Boat Name Decal Sizes?

[The Blue Heeler]

Ok folks, you continue to amaze me with your extensive knowledge of sailing and maintenance. Now I need you to bring out the decorator inside you! When our boat gets here in two weeks we have to repaint the waterline and boot stripe and have a new name decal ready to go. I'm having an issue of figuring out what size the letters need to be and how much clearance I need side to side.

As you can see, the PO applied the name with shelf paper. Also, the location of the ladder, which I'm not going to move, is going to push our new LONGER name further down the boat and may not look right so we are thinking of putting the name down both sides of the boat. My wife is in search of a dog picture to use as the logo decal for the boat since the name does refer to a certain blue dog.

That said, what I'm looking for is tips on the size of the name and the home port. The boat is coast guard documented so I will not be putting letters on the front of the boat.

Thanks!!!

 

[Guy Stevens]

Do we get a photo?

that would allow us to help you play with it a little.

1> The coast guard requires:
Documented vessels do not display their official numbers on the outside of the hull, but are identified by the name and hailing port. The application for documentation must include a name for the vessel composed of letters of the Latin alphabet or Arabic or Roman numerals and may not exceed 33 characters. The name may not be identical, actually or phonetically, to any word or words used to solicit assistance at sea; may not contain or be phonetically identical to obscene, indecent, or profane language, or to racial or ethnic epithets. Once established, a vessel's name may not be changed without application, fees, and the consent of the Director, National Vessel Documentation Center. There is no rule against duplication of names for documented vessels, so hailing ports are helpful in identifying vessels.

HOW DO I MARK MY VESSEL?

The official number assigned to documented vessels, preceded of the abbreviation "NO." must be marked in block-type Arabic numerals at least three inches high on some clearly visible interior structural part of the hull. The number must be permanently affixed so that alteration, removal, or replacement would be obvious and cause some scarring or damage to the surrounding hull area.

The name and hailing port of a recreational vessel must be marked together on some clearly visible exterior part of the hull. The vessel name of a commercial vessel must also be marked on the port and starboard bow and the vessel name and the hailing port must also be marked on the stern. All markings may be made by any means and materials that result in durable markings and must be at least four inches in height, made in clearly legible letters of the Latin alphabet or Arabic or Roman numerals. The "hailing port" must include both a place and a State, Territory, or possession of in the United States. The state may be abbreviated.


Other than that let have a photo!

Guy

 

[JMS]

I am not a big fan of putting the name on the side of classic Ericsons. It never seems to work quite right visually, IMHO, with the springy sheerline and wide cove stripe.

Question -> do you intend to use the “The” with Blue Heeler?

 

[The Blue Heeler]

Photo is in the post

The photo in the post is the photo of the current name on the boat. The boats name is "The Blue Heeler". We don't get the boat for another two weeks. We are here in Tennessee and the boat is in Sandusky, OH. I'd like to have the decal ordered and here so that we can affix it when the boat arrives. I'm playing around on Boat US's decal page and it appears that I can do the boat name in 8" high letters and the name will be 96" long. Then I can do the hailing port, "New Johnsonville, Tn" in 4" letters right below it. Since the width at the back of the boat is 74.5", we will have to put the name on the side below the cove/boot stripe.

anyway, I didn't take a picture, when I was up there, directly at the back of the boat. The pic you see is the only picture I have of the back of the boat right now.

Hope this helps clear things up some.

Thanks!
Bart

 

[The Blue Heeler]

Yes, the documentation papers that I submitted and got back have the official name as "The Blue Heeler". I really like Morgan Steimetz's boat name on the side. I thought it looked really nice. But the name is so long, putting it on the back and maintaining the minimum 4" height for all the letters could have the boat name at 6" and the hailing port at 4" to fit the back of the boat. This would be a very small difference between the two letter sizes and in my humble opinion would look wierd.

 

[Loren Beach]

We just had our name put on both sides, a couple of months ago. AFAIK our font choice/size would satisfy USCG Doc. requirements, although we are state registered only (with Oregon bow numbers) for the immediate future.

Our name size is about 7" tall, but sized up a wee bit, and then stretched by a percentage. (Thanks to Photoshop...)
In these digital times, the sign maker could print out several different sized outline names on paper for us to tape up and assess before sending the file to his vinyl cutter. As trivia buffs will notice, we did manage to pick up on the trade-mark Olson "O" in the hailing port.
I should also mention that a number of boats here have the name on each side, and the hailing port on the transom -- which looks good also, IMO.

Like the first boat in this thread we have a lot of "stuff" on the transom, and sometime in the future this will get more crowded yet when I attach a boarding/swim ladder. We have quite a few boats in our YC with the name/hailing port on the flanks, FWIW.

