A Question About The Navy

[Heavy_D_Driver]

Warning: This question has absolutely nothing to do with airplanes and/or flight operations, it has to do with U.S. Navy Warships.

So I am sitting reserve in Norfolk Virginia and I am walking around the waterfront. On the other side of the Elizabeth River there is an Ageis Cruiser in drydock getting refitted. So here's the question: Why are all U.S. Navy warships painted red below the waterline? I assume that it has something to do with corrosion or keeping barnacles off the hull or something but I only see warships painted this way. None of the civilian ships that I've seen in drydocks are painted red below the waterline.

 

[SIG600]

You're right... it's corrosion control. The lowest bidder just happens to supply red I'm sure. I'm sure there are other reasons, but you'd have to ask a shoe. (Navy slang for a Surface Warfare Off.)

 

[100-1/2]

'Yeah,


GO ARMY!!

 

[Flightdawg]

It is called "antifouling paint" and you are correct in the purpose; to keep oceanic plant and animals from growing on the hull. "Red lead" is a common type. Not sure what the Navy uses these days since there are many heavy metal based paints used for this purpose. Merchant ships also use "red lead" but they may use other types or colors also. Empty Tanker riding high

 

[Fearless Tower]

I am a shoe and spent some time in the merchant marine as well before I went active. All the ships I was on in the merchant marine used red antifouling paint below the waterline as well as in the Navy....why red????? Well, the best answer I can supply is that is the color we've always used.

The main difference between the hull painting in the Navy and the merchant mariner is that in the grey hull fleet we use a black intermediate paint between the red and the gray called boot topping, so you don't typically see any red when the ship is in the water.

 

[Bjammin]

In the WAY old days they painted the bottoms of ships red so they could be easily spotted by search crews if they capsized. Maybe it just a carry over from that, but I can see it still being valid today, who knows, just a thought.

 

[Afterprop]

Cheapest ? ? ?

Nah . . . you're all wrong. Red is the cheapest ! ! ! (I really don't know . . . I do know the gumint is totally unable to pass up a cheap buy ;-) BTW, never even been on a boat, or ship. But I do respect those who do ride the waves . . .
'Props

 

[tomgoodman]

Another theory

Red paint prevents corrosion by fooling the rust cooties. They think the hull is already rusted and move on. Yeah, that's the ticket!