Adding boat's name to hull...what kind of prep work needed?

[Minnesota_Slick]

Hi folks,

Our E-29, which we bought last summer, doesn't have a name. We can't allow that to continue, so we are currently pondering what to name her. When it comes time to put the boat's name on the hull, a couple of questions spring to mind:

1) Where do you find artists to paint the name and/or design on the hull?
2) Is there any prep work that is needed on the hull before said artists begin?

Thanks!

 

[missalot]

When I had the name painted on "Kymodoce", the signmaker/artist had me buff the gelcoat with a not wax buffing compound. He wiped it down with wax remover before starting. That was 1988 - I have touched it up a couple of times since. To find someone this day and age you might have to look real hard. Seems like most "sign makers" are only doing vinyl letters these days. Good luck.

 

[Glyn Judson]

Boat lettering.

Dear friend, Don't rule out vinyl lettering. The other day I noticed the edges of the lettering on our transom showing signs of curling. It was 19 years ago that I had them made and applied them myself. This stuff is pretty much bulletproof and easily duplicated and applied to serve another 19 years. Cheers, Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey CA

 

[Loren Beach]

I agree with Glyn. Our vinyl name and port still look "like new" after quite a few years.
Here is the prior thread with some pix, our boat and others.
http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?4635-Boat-Name-Decal-Sizes

Regards,
Loren

 

[Jeff Asbury]

Vinyl lettering / Graphics is the way to go!

Vinyl lettering / Graphics is the way to go. I am a graphic designer by trade and most sign shops now use Vinyl. Many years ago I worked as a apprentice sign painter. For my boat I designed my own two color transom graphic, had LA Signs make the Vinyl after I gave them the digital Adobe Illustrator file. LA Signs told me that the Vinyl Transom sign they made for me would last about seven years. The price was $75. Well that was 12 years ago. And like Glyn's, mine is just now starting to peal only at the sharp / right angle corners.

Advantages of Vinyl are that it will be:

1) cheaper than having a sign painter with "one shot" paint do it.
2) a lot less messy.
3) color fastness.
4) easier to remove and or replace when it get's old. All you need is a heat gun.
5) you can save money and apply it your self.

I actually have a colleague who has a Graphics / Sign business and uses a machine like this: http://www.rolanddga.com/products/cutters/gx640/ I believe he told me he can do up to seven colors.

Not sure what they cost, but Boat US can make them for you, but I am sure it would be a lot cheaper to use a local sign shop. Price will vary by size and the amount of colors.

Boat US: https://www.boatus.com/boatgraphicsnew/Default.asp

Attached is a photo of my transom.

 

[Jeff Asbury]

Hi folks,

Our E-29, which we bought last summer, doesn't have a name. We can't allow that to continue, so we are currently pondering what to name her. When it comes time to put the boat's name on the hull, a couple of questions spring to mind:

1) Where do you find artists to paint the name and/or design on the hull?
2) Is there any prep work that is needed on the hull before said artists begin?

Thanks!

I just Googled Rochester, MN Vinyl Signs for you. You may want to check these Guy's out. http://www.rochestersign.com/vinylgraphics.htm

 

[adam]

Hi folks,

Our E-29, which we bought last summer, doesn't have a name. We can't allow that to continue, so we are currently pondering what to name her. When it comes time to put the boat's name on the hull, a couple of questions spring to mind:

1) Where do you find artists to paint the name and/or design on the hull?
2) Is there any prep work that is needed on the hull before said artists begin?

Thanks!

After a bunch of debate, I also went with vinyl lettering

DIY lettering was cheap and easy.

http://doityourselflettering.com

 

[Jeff Asbury]

As far as the prep, it may be best for vinyl to just clean the area real good vs waxing. Although as I think back, my transom was so dull, I think I may have actually waxed and buffed it. But it would probably be best to have a bare surface for the vinyl adhesive to stick to.

 

[Minnesota_Slick]

Wow, thanks everyone! You guys & gals are the best!