Happy Naming!

Loren in Portland, OR
1988 Olson (Ericson) 34

 

[HGSail]

I put the name on the side of my boat I think it looks just fine. The letters are 5-6"h X 36-38"L. I havn't put the homeport sticker on yet but it will be on the transom at bottom center. Attached is a picture but I'm not sure if it gives you a good perspective or not.

Pat
E29
'73
#224
Holy Guacamole

 

[HGSail]

Bart,

Here some other pics that be better. The letters may seem small to some, But I didn't want to overpower the rest of the boat (it is only 29'). I may go a little larger when I paint the hull and deck in a couple of years, but not by much (may be 8" high).

Pat
E29
'73
#224
Holy Guacamole

 

[Sean Engle]

Photoshop It!

I vote for the name on the side as well - and as others have mentioned, my boat was documented - so I had to meet minimum size requirements (which was easy)...

If memory serves, I believe the side lettering was 6" and the homeport on the transom was 4" (which was the minimum required by the USCG for documented boats). The font was 'Gaelic'.

I did this by first taking a photo of my boat, and then going into Photoshop and seeing which font and in what configuration. I wish I could find it now - but the images I created ended up looking exactly like the final product! It worked so well that when I (briefly) considered getting a tattoo, I did the same thing - and decided against it...

//sse

 

[The Blue Heeler]

Hey Holy Guacamoly, that is a great perspective. I'd like mine to be a little more like Sean's boat with the larger name. Knowing that you went with a 6 3/4" letter gives me the feeling that I need to go with at least an 8" or even a 9" letter to make it stand out. The pictures you guys are posting are awesome. Lot's of beautiful boats. I think putting the Hailing port on the Transom, to the left of the ladder is a great idea too.

Keep those posts coming, they are very helpful. We were going to use an online service for our decal, but may go to a local signmaker to get this done.

 

[Sean Engle]

Again - Photoshop It!

On the lettering size - you want to watch your purportions - as your freeboard is different than ours - so the look will be different. If you're handy with Photoshop, I would strongly recommend following that route - as it is the best tool for showing you exactly what you're going to get...

//sse

 

[The Blue Heeler]

I have photoshop on my mac, but have never used it. I bought the entire creative suite for my wife, but neither of us have used it. I'm going to try and see if I can make one up on there.

 

[Howard Keiper]

I did Sea Quest's formal name and port on the transom, and a decoration on the p/s sheer stripe in the same font style as the transom, and used hi intensity reflective vinyl to do it. You should see what happens when you approach the boat at nite and sweep a flashlight over it.

howard keiper

 

[Chris Miller]

local sign maker

I'd vote for having a local sign shop or person do it. Ours was done by a friend who has a sign business. A little bartering around a couple of cabinets I was building for his kitchen and $50 later we got the one in blue to replace the one in gold. I would bet a local person might even put it on for you one friday afternoon for a beer

 

[Loren Beach]

a Stern name

Here is a site link to a fine name application on Dan's repainted E-35/Mk2.
http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?t=2339&referrerid=28

Lovely looking boat, too!

More proof that there are very few wrong answers to the font puzzle -- just choices and options.

Cheers,
Loren

 

[Guy Stevens]

Again this all depends on where you plan on going.

In Spain, if you intend to take the boat offshore you have to be able to read the name and doc number from the time the boat is hull up on the horizon. This means that the name on most of the spanish cruising boats is the entire topsides. It looks a bit weird at first, but the first time you see one at the far end of the anchorage, and can easily read the name, you can see why they do it.

I like something nice and big, as long as it is tasteful.

Guy

 

[Loren Beach]

Taking the long view

... music playing in the background: "...Well I've never been to Spain, but I've been to Oklahoma..."

Guy, I wonder if the Spanish rule is one reason so many UK boats have huge registration numbers or their name on the cockpit spray cloths, both sides?

And, here is a nice picture from the long list of splash screen Ericson pics that shows Sean's boat with the name from a moderate distance, more in proportion, IMHO.
The name looks quite a bit "smaller" than it does up close, in an isolated picture of the lettering.

Loren

 

[NateHanson]

I'd be careful with the proportions. An 8' long name on the quarter of a 29' long boat might be a little large.

 

[HGSail]

Hey Bart,

I was just down at the boat and I got the real measurements 4" tall X 38" long. When I paint the hull and deck I think I will go with 6" X 45". Also I bought the sticker at a sticker both at the mall and I am very happy with it other than the size (it could be a little bigger)

Pat
E29
'73
#224
Holy Guacamole