How to Apply Decal Stickers on a Boat or Car | Sailing Wisdom

[@CraigOverend]

When using soap, at the end I always cover the sticker with a non-stick paper like the piece you peeled the sticker from, and then using the applicator apply a lot of pressure to squeeze all the soap out especially at the edges. This way lets you apply a lot more pressure than applying the applicator directly on the vinyl and you don't risk damaging the vinyl, especially on narrow pieces like the leaf veins.

[@allynonderdonk7577]

Nice job on the stickers. I had a vinyl cutting business in with my computer shop. The soapy water does a fairly decent job of applying stickers. However it does tend to break down portions of the adhesive just so you know. They sell something called "application fluid" that doesn't generally hurt the sticker. Basically it is glycerin based. You will need to go back over the sticker two weeks after the soap dries. Additionally when working with large or long stickers you want to put a piece of blue tape in the middle like a hinge. Then work on one side then the other using the tape to keep the work centered and to help you not take on too much at once. Marine stickers also need to be very high grade, because they are subject to the most abuse by the elements. If they gave you basic grade you may have to do it again within two or three years. Also there is a clear coat they sell for vinyl stickers you may want to apply....

[@tedfaber]

I was an Exhibit Specialist and we used a spray bottle not a sponge full of water with one or two drops of dish soap. We 3M Sotch Cal vinyl with plastic backing. Other than that same process for small panels like yours or large graphic for a display.

[@markmahan6768]

Very timely as I'm installing new graphics on my Catalina 30 this Easter Sunday. Thanks you two! Steady on mateys...

[@captainbob406]

The boat is looking really good! The new paint glistens. I really like your logo. One of the best. Great job, both of you!

[@richardbohlingsr3490]

The vinyl decals really look nice and professional on the boat. Nice job and you should really be easily identified. No more knocking on the boat at night by customs.

[@RiggingDoctor]

😉

[@sailingmoonshadow3169]

Nice one. I've got a compound name design for my boat "Moon Shadow" which will be the same as the logo on my KZbin channel so this video is very timely! Thanks 👍

[@alphasails2]

Thanks for a good technique on doing something that seems so simple. As always, 👍🙏❤️⛵️

[@jamescarid3448]

I learn something everytime. Good vid.

[@johnlcallaway]

Thank you very much, I would never have thought using soapy water would be a good idea.

[@sonnylange3051]

Name and logo came out Great!

[@gordongriesmann2720]

looks really good

[@waynemazan7485]

GReat job, sticker looks good !!!

[@wombatdk]

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing :)

[@zuriidoeta455]

What is the size of the font? Is there a rule or do you just eye ball it?

[@RiggingDoctor]

If your boat is not documented with the US coast guard, and you are an American boat, you can do anything you want. If you are documented with the US Coast Guard: The name needs to be 6 inches tall. The hailing port needs to be 4 inches tall. You need the name and port on the stern, for recreational boats, the name on the bow is optional.

[@jimnickles2347]

Nice. And I REALLY LIKE that black boat next to you. What is it?

[@RiggingDoctor]

I’m not sure, he just arrived but the owner wasn’t there. It’s about 30 feet or less with a clipper bow and full keel. The best part is the name is Popeye!

[@jimnickles2347]

Yeah, I saw that. NICE! I like how the forefoot is cut away, wonder how she handles....@@RiggingDoctor

[@boazjoe1]

Like watching paint dry. Or rather like watching dry ink wetted dry. 😜 what about making the logo small and being dot on the i of wisdom? You guys have a new boat.

[@RocketSailing]

I have been in the sign/largeformatprinting biz for 22 years. Full 3M cert, sins the beginning. Including passenger aircrafts. I have to say. You can do it like that... But... I think you grapics supplier have done it easy for him/her self, delivering it in several parts. I never use sopy water exept for window tinting ect. Full foiling big trucks ect. I do dry application. Or my installers. Water application is a bit easier for beginners, getting no (or less)airbubbles with soapy water. Thouh, a cpl of minutes of work dry applied. Will