Revell USS Saratoga Hull Color Question

Okay, thanks.  I figured one foot was kind of narrow, considering the size of a modern aircraft carrier.  Thanks agian.

Depending on the size of the ship, the boot top will be more than a foot wide.  Generally  the lower edge of the boot topping will ge the light load waterline.  The upper edge of the boot top will be above the full load waterline; this upper edge will be some ratio of the freeboard measured from the full load waterline.  There may also be variances of the boot top upper edge at the bow and stern; with the bow being greater than the amidships distance and the stern being less. 

Here's a  reference link for  the USCG paint and color manuals; I think the USN paint guides would be similar.  A USCG 378' WHEC has a boot top stripe that is 5' high at the bow; about 3.5' high amidships; and 2.5' high at the stern.  The USCG manual states that the boot top at amidships is 1/8 the freeboard distance.  The upper edge of the boot top at the bow is 1.33 times the amidships distance; and at the stern it is .66 times the amidships distance. 

Okay, that clarifies things.  Thank you!!

The hull paint applied to many ships built after the rise of the use of oil to run them had a feature called boot topping or black boot.   This is a black belt, about a foot wide, around the design waterline.  The purpose is to hide the oil scum found in most harbors.

For a modern USN ship, paint above the boot topping haze (neutral) gray.  Paint below the boot topping hull red.  

Some wag will now post that the US Navy is starting to paint their hulls bright blue.   True, but this painting would not be correct for the USS Saratoga (CV-60), built, served, and retired before the blue hull epoch.