Pick a lettering design....

[a64pilot]

I believe that St Andrews is or maybe was a town or community.
Sort of like San Francisco? Can you use San Francisco Bay as a haling port?

I actually think you can send it in and none will care, you'll get your registration.


Where are you berthed?

[allanbranch]

Originally Posted by Dave Lochner

There was a local coffee shop once named Federal Expresso. Run by some young folks, kind of a funky atmosphere, reputation for good coffee. FedEx got wind of the shop. After both sides got done paying legal fees, Federal Expresso is no more. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, The Freedom of Expresso coffee shop has been around for quite some time and doing quite well.

My suggestion is don't use an image of a Black Lab in profile and don't use a font like Times Roman or anything too similar to the Black Dog logo.

Generally, if the hailing port has a post office it should be good.

Like any lawsuit, the bigger wallet will get the other person to back down. Fed Ex could put a lawyer on it and spend 100k on legal and just make the other party burn thru money until they're out of business. Even if there's no real claim, it's rather sad.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

If this is for the purposes of Coast Guard documentation, be aware that your hailing port needs to be one of the locations identified in Commerce Dept. publication 55DC (which, unfortunately, does not appear to be available online). This includes pretty much every populated town and city in the United States, but my guess is that St. Andrews Bay is not on the list. Hence, you will probably have to choose Panama City, Parker, Callaway, or something else like that. Or just pick a random city anywhere in the U.S. The Coast Guard doe not care if you have ever been there, or if the boat has ever been there, so long as it is someplace listed in 55DC.

The last boat I documented about 5 years ago we used a hailing port of a early trading town on the local river that no longer exists. No problem.

[skwanderer]

Where (websites) have folks found the best in design choice and quality for Name decal/stick on purchases. I'm thinking of using BoatUS for my new name decal, but I'd love to hear other recommendations.

[alctel]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

I agree with Ann T. Cate. I pass by vessels that I sometimes have cause to contact on the VHF. Sometimes I am unable to read the name even with a good pair of binoculars. Imagine seeing these two vessels at a half mile or mile distance,

Yeah, I got the name on mine super blocky on purpose for that reason. The name guy actually tried to talk me into 'prettier' font but I held firm.

He then told me to tell anyone who asked who did it that he had offered me nicer fonts and that I refused! I don't think its that bad?

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by skwanderer

Where (websites) have folks found the best in design choice and quality for Name decal/stick on purchases. I'm thinking of using BoatUS for my new name decal, but I'd love to hear other recommendations.

I believe the OP is using the same guy in PC that I did, they took photos of my boat and through magic of computers sent me photos of the finished product, on the stern of my boat.
I picked what I wanted and they did the application flawlessly, not a single bubble and perfectly level.
All for less money that Boat US wanted to ship me something in the mail

[Hudson Force]

Some names are not presented for the purpose of a quick understanding, especially to be able to read from a distance, but they can be clever!

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by allanbranch

Hi Ann, good point, she's actually a golden retriever with a black lab grandfather so she's long haired like a golden but black. She has some brown on her feel too. https://www.instagram.com/p/BBBdMoVH68Y/

Lovely looking , your Sailor. Maybe a 3/4 view of her? She doesn't look at all like a Spaniel.

Ann

[AD28]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

Some names are not presented for the purpose of a quick understanding, especially to be able to read from a distance, but they can be clever!

looks like 'suet'?

Type is to read, not guess at.

[madiad1]

Originally Posted by allanbranch

I'm getting lettering put on the boat this week. Help me choose a design. I'm located in Panama City Florida but I'd rather put the name of our local bay on the boat, seems more fun.

Thoughts?

FAQ
The boat isn't black.
No the graphic of the dog isn't black, it looked weird in solid black.
Yes we have a black lab named Sailor.

I like the bottom graphic the best. Clear in both name and Port of Call.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

The last boat I documented about 5 years ago we used a hailing port of a early trading town on the local river that no longer exists. No problem.

Not really surprised. This rang a bell with me, and then I remembered. I dug deeply into this a couple of years ago, and just went through it again yesterday to see if things had changed. It does not appear that they have.

So, this is what I have found... The USCG says that your hailing port must be a place that appears in Commerce Dept. document 55DC. Try to find Commerce Dept. document 55DC, though, and you will discover that it does not actually exist. It did, at one time, but the Commerce Dept. declared the document obsolete some ten+ years ago. It is no longer published nor maintained. Hence, once again, and sadly all too common with government bureaucracies, the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing.

I guess you can pick any place you want, real or fictional. If the USCG refuses your documentation request because of your hailing port, you can ask them to show you a current copy of Commerce Dept. document 55DC to prove that it is not in there. They will not be able to do so.

Typical.

[a64pilot]

You know, is there anything against putting boats name and a city on the stern if your not CG registered?
I see boats with the name, hailing port on the stern and State registration on the bow, so I assume they are not CG registered

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

You know, is there anything against putting boats name and a city on the stern if your not CG registered?
I see boats with the name, hailing port on the stern and State registration on the bow, so I assume they are not CG registered

Most states require the state registration on documented vessels with the state registration "sticker" on the bow, but not the registration "numbers" on the bow.

[Sailorman Ed]

All for less money that Boat US wanted to ship me something in the mail

What is the recommended source for name and graphics made and shipped?
I think I am finally at that point.

[Hudson Force]

In the US vinyl lettering and design cutting is a garage industry. I know of three different people that have vinyl cutting machines tied to their home computers. I'd check locally and bypass any big corporation or shipping.