have a US system like this.

Warren

[ 02-20-2002, 11:27 PM: Message edited by: Wild Wassa ]

[Art Read]

Have you given Geo. Kirby in New Bedford a call yet? I'd be surprised if he doesn't have the "recipe", if not a case or two of it in stock! (508) 997 9008

[Tom Dugan]

Kirby certainly will be able to supply you with it. The ASF (where I volunteer) has used it on a number of boats, not the least being "Coquina".

-T

[Bob Cleek]

Well, what's always been identified as "Herreshoff green" by the few "original" Herreshoff owners I've known, a couple who actually knew LFH, is, IMHO, a pretty yucky color actually! Describing a color is sort of like describing a flavor... what does "vanilla" taste like? Herreshoff green is sort of a pale apple green, close to what fancy pants interior decorators call "sea foam green," but with more intense color to it... not so pastel as "sea foam." That's the best I can do. It supposedly is easier on the eyes in the glare of the sun and LFH specified it for canvassed cabin tops. I don't believe it was ever used for topsides and the like.

[abe]

The link below is Kirby's paint color chart:

Herreshoff green may be close to #3 on chart.

http://www.kirbypaint.com/products/color_chart.html

But one phone call will answer your question Dubb.

[Dubb]

Thanks to everyone who replied. I spoke with Geo. Kirby and color #1 on their paint chart, according to them, is Herreshoff green.

[Wild Wassa]

Dubb, Very good win Skipper.

Warren

Neutral Chrome Oxide or #3 Light Chrome Oxide, there could be a protest Skipper. Especially from Nathaniel Green Herreshoff.

[ 02-22-2002, 06:44 AM: Message edited by: Wild Wassa ]

[sawcutmill]

Morning to all, Herreshoff "green" was developed by my grandfather,Chas. B. Rockwell, who was adopted by the family when he was 9 or 10 years old.My great grand parents died,leaving him to fend for himself as he had two older sisters that were not able to take care of him.So the Herreshoff family,NGH, and the like took him in.He grew up in the house in Bristol.His first Herreshoff was a Fisher's Island 31 named"WildGoose",painted green,it was actually a foot and half longer on the W.L. than all of the others as my grandfather wanted to be able to go cruising,as it turns out this boat was extremely fast , always winning trophies,between the cape and long island.His second boat was a 12 1/2,named "Phantom",see My WoodenBoat.Built in 1928 for him,painted in the Green,w/ the black over white boot top scheme, i own her now and keep her in Wickford,RI.His third boat was "Belisaurius", Capt Nat's last major design,56 feet long,1936,she is a yawl,w/ a centerboard of bronze,and is kept at the Herreshoff Museum in Bristol,RI. also painted that fall river green!or better known as portugeuse green around here!My grandfather was given "Alerion" by NGH after his last sail in her too, she is now in the Mystic Seaport.A couple of years ago WB mag had a cover with a new Alerion,she is as close to that color as i have ever seen,maybe you should contact the owner to get a formula.My father,S.C.Millettiv, bought "Belisaurius" in 1968 for my mother who grew up sailing her and we cruised her in the carribean for almost a decade.I have become an advocate for color because of this heritage,my boats are painted yellow ,green, and pink!all with the trademark bootline of black over white!

[Bob Cleek]

Whew.... Ah... Sawcut... the Committee hereby designates you the resident authority on all things Herreshoff! Don't LURK!

[rodcross]

Before I made the final choice to use Kirby's Grey-Green, I went to Mystic to see Alerion (for the 50th time).

I learned the hard way that this color is very challenging. The boot-top and the bottom colors are as critical to the whole vision as the color of the topsides. Alerion III has no boot-top and a white bottom. It turns out that white is essential to bringing out the quality of the color. Without the white, the grey-green gives the impression of near army green and is not pleasing to me. Its not quite 'yucky' as Bob says.

I couldn't imagine any white near the waterline as it would be a constant cleaning issue.

I'm still struggling with what to do. I'll either move to a lighter green or succomb to some sort of white at the waterline.

[landlocked sailor]

The problem with Alerion is it's location. The dark barn where she is stored and displayed is hardly optimal for color rendition. The green of the boat would look altogether different out in the sun, or on a cloudy day, for that matter. Too, the white bottom would hardly be visible while afloat. I like the color because it is subtle and does not dominate the other aspects of the boat; amber oak and white sails and blue water...Rick

[Wild Wassa]

Such a simple question, early, Dubb, and what a reply from sawcutmill. A paint with continuing provenance and remembered history, to add to your win.

'Lateral brightness adaption' is the visual change that occurs when a colour is viewed beside white, making the colour look more neutral and darker than the original. The eye effectively underexposes the colour as it adjusts to the brightness of white. A 'colour change', making an accurate visual appraisal very difficult.

Boats don't generally look good in museums, the lighting is often flat, dark and non daylight, a good conservation practice.

One reason why historic colours are hard to match today, is the high quality of all the components in paint. Secondly, the source and type of pigments may have changed.

It's also possible to strike 'batch variations' within paint.

A painted colour patch, 8"x12", finished as it would be on your boat, held along side a Herreshoff (museum boat) will give a very good standard for your paint. Detail your visual appraisal in front of the boat, not back at home.

Historic colours are not always the same as the proprietry modern equivalents just on name alone. Who tried to buy 'genuine' Kline's Blue? Who succeeded? The colour patch must be compared to a 'known' museum standard. Not a heavy comment just looking for another win Skipper.

Is Kirby the 1st manufacturer after Chas B Rockwell (of Herreshoff Green)? Did Gumbacher attempt Herreshoff Green? Who has access to the curves for the old (HG) and new (HG) paints? Can you post them? This would resolve the question. Dubb did request 'exactly'. These curves will help 'precisely'.

Warren

[ 02-26-2002, 07:21 AM: Message edited by: Wild Wassa ]