When I bought my first saltwater fishing boat, there was no such thing as outboard color options. You got what you got, and you went fishing and did not complain. Any comments about a mismatch between the color of your outboard and the color of your boat were generally met with suppressed laughter and subtle ridicule from your fishing buddies. I secretly wanted a matching outboard, but kept quiet about it to save myself the grief from my merciless angling friends.
Color Me Happy
That was then, and this is now. Who cares about a color-coordinated saltwater fishing boat? Well, as I just stated, I did and still do. It’s part and parcel of taking pride in your fishing machine. And by the looks of it, I am not alone. A lot of new-boat buyers feel likewise. Just walk the docks. Outboard engines are arrayed—sometimes four or five across—in gleaming shades that precisely match and complement the boats they propel. They are things of beauty.
Outboards from manufacturers such as Honda, Mercury, Suzuki and Yamaha are available in a wide array of colors. In fact, Mercury, which for many years adhered to the Henry Ford mantra, “any color you want as long as it’s black,” now offers the most color options: three shades of white, as well traditional black.
A Sense of Belonging
With an outboard being such a visible element, the idea is to complement the boat’s color scheme with the right engine shade—if not matching the boat color, at least hinting that it shares a theme in one way or another.
Here’s what to consider when choosing an outboard color for your new saltwater fishing boat.
White Party
For years, outboard brands stuck with standard colors. For example, there’s Honda’s Aquamarine Silver, Mercury’s Phantom Black, Suzuki’s Black Nebular Pearl and Yamaha’s Dark Bluish Gray.
These days, however, all of the major brands offer white outboards. These white motors have grown especially popular among saltwater boating anglers in warmer climates, as the light color allows the engine to run as much as 10 degrees F cooler versus a black one. Plus, a white outboard is less likely to show salt residue or hard-water spots. On the downside, white is more likely to show stains on the lower unit and midsection from brackish or high-tannin-content waters.
Avoid a Clash
When looking to match your white boat with a white motor, be extra careful. Not all whites are the same. The outboard color might look great by itself, but when you put it together with the white shade of your boat, the two may clash. That’s why Mercury Marine offers three shades of white, including Cold Fusion, Warm Fusion and Pearl Fusion.
When you order a white boat, make sure that the outboard color precisely matches the color of the boat. To help make sure, consider borrowing a hood off the outboard and put it next to the hull to determine if the two shades are aesthetically pleasing together. If not, try another shade of white.
Study in Contrast
If none match, consider going with a contrasting shade, such as a black, gray or silver against a white boat. It might be the best way to go. On my white boat, I made no attempt to match the motor to the boat color. I went with a black outboard, and I think it looks great.
Of course, you can contrast in the other direction, too. For example, a white outboard contrasts pleasingly against a hull with a light color like yellow or a dark color such as deep blue.
Go to the Matte
For as long as I can remember, outboards boasted glossy finishes, no matter the color. Bright shiny engines were the order of the day. But now, some outboard brands have capitalized on the satin-like matte-finish trend prevalent in the automotive industry. Suzuki Marine has led the way with its growing Stealth Line of outboards, now available in eight horsepower ratings from 115 to 350. The unique matte black color gives these outboards a distinctive almost malevolent, macho “blackout” look that’s popular on today’s performance cars, SUVs and pickup trucks.
Yamaha Outboards has also jumped on the non-glossy trend with a matte-brown color, available on its midrange outboards of 50, 60 and 70 hp, as well as on portable 9.9, 25 and high-thrust 25 hp models. The satin earth-tone non-reflective finish might just be less likely to spook fish the next time you venture down a narrow mangrove creek. And in the off-season, this color makes an excellent base layer for tailored camouflaging for boating anglers who also like to hunt waterfowl.
Add an Accent
It was actually the now-defunct Evinrude company that started the trend of add-on accent panels for outboards to match a boat’s colors. You could buy and attach panels with a wide range of colors.
Today, Mercury Marine has picked up this mantle. Merc lets boaters customize its 3.4L V-6 and 4.6L V-8 FourStroke, Verado, Pro XS and SeaPro outboards with optional factory-painted color-accent panels.
Spanning the top and back of the hood and aft midsection, the four-panel kits are available in five colors, including Redline Red, Pacific Blue, Mercury Silver, Graphite Gray, and Pro Black (a matte finish) to match a wide range of boat colors. If none match your boat, Mercury also offers ready-for-paint panel kits that are primed for spray-on marine urethane paint.
Each Mercury outboard panel is made from durable polycarbonate and has peel-and-stick adhesive backing for simple and easy installation. The horsepower decal and Merc icon can be purchased separately, if you want to add those to the panels.
Custom Paint
If you can’t find an outboard color to match your boat, there is yet another way to go: custom paint jobs. These can look superb and give your boat the special look you desire. That said, these paint jobs are not cheap—ranging from $2,000 to $3,000 or more per outboard (but sometimes less than the upcharge for some Mercury Marine color options).
The beauty is that the outboard color—and accents you ask for—will give your boat a unique look. You’ll be the envy of your buddies, even the ones who poked fun back in the day.
