'Business Card' for Liveaboards ?

[DevoDave]

I'm currently on land and 907 days out from moving aboard.

I love having a business card to give to people. It's a quick and handy way to pass on contact info. I'm thinking of making up a business card for when we're on the boat.

Basically a picture of the boat, our names, our mobile number, email addresses and website (blog) address.

Won't have a postal address, so that's one item of data that won't be needed.

Anything else that's considered necessary? I could use the rear of the card for more data if it would be useful.

[Kapena]

Cruisers have cards! It's a custom to exchange them. Usual information is name of boat and type, home port, names of people on board, sailmail information and permanent address. Usually a picture or drawing of the boat as background. Crew members also have cards...usually with the heading "Crew Available"

I don't know how to post my card...maybe somebody will do one for example.

[DevoDave]

Originally Posted by Kapena

Cruisers have cards! It's a custom to exchange them. Usual information is name of boat and type, home port, names of people on board, sailmail information and permanent address. Usually a picture or drawing of the boat as background. Crew members also have cards...usually with the heading "Crew Available"

I don't know how to post my card...maybe somebody will do one for example.

I thought they might. Please someone, upload one for me to gawk at!

[Unicorn Dreams]

We have cards with,
boat name and picture
both our names
land address
call sign
tel number

[RainDog]

I would also include you MMSI number.

[Unicorn Dreams]

Raik??nDog

Where are you located in Seabrook???

[RainDog]

Currenlty in Waterford. Was in Seabrook Marina before that.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by RainDog

I would also include you MMSI number.

I concur with this.

I'm a graphic designer and I've done a few of these. Most include:

Names of skipper(s) and crew
Home port and country
Boat type and length,
MMSI
SSB call sign
Generic e-mail, like a Gmail or Hotmail address

In lieu of a picture of the boat itself, I like to reference the boat's colour scheme as an aide-memoire to people I want to keep in touch with. This is helpful in my own case, as the boat's a custom design that isn't easily looked up online or in a Big Book of Boat Spotting.

[Don1500]

Originally Posted by RainDog

Currenlty in Waterford. Was in Seabrook Marina before that.

Ya got a card?

[avb3]

Two online printers I have used and can recommend both are:

Iprint
Vistaprint

Both are fast, efficient and very inexpensive.

I found even if you take their cheapest shipping option, the cards come in days, rather then weeks as advertised.

They both have online design features, or you can upload your own PDF.

[RainDog]

Almost! We are getting a custom logo done right now. As soon as that is done, we will get cards made.

I am going to include:

- Logo
- Boat name
- Our Names
- URL to Blog
- Email Address
- MMSI #

I plan to leave the back blank for writting notes to the person I am giving the card to (with current location, phone number, etc.)

[sww914]

Originally Posted by avb3

Two online printers I have used and can recommend both are:

Iprint
Vistaprint

Both are fast, efficient and very inexpensive.

I found even if you take their cheapest shipping option, the cards come in days, rather then weeks as advertised.

They both have online design features, or you can upload your own PDF.

Same here, they quoted 3-5 years for shipping and they arrived in a week and a half. I've seen better cards than what they make but it's cheap and easy and fast. $20.00 for a big stack of 2 sided cards, a pretty white sand beach with a palm tree and turquoise water as a background to my info and a picture of my boat on the back.
I'm pleased and I'll likely order more from Vistaprint.
They would have been free plus shipping but I really wanted my image on the back.

[AnchorageGuy]

We have been printing our own for years with a business card software program and our on board printer. We have a couple of different layouts and switch back and forth. Chuck

[Capt.Don]

Staples Office Center has online business cards and in-store printing. A few weeks ago they offered a coupon for "free" black/white business cards or pay the difference for color using stock image/layout. A definite advantage is you can use their PC and print at the store. I had some problems with their stock images. I kept picking images that had to be ordered online, shipped! Otherwise, the process was convenient and inexpensive.

When I redo these (with a picture of our boat anchored in a secluded cove at sunset) I plan on laying out the card using MS Office Publisher (probably could use MS Word), print to PDF. Take the PDF to Staples - they'll print on business card stock. As I recall, the price is $1/sheet, which yields 10 or 12 cards. They might even cut them or let you use their paper cutter.

You'll have cards the same day for the same price as the large online business card sites.

[Hannah on 'Rita T']

We used Peggy Carr at Sir Speedy in Rockville, MD, she's a cruiser, on a trawler, and is a first rate designer. Cheap too. I like to support our fellow boaters. SirSpeedy.Rockville@verizon.net