It is black because it is black
For heating water, I prefer my coleman dual fuel
When it is wet, it is not a nice place to be... I did that 6 years ago, I won't forget it (actually, I was trying to go up there that time, and it start raining while I'm "fighting" the top step there, not fun. I had to drive it backwards all the way down. scary.)
Bottom line, when it is raining, we are not going there...