Paint or Vinyl name on transom
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RT Firefly
Enigma
Greetings,
Mr. Z. We're NOT in FL (over 600 miles north) but simple vinyl 12" letters (X6 for name) and 4" letters (X9 for hailing port) will be in the neighborhood of $150 installed. No graphics.
Mr. Z. We're NOT in FL (over 600 miles north) but simple vinyl 12" letters (X6 for name) and 4" letters (X9 for hailing port) will be in the neighborhood of $150 installed. No graphics.
psneeld
Guru
it is really about what you want....longevity can go either way too....but paint will almost always be more...especially if you want graphics or several colors, shadowing, etc.
my guess is 3 to 10 times more for paint....anyplace.
Boydster
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I've worked in the sign/graphics trade for over thirty years and started out as a traditional signwriter using a brush and maulstick. Traditionalists may make the choice of paint but my choice for application to fibreglass would be vinyl (although I have the utmost respect for traditional signpainters). A quality grade vinyl will easily outlast most painted graphics. You've actually got more design flexibility with the print and cut variety of vinyl over paint or the more common cut vinyl. Just know that when talking vinyl there's a huge selection of product out there, everything from custom prints to carbon fibre, metallics, mylar etc. Make sure that whoever is supplying and applying knows their product and what weathers best for your part of the world. As far as price goes...a computer and vinyl cutter/printer is just a tool and just about anybody that can pound a keyboard can sell you cut vinyl graphics. You can always cheap out and go for plain-jane stick on lettering or you can contract a reputable sign shop to work up something original and unique to you and your boat. I've found you usually get what you pay for. On our boat I didn't go paint or vinyl. I cnc engraved teak panels for the transom and port and starboard name boards. I've always thought that how much time, thought and effort that go into a boat's name speaks volumes about the owner, but then again I'm a bit biased! ;-)
Sailor of Fortune
Guru
K.I.S.S. it ! vinyl letters of your choice installed by the maker. Cheap, easy and look great. When time to remove them, a hair dryer is your friend.
No Mast
Guru
Hey, can you post a pic of how your transom came out? We need to redo our transom name and hadn't thought of that as an option.
When we bought our GB it had the name painted directly onto the varnished teak transom boards. It was a beautiful lettering job but it was the wrong name, so we had the yard the boat was trucked to sand off the paint and varnish and revarnish the transom.
My wife and I then made new teak nameboards for the transom (one for the name, one for the hailing port) as well as new nav light/nameboards for the sides of the flying bridge.
My wife had the graphics (name and drop shadow) made at a sign shop she knew the owner of, and after applying a zillion coats of varnish to the new boards we had the shop install the name, hailing port, and drop shaddows, That way it was their fault if it got screwed up during the application.
To us, the advantage of boards instead of painting or applying vinyl lettering directly to the transom planks is that when the transom needs revarnishing, the boards can be removed to allow a proper job of sanding and refininishing the transom planks.
My wife made covers for the nav light/name boards on the flying bridge sides and the boat came with a transom cover. So while the boards and lettering were done over 16 years ago, they siill look more or less new. We put a coat of Bristol on them every couple-three years to keep up the finish. (Do NOT apply Bristol directly to vinyl lettering: it will eat it up. Okay to apply after the letters have been coated with varnish, though.)
I don't have a close shot of the two transom boards. Here's a shot of one of the nav light/name boards we made.
And I agree with earlier posters--- properly carved letters with gold or silver leaf looks the best by far. We were just too cheap to do it.
My wife and I then made new teak nameboards for the transom (one for the name, one for the hailing port) as well as new nav light/nameboards for the sides of the flying bridge.
My wife had the graphics (name and drop shadow) made at a sign shop she knew the owner of, and after applying a zillion coats of varnish to the new boards we had the shop install the name, hailing port, and drop shaddows, That way it was their fault if it got screwed up during the application.
To us, the advantage of boards instead of painting or applying vinyl lettering directly to the transom planks is that when the transom needs revarnishing, the boards can be removed to allow a proper job of sanding and refininishing the transom planks.
My wife made covers for the nav light/name boards on the flying bridge sides and the boat came with a transom cover. So while the boards and lettering were done over 16 years ago, they siill look more or less new. We put a coat of Bristol on them every couple-three years to keep up the finish. (Do NOT apply Bristol directly to vinyl lettering: it will eat it up. Okay to apply after the letters have been coated with varnish, though.)
I don't have a close shot of the two transom boards. Here's a shot of one of the nav light/name boards we made.
And I agree with earlier posters--- properly carved letters with gold or silver leaf looks the best by far. We were just too cheap to do it.
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We drew our boat's name. Luckily transom was crystal clear when we got her.