 

[Jeff Asbury]

Off Topic



This is Off Topic, sort of. I got curious about the Boat US Graphics / Lettering site and started looking around. They have a section to help you name your boat, as well as the most popular boat names. Guess what was #1. Yup, you guessed it. "Serenity" #1 for last year. Lot's of other names I have seen too many times as well. Kind of like naming your dog "Spot".

https://www.boatus.com/boatgraphicsnew/top-10-boat-names.asp

 

[Emerald]

This is Off Topic, sort of. I got curious about the Boat US Graphics / Lettering site and started looking around. They have a section to help you name your boat, as well as the most popular boat names. Guess what was #1. Yup, you guessed it. "Serenity" #1 for last year. Lot's of other names I have seen too many times as well. Kind of like naming your dog "Spot".

https://www.boatus.com/boatgraphicsnew/top-10-boat-names.asp

And that makes me think of a couple things pointed out to me years ago - pick a name that is easy to understand - think distress call, and don't pick one of those names that will make people roll their eyes when heard on the VHF. We've all seen those ..

 

[markvone]

+1 for Vinyl

I'll second DIY lettering.

You can play around a lot with size, fonts, color and other effects online for free. If you're creative you can also add graphics of your own. You can save the info online so in 15-20 years they can produce an exact duplicate!

The vinyl graphic also covers whatever leftover paint and dull gelcoat you might have and attracts your eye away from it as well. Below is my transom cleaned up as best I could. I had some previous paint repair as well as rements of two previous painted boat names and hailing ports.



Here it is with the graphic applied. It was easy to apply:




From a few more feet away all the defects are really hard to see:



Mark

 

[Grizz]

Vinyl = (fairly) easy with tons of options

Boat US generated the port/starboard and hailing port vinyl graphics of Shoe String. Fairly easy to apply to a clean surface. Measuring twice and cutting once is a good practice to adhere to, always.

Local suppliers are also a option (i.e. - Fast Signs) if you can create your image as a jpeg or ai file. They can create what's needed from scratch, it'll just cost more.

This bit of whimsy aka 'angle of explicative', didn't cost much, increased the font size so we can easily see the degree of heel and serves as a conversation starter...if needed. We hope to never have to use this extreme angle of heel!

 

[Loren Beach]

Oh My! Love it!


And, when one clicks on the name, "Grizz", and then on View Profile, and then on Albums, one of the albums has sailing pictures of Shoe String sailing. The name came out great, IMHO.

Loren

 

[Tom Metzger]

I recommend staying away from "marine" graphics dealers. A truck lettering shop will be much cheaper. "Marine" is expensive. :0

 

[steven]

We changed the stern to Indigo (finally) last winter. Removed the old vinyl with excellent advice from the folks at Awlgrip - no shadows or other problems. If you ever sell the boat, new owner might prefer that you lettered in vinyl.

Local sign shop made the new lettering for less than the boat lettering web sites. They said they do boat names all the time. We could look at the actual vinyl stock to get the color we wanted (not exactly the same color you see on your computer screen). Also, we were unsure of the size of the port name in relation to the transom size and the boat name - very helpful sign shop helped us figure out the right proportion with templates.

 

[Loren Beach]

"Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign..."

One bit of trivia about using a local sign shop. I got to really discuss what I wanted with the sign-maker.
When we worked out the general sizing, the guy showed me several final-form images and asked me which I wanted. I was not too sure about how it would look, proportionally, on the hull.
He then put a ball point pen in his vinyl cutter/plotter and quickly produced a couple of slightly different sized names on paper. I took them out to the boat and selected one and went back and had him do the cutout and preparation for application.

Turns out his price to do the install was very reasonable and he put them on the boat as well.

I remembered applying the name on our prior boat (soapy water and a plastic squeegee...) and was relieved not to have to do that again with a larger name working on a ladder in the boat yard!

I recall that he said he always thought twice about who to trust with the pen-on-paper version, because a dishonest person might take it out and use it for a pattern for painting or cutting their own vinyl and never return.
What a world we live in!

Gotta say, it was fun watching him manipulate it in Photoshop to get the sizing "just right". (I already had the font picked out when I arrived. For an Olson it's gotta be Revel.)

Cheers,
Loren

 

[meanjim]

Vinyl is the way to go

Vinyl is the only way. Size & color can be easily manipulated and application is easy & DIY. Here's an Ericson logo for the aft hull.

 

[Minnesota_Slick]

Vinyl is the only way. Size & color can be easily manipulated and application is easy & DIY. Here's an Ericson logo for the aft hull.

Sweet! Many thanks, meanjim.