# Why do fishing boats have sparkly paint? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 4, 2014, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996 "2014-06-04T05:04:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![talldarkfellow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a8b319/32.png) [@talldarkfellow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/talldarkfellow)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996/1 "2014-06-04T05:04:18Z")
I have noticed that many fishing boats have sparkly paint. Does it make the boat more attractive to fish or is it just a marketing gimmick? ---
**Author:** ![Fishtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ed655f/32.png) [@Fishtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fishtar)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996/2 "2014-06-04T05:20:03Z")
I have worked on a lot of commercial fishing boats, and can not recall a sparkly one. But they were all made of steel. For wood boats though, it seems that mica added to the paint , improves both water and UV resistance. [http://www.parasmica.com/wet\_ground\_mica\_powder.htm](http://www.parasmica.com/wet_ground_mica_powder.htm) ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996/3 "2014-06-04T05:27:12Z")
It’s bling; for the same reason, lots of semi’s sport lots of chrome. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996/4 "2014-06-04T06:12:57Z")
> [@Fishtar](#): > > I have worked on a lot of commercial fishing boats, and can not recall a sparkly one. But they were all made of steel. For wood boats though, it seems that mica added to the paint , improves both water and UV resistance. > > [http://www.parasmica.com/wet\_ground\_mica\_powder.htm](http://www.parasmica.com/wet_ground_mica_powder.htm) I think the OP was on about little lake bass boats with huge outboards on them. Fiber glass wonders they are and many have the pickup truck, the trailer & the boat with the same paint and pattern. I’ve never had a house that costs as much as these rigs. :dubious: Compared to big boat fishing, they are toys, expensive toys but toys none the less, IMO ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996/5 "2014-06-04T08:57:24Z")
Yeah, go to any marina where people have personal-size recreational outboard motor boats; not commercial fishing boats. They’re often called “bass boats” and popularly have fiberglas hulls painted with a heavy mixing of glitter (it looks like) in the coating. Sometimes the glitter is multi-colored. [Close-up pic](http://www.kevinwakeman.com/2007June/new/rangerpaint.jpg) I wish I could get my car painted like that! (It’s not the same as an _italic_ paint-job, I don’t think, which is not nearly as glittery.) ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996/6 "2014-06-04T10:04:10Z")
More attractive to fishermen than to fish. The boat manufacturers are not trying to get the fish to buy one. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996/7 "2014-06-04T10:14:35Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > I wish I could get my car painted like that! (It’s not the same as an _italic_ paint-job, I don’t think, which is not nearly as glittery.) What’s an italic paint job? Google and various dictionaries don’t turn up any paint-related senses of “italic”. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996/8 "2014-06-04T10:50:29Z")
I suspect he meant “metallic” paint job, meaning one with glitter flakes or glitter powder mixed in. It was much the rage on custom cars in the 50s-70s. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996/9 "2014-06-04T12:20:46Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I suspect he meant “metallic” paint job, meaning one with glitter flakes or glitter powder mixed in. It was much the rage on custom cars in the 50s-70s. You got to wonder if that’s what started the trend with boats, some guy rodding in his custom misses a turn, ends up in the lake, as they’re pulling it out someone takes a step back and says _“Hey, ya know, this looks pretty good in the soup.”_ ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996/10 "2014-06-04T13:41:46Z")
> [@talldarkfellow](#): > > Why do fishing boats have sparkly paint? > > I have noticed that many fishing boats have sparkly paint. Does it make the boat more attractive to fish or is it just a marketing gimmick? The boat manufacturers are trolling for suckers. And I don’t mean the fish variety. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996/11 "2014-06-04T14:04:10Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > What’s an italic paint job? Google and various dictionaries don’t turn up any paint-related senses of “italic”. [Italic paint job](http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/07/cougarace.jpg) (note the angle). ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996/12 "2014-06-04T18:35:02Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I suspect he meant “metallic” paint job, meaning one with glitter flakes or glitter powder mixed in. It was much the rage on custom cars in the 50s-70s. I’m sure we also used to call that _italic._ Am I remembering wrong? ---
**Author:** ![48Willys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/db5fbb/32.png) [@48Willys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/48Willys)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996/13 "2014-06-04T19:00:06Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > I’m sure we also used to call that _italic._ Am I remembering wrong? Never heard it called that when I was hot rodding. Might be a southern california thing though. I was in Northern California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996/14 "2014-06-04T19:09:14Z")
Metallic flake paint was first commonly done on the fiberglass bodies of dune buggies, and then adapted for bass boats because it was “cool”, then motorcycle helmets, and more recently collegiate football helmets. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996/15 "2014-06-05T12:50:58Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > I’m sure we also used to call that _italic._ Am I remembering wrong? Not that I’ve ever heard. And I was active in the SoCal hot car scene throughout the 70s & early 80s. It does sound exactly like the kind of hearing error a kid or somebody from a much different accent area might hear. E.g. a Bostonian saying “metallic” might be misheard as “italic” by a Texan. Or vice versa. Kids, with their much smaller vocabulary & much smaller experience with out-of-local-area accents are especially prone to these kinds of mistakes. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996/16 "2014-06-05T15:34:02Z")
I figure it’s to attract the buyers, not fish. Bass boats spend more time on their trailers than in the water anyway. ---
**Author:** ![EdwinAmi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5fc32e/32.png) [@EdwinAmi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EdwinAmi)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996/17 "2014-06-05T16:01:05Z")
because fishermen are FABULOUS ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996/18 "2014-06-05T16:12:24Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#): > > **I think the OP was on about little lake bass boats with huge outboards on them**. Fiber glass wonders they are and many have the pickup truck, the trailer & the boat with the same paint and pattern. I’ve never had a house that costs as much as these rigs. :dubious: > > Compared to big boat fishing, they are toys, expensive toys but toys none the less, IMO Bold for comment. Bass boats: because trolling a 5 once lure through the water requires 1,000 HP! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996/19 "2014-06-05T16:24:19Z")
> [@sparky\_1](#): > > Bold for comment. > > Bass boats: because trolling a 5 once lure through the water requires 1,000 HP! 😃 It’s lol-worthy, but inaccurate. Trolling the lure requires a 1- or 2-HP electric trolling motor. Getting to the perfect fishing spot ahead of all your competitors requires a 1kHP\* multi-cylinder gas-powered engine. So does getting back to the dock before the final horn blows if you fish to the last second to pull in the absolute max number (or weight, or combined length) of prize fish. Yeah, it’s about fishing tournaments. And then competitive fishing wannabes. \*Slight exaggeration in keeping with parent post. The biggest outboard I’ve ever heard of is a bit more than 1/2 of that. Which is still ridiculously overpowered. It’s more horsepower than many stock classic-era muscle cars. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996/20 "2014-06-05T16:43:23Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Getting to the perfect fishing spot ahead of all your competitors requires a 1kHP\* multi-cylinder gas-powered engine. Wouldn’t the fish hear you coming? I thought you were supposed to be quiet to not scare the fish. Or is that just what they say to that guy who won’t shut up? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-fishing-boats-have-sparkly-paint/689996.md?page=2)