Boat Lettering

[midnightmadman]

Can someone tell me how well printed lettering on cast with luster laminate will hold up to saltwater on a boat compared to cast solid vinyl?
Thanks

 

[OldPaint]

no different then on a car or truck)))) paint on boats is still the way to go.

 

[fmg]

no different then on a car or truck)))) paint on boats is still the way to go.

Totally different from cars or trucks there are more UV rays beating up the lettering and salt water will contaminate the adhesion of the printed vinyl.
Why is paint on boats the way to go out of curiosity?

 

[LarryB]

We letter a lot of boats and use intermediate vinyl. If there is a full color graphic we will print on oracal 3640 and overlam with 210. Never had a problem in 7 years.

 

[midnightmadman]

We letter a lot of boats and use intermediate vinyl. If there is a full color graphic we will print on oracal 3640 and overlam with 210. Never had a problem in 7 years.

Thanks guys. I figured if its laminated it will be good to go. But I am sure there is a BIG difference from an automobile. The saltwater alone must take a toll on it. Not to mention the UV rays off the water!

 

[SolitaryT]

Up here in Alaska we've been using 3M, either 7125 for cut vinyl or the combination of IJ180Cv3 and 8518 or 8519, and we haven't had a problem here with those.

 

[Signed Out]

We letter a lot of boats and use intermediate vinyl. If there is a full color graphic we will print on oracal 3640 and overlam with 210. Never had a problem in 7 years.

3640 on a boat!? Does that really hold up?

 

[Billct2]

I would use anything but cast vinyl on boats.
And I actually think cast vinyl holds up way better than lettering enamel, and I used to spend lots of springs in the boat yards with my sign kit, and still miss it

 

[midnightmadman]

I'm just starting to break into the boat market so I want to make sure its done right of course.

 

[Jillbeans]

I only use cast on boats and vehicles.
I do paint them too though, depends on the client.
Love....Jill

 

[OldPaint]

paint on boats ...if your just doin a NAME, just looks so much better and professional. people who own boats.........HAVE MONEY. when you spend $50-100K for a boat, do you really want "stickers" on it???? this is one i did in 99-2001 somewhere in there. i was talkin to someone from new orlens the other day, and they have seen this boat....WITH MY PAINTED letters on it. and yes, the same people owned the kentucky derby winning horse.

 

[midnightmadman]

Thanks guys, the customer was very impressed!

 

[signs4u]

I would use anything but cast vinyl on boats.
And I actually think cast vinyl holds up way better than lettering enamel, and I used to spend lots of springs in the boat yards with my sign kit, and still miss it

why use anything but cast? Wouldn't calendar shrink around the edges?

 

[Billct2]

should be
WOULDN'T

 

[Pat Whatley]

paint on boats ...blah blah blah.... 99-2001 somewhere in there. blah blah blah....WITH MY PAINTED letters on it

Right. Maybe central Alabama is just a complete anomaly but around here most people who name boats don't keep them more than 4-5 years or they're having them redone anyway every 4-5 years. What's the point of painting something on a boat when all that's doing is making it a pain in the ass to change out 5 years later when Bill sells THE LUCKY SPERM to Bob who wants to change the name to WET DREAM?

Paint has it's place.....on the walls of a kitchen for example.

 

[Sign Works]

We letter a lot of boats and use intermediate vinyl. If there is a full color graphic we will print on oracal 3640 and overlam with 210. Never had a problem in 7 years.

3640 for boat lettering? Wouldn't that be like wiping your ass with a kleenex? Absoloutly the wrong material for the job, buy the correct material for the job you cheapskate.

How can you as a professional expect the customer to be willing to pay for the job to be done correctly if you yourself are too cheap to utilize the proper materials on the job in the first place?

BTW ... 3640 is not an intermediate grade calendered vinyl, it is an economy grade calendered vinyl. There is a big difference between the two, you might want to research this prior to choosing the proper media for the job.

http://www.oracal.com/products/_docs/qrg/QRG_solvent.pdf

 

[OldPaint]

sorry patti, but when your doin, $300,000.00 boat, people aint gona sell it in 5 years. for your beer drinkin, bass fishin guy in alabama, whos boat cost more then his mobile home........i guess stickers are great......he wont have it in 3 years before they repo it!!!!!hahahahahahahaha

 

[Fitch]

Boats are also different than vehicles that usually have "one lane" between them for readability.

I generally DOUBLE the drop shadow size. Looks better and more fitting from a distance.

Cheers - G

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

I agree with OP ...if it's just some boat that people use for what ever and are not concerned about the image Vinyl is fine.

But if the customer is more concerned about the image paint, gold, silver are the way.

After all you don't go to a transportation show to see graphics done with vinyl, yuk. You want to see artist craftsmanship at it's best.