Boat name painting or decal

[mserafi1]

Boat US has a nice design app where you can design your own. Used it twice and the product was exactly to my liking and easy to apply. Also made matching registration numbers....looks very professional. I'd attach a photo, but this app flips the photo upside down....haven't figured out why it does that...very frustrating!

[scottydaum]

Good lettering enamel should last 5-7 years if you keep it waxed.
After 20+ years of Sign Painting and specialiZing in lettering all sorts of boats both in and out of the water I have plenty of thoughts about all this
1. There ARE still Sign Painters out there, but we are a vanishing breed, and hard to find.
2. Paint WILL last if applied correctly, waxed now and then. just think of how many posts you have seen about people having a hard time getting the lettering off....lol
3. If you change boats often, or scratch your boat often, then maybe decals are the best choice. If you plan on keeping the boat then removing the name will not be an issue.
So here is the trade off.
Vinyl lettering is charges usually by the inch of letter height....so 8" letter at $1 an inch =$8.00. If you have a long name or a really big boat that can add up.....PLUS most Sign Shops have a minimum charge of some kind.
That is for ONE color letter. If you want extra details like an outline on the letters, or a drop shadow to make it look classier the double the cost. If you want drop shadow AND an outline then Triple the cost.
If I paint it, I can keep the costs on the extras down because I am not cutting and throwing away all that excess and very expensive vinyl.
Applying decals to a compound curve can be a challenge and these days most are done wrong. Painting it is compensated for during the layout process.
Sooooo if you want a plain one color boring look, then go for the decal. If you want something really nice, that stands out from the rest, and involves some real old time Craftsmanship, along with all the free stories you can stand the take the time to find the local Old Sign Painter, feed him some coffee to sober him up, and let him/or her work their magic.
You did not say where your home port is, but if you come near the Pamlico Sound area of NC look me up.
By the way.....nothing gets attention in a Marina like a Sign Painter working of a project......except maybe a pretty girl, or free beer, and eventually they will end up over watching the Sign Painter....lol

[scottydaum]

Good lettering enamel should last 5-7 years if you keep it waxed.
After 20+ years of Sign Painting and specialiZing in lettering all sorts of boats both in and out of the water I have plenty of thoughts about all this
1. There ARE still Sign Painters out there, but we are a vanishing breed, and hard to find.
2. Paint WILL last if applied correctly, waxed now and then. just think of how many posts you have seen about people having a hard time getting the lettering off....lol
3. If you change boats often, or scratch your boat often, then maybe decals are the best choice. If you plan on keeping the boat then removing the name will not be an issue.
So here is the trade off.
Vinyl lettering is charges usually by the inch of letter height....so 8" letter at $1 an inch =$8.00. If you have a long name or a really big boat that can add up.....PLUS most Sign Shops have a minimum charge of some kind.
That is for ONE color letter. If you want extra details like an outline on the letters, or a drop shadow to make it look classier the double the cost. If you want drop shadow AND an outline then Triple the cost.
If I paint it, I can keep the costs on the extras down because I am not cutting and throwing away all that excess and very expensive vinyl.
Applying decals to a compound curve can be a challenge and these days most are done wrong. Painting it is compensated for during the layout process.
Sooooo if you want a plain one color boring look, then go for the decal. If you want something really nice, that stands out from the rest, and involves some real old time Craftsmanship, along with all the free stories you can stand the take the time to find the local Old Sign Painter, feed him some coffee to sober him up, and let him/or her work their magic.
You did not say where your home port is, but if you come near the Pamlico Sound area of NC look me up.
By the way.....nothing gets attention in a Marina like a Sign Painter working of a project......except maybe a pretty girl, or free beer, and eventually they will end up over watching the Sign Painter....lol

[georgelieber]

Here is how we do it in Detroit on our steel Tahitiana... Go to the dumpster and get a big piece of cardboard. Cut out the design (should be able to do this in 1-2 beers). Tape the cardboard "stencil" to the boat. Spray it on with a can of Rustoleum. Go sailing.

[hamburking]

Most sign shops can make you quality lettering with lots of options for colour, size, and logos. I went to a small, local shop, and they did great work. Installation was easy and pleasant. Fortunately, the old name was vinyl letters as well, which came off easily and cleanly.

[jkindredpdx]

Originally Posted by georgelieber

Here is how we do it in Detroit on our steel Tahitiana... Go to the dumpster and get a big piece of cardboard. Cut out the design (should be able to do this in 1-2 beers). Tape the cardboard "stencil" to the boat. Spray it on with a can of Rustoleum. Go sailing.

2 beers? It took me 3 to peel and stick my Vinyl letters... might explain the slope.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Guy

That stuff holds up to ag chemicals? Wow.

No it was the first GE powered ag plane, it was an experimental prototype, we painted the airplane just pure white with the idea that you can do things with Vinyl that would tax a very talented painter, plus you could change it later if you wanted.
It would not hold up on an airplane long time I don't think, but I've seen pictures of a Cessna Caravan that fast signs wrapped that looked like a waving American flag. I doubt a painter could have done that, but a computer and a printer? Easy.

GE's H80 Engine Makes its First Flight on the Thrush 510G Aircraft | Press Release | GE Aviation

[YellowcakeMan]

Boat U.S. is the way to go!

[sailersteve]

I just bought 3" tall numbers & letters for both my sailboat & dinghy , vinyl Green for the sailboat and Blue for the dinghy $2.50 ea set of two sides . Yep 5 bucks for both sets , both sides ! Plus $4.99 shipping $9.99 total .
ebay is the place ( 1060 graphics ) is the name of the seller . It shows they also do graphics of all kinds just send them your specks , ant font , any color , custom lettering & decals . And no i do not have anything to do with this company just very happy with the price i got.
The letters and numbers came with a spaced backing and clear pull off cover to just put the whole piece up and peel away the back , w/ directions .

[Stu Jackson]

I made ours up in Word or Word Draw or Paint on the computer, unusual shape and shadowed lettering. Took the file to a local plastics shop, TAP Plastics, they did it right away. Put it on in 1998, still there, looks great.

[pwmullins]

I used Island Boat Lettering in Wantagh, NY, 800/735-8526, www.islandboatlettering.com, and they were very good, using the best UV vinyl and easy to install.

[damaib]

Originally Posted by ricktara

i did the decal from Boat US last year and it is perfect. was easy to apply as well

Same here. Easy to apply and looks good after 2 1/2 years.

[TheThunderbird]

OMG..

with 60EUR I got name and home harbour laser-cut into solid 316 SS 3mms thick (1/8") with my font of choice....

I hate plastic things. Please do either :-)

VIHUNA - SOUTHAMPTON

100EUR for a rounded logo 80cm (2' 6") diam.

[model 10]

Originally Posted by TheThunderbird

OMG..

with 60EUR I got name and home harbour laser-cut into solid 316 SS 3mms thick (1/8") with my font of choice....

I hate plastic things. Please do either :-)

VIHUNA - SOUTHAMPTON

100EUR for a rounded logo 80cm (2' 6") diam.

So did you use that as a stencil to spray paint the letters?

[Mithril Bham]

If you use decal paint over with U/V resistant clear