{"id":17284,"date":"2025-09-23T10:02:20","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T10:02:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/?p=17284"},"modified":"2025-09-23T10:02:20","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T10:02:20","slug":"four-things-to-consider-when-choosing-an-outboard-color","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/?p=17284","title":{"rendered":"Four Things to Consider When Choosing an Outboard Color"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>    Four Things to Consider When Choosing an Outboard Color<br \/>\n \t<BR><br \/>\n<BR><\/BR><br \/>\n    <!-- no image --><br \/>\n \t<BR><br \/>\n<BR><\/BR><\/p>\n<div>\n<section class=\"hydra-container\">\n<div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BTG825-MHD-Colors-2-1024x768.jpg?resize=800%2C600&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Mercury Marine in different shades of white\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BTG825-MHD-Colors-2-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BTG825-MHD-Colors-2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BTG825-MHD-Colors-2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BTG825-MHD-Colors-2-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BTG825-MHD-Colors-2.jpg 2000w\">                <\/div><figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Lighter colors can allow the engine to run as much as 10 degrees F cooler.<\/span><br \/>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Courtesy Mercury Marine<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/section>\n<p><iframe id=\"wxuzj5efbz\" src=\"https:\/\/boatingmag.dragonforms.com\/wxuzj5efbz\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"width:100%;height:165px;border:none;overflow:hidden;\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Today, outboards from Honda, Mercury, Suzuki and Yamaha are available in a wide array of colors. In fact, Mercury\u2014which once adhered to the Henry Ford mantra of \u201cany color you want as long as it\u2019s black\u201d\u2014offers the most color options: three shades of white, as well traditional black. With an outboard being such a visible element, the idea is to complement the boat\u2019s color scheme with the right engine shade. Here\u2019s what to consider when it comes to outboard colors.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Shades of White<\/h2>\n<p>For years, outboard brands had stuck with standard colors, to wit: \u00adHonda\u2019s Aquamarine Silver, Mercury\u2019s Phantom Black, Suzuki\u2019s Black Nebular Pearl and Yamaha\u2019s Dark Bluish Gray. Today, however, all offer white outboards, which have grown popular in warmer \u00adclimates because the lighter 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 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>When looking to match your white boat with a white motor, be careful. Not all whites are the same, and when put together, they can clash. That\u2019s why \u00adMercury Marine offers three colors of white, including Cold Fusion, Warm Fusion and Pearl Fusion. If you\u2019re repowering, take your boat to the dealer to compare the hood color next to it to determine which white, if any, matches up. If none match, a contrasting shade, such a black, gray or silver outboard against a white boat, might be the best way to go. You can also contrast a white outboard against a boat with a light or dark color.<\/p>\n<section class=\"hydra-container\">\n<div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"583\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BTG825-MHD-Colors-1-1024x746.jpg?resize=800%2C583&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Suzuki and Yamaha outboards in different colors\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BTG825-MHD-Colors-1-1024x746.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BTG825-MHD-Colors-1-300x219.jpg 300w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BTG825-MHD-Colors-1-768x559.jpg 768w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BTG825-MHD-Colors-1-1536x1119.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BTG825-MHD-Colors-1.jpg 1871w\">                <\/div><figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Matte finishes are an increasingly popular trend in outboard motors.<\/span><br \/>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Courtesy Suzuki and Yamaha<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/section>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Matte Finishes<\/h2>\n<p>Outboard brands have capitalized on the matte-finish trend versus traditional glossy paint. Suzuki Marine has led the way with its growing Stealth Line, now available in eight horsepower ratings from 115 to 350. The unique charcoal-gray color gives these outboards that distinctive satin \u201cblackout\u201d look, which also enjoys popularity in the automotive market today.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Yamaha Outboards also jumped on the nonglossy 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 earth-tone finish is less likely to spook fish, and it makes for an excellent base layer for tailored camouflaging for boaters who hunt waterfowl.<\/p>\n<section class=\"hydra-container\">\n<div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BTG825-MHD-Colors-3-1024x768.jpg?resize=800%2C600&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Mercury Marine outboards with color accents\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BTG825-MHD-Colors-3-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BTG825-MHD-Colors-3-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BTG825-MHD-Colors-3-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BTG825-MHD-Colors-3-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BTG825-MHD-Colors-3.jpg 2000w\">                <\/div><figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Accent panels allow boaters to have a splash of color that matches their boat.<\/span><br \/>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Courtesy Mercury Marine<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/section>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Accent Panels<\/h2>\n<p>Mercury 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 up with a wide variety of boat colors. If none match your boat, Mercury also offers ready-for-paint panel kits that are primed for coating with urethane\u00a0paint.<\/p>\n<p>Each panel is made from \u00addurable polycarbonate and has \u00adpeel-and-stick adhesive backing that\u2019s easy to install. The horsepower decal and Merc icon applique can be purchased\u00a0separately.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Custom Paint<\/h2>\n<p>If you can\u2019t find a color to match your boat, there are custom paint jobs. But they\u2019re not cheap\u2014ranging from $2,000 to $3,000 or more per outboard (less than the upcharge for some Mercury Marine colors). Alternatively, you can paint the motor yourself for less, thanks to the Quantum 2K aerosol kit that\u2019s available in a wide swath of \u00adcolors. To learn more about this DIY approach, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/painting-your-outboard-motor\">boatingmag.com\/painting-your-outboard-motor<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/boats\/four-things-to-consider-when-choosing-an-outboard-color\/\">Four Things to Consider When Choosing an Outboard Color<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/\">Boating Mag<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> \t<BR><br \/>\n <BR><\/BR><br \/>\n    Jim Hendricks<br \/>\n \t<BR><br \/>\n<BR><\/BR><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/boats\/four-things-to-consider-when-choosing-an-outboard-color\/\">Go to boatingmag<\/a><br \/>\n \t<BR><br \/>\n <BR><\/BR><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Four Things to Consider When Choosing an Outboard Color Lighter colors can allow the engine to run as much as 10 degrees F cooler. Courtesy Mercury Marine Today, outboards from Honda, Mercury, Suzuki and Yamaha are available in a wide array of colors. In fact, Mercury\u2014which once adhered to the Henry Ford mantra of \u201cany [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[126,148,167,5959,352],"tags":[127],"class_list":["post-17284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-boatingmag","category-boats","category-engines","category-october-2025","category-outboards","tag-boatingmag"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17284"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17284"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17284\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17284"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17284"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}