Each nuance of/on the name means something to us. Young sign painter did finish touches to our drawing. Had stencil cut which he taped and traced outline onto transom. He took 8.5 x 11 inch landscape color photo of completed artistic rendition and taped that onto transom to follow while he was on swim-step free-hand painting our boat's name to completion. Paint is professional auto pinstripe oil-base. He feels it should last at least couple to three decades. Coming on to 7 yrs with no fade. We are careful to not water blast or scrub with abrasives. He treated the clean FRP gel coat with bonding agent before/while painting sign, So far we've chinked it in three places by equipment banging into it (each about 1/2 pinky nail size). Have a full color assortment of "Testors" model paint on board and have touched up the chinks.
We love it!
Can you guess who is the devil and who is the angel... !! ??
Each nuance of/on the name means something to us. Young sign painter did finish touches to our drawing. Had stencil cut which he taped and traced outline onto transom. He took 8.5 x 11 inch landscape color photo of completed artistic rendition and taped that onto transom to follow while he was on swim-step free-hand painting our boat's name to completion. Paint is professional auto pinstripe oil-base. He feels it should last at least couple to three decades. Coming on to 7 yrs with no fade. We are careful to not water blast or scrub with abrasives. He treated the clean FRP gel coat with bonding agent before/while painting sign, So far we've chinked it in three places by equipment banging into it (each about 1/2 pinky nail size). Have a full color assortment of "Testors" model paint on board and have touched up the chinks.
We love it!
Can you guess who is the devil and who is the angel... !! ??
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Boydster
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Thanks Neil, I made them myself. I have a sign, graphic, cnc and laser shop in Burnaby. Don't know what I'd charge for a set; I'll have to look into what teak is currently going for...I'll be in touch. - Boyd
We went with vinyl as I was able to design exactly what we wanted in PhotoShop and have it made. Turned out just like we wanted. We made a "How-to" video of the application process:
http://youtu.be/R8z_nMEVDsA
http://youtu.be/R8z_nMEVDsA
Ziggy8321
Veteran Member
Many thanks to all for the sound advice.
On one of our former wood boats (1927 35' ACF express) the transom was so pretty we just couldn't bring ourselves to putting anything on it.
Paul
On one of our former wood boats (1927 35' ACF express) the transom was so pretty we just couldn't bring ourselves to putting anything on it.
Paul
ChesapeakeGem
Senior Member
I have some old gold and silver leaf.
Possibly 200 sheets
I own a 36' 1982/3 Aft Cabin Sea Ray.
I'm thinking the name on her now is vinyl
We're pretty handy and artistic
How can I easily incorporate the gold/silver
Leaf into our new name ?
Capt.Bill11
Guru
I don't know if it's easy. But this is what a lot of people do with gold leaf.
Gold Leaf Boat Names » Designs & Signs
ChesapeakeGem
Senior Member
Mostly artist advertising their work. One mentioned gold leaf over black vinyl with a "special" coating" I could ask them ,how they do it? All they can tell me is no.
Acheron2010
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Best deal out there. https://www.boatus.com/boatgraphics/
Hand painted 2008. Automotive pin striping paint. Looks as good... 9 yrs. later!
Did pick up a full color array of Testors tiny glass bottles, filled with oil based model paint... for when a knick or scrape may happen due to play toys, tools etc on swim platform.
Did pick up a full color array of Testors tiny glass bottles, filled with oil based model paint... for when a knick or scrape may happen due to play toys, tools etc on swim platform.
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Nomad Willy
Guru
If you want to comunicate the name of your boat engineering gothic letters is best.
If you want to be cute or present a work of art ... paint on your best art.
Like anchors ... size matters. At least for comunication.
And the home port is the home port of your boat .. not your house.
That said I do like Art's "Office". It does it all.
If you want to be cute or present a work of art ... paint on your best art.
Like anchors ... size matters. At least for comunication.
And the home port is the home port of your boat .. not your house.
That said I do like Art's "Office". It does it all.
Deano
Senior Member
BoatUS will do your vinyl graphic reasonably and they make designing it easy. I made the stupid mistake of trying to install on a windy day and screwed it up. They sent me another set for minimal charge.
Boydster
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Unless carefully clear-coated silver leaf will tarnish. Genuine 23k gold leaf will look good for years if applied properly. Lots of info available online but it can be frustrating to work with for the novice. Are you certain that what you have is genuine gold leaf? There are some excellent faux gold leaf products that are fine for interior applications but they won't stand up very long in a saltwater and sunshine environment.
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McGillicuddy
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Here is a carved mahogany board mounted on stand-off spacers on the transom. I wanted gold leaf but at the time gold was very expensive so I chose paint. Still looks pretty good although it may require its first re-varnish after this summer.
BruceK
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Very nice personalized set of boards McGillicuddy.
My letters are done in yellow oil paint, and Cetol gloss varnish goes right over everything.
My letters are done in yellow oil paint, and Cetol gloss varnish goes right over everything.
markpierce
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Easily applied my former pocket-cutter's name with custom-ordered vinyl on both its sides.
On my current trawler, the builder painted the boat's name and home port on the stern for no extra charge.
On my current trawler, the builder painted the boat's name and home port on the stern for no extra charge.
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markpierce
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Fancy/artful script is often difficult to read. 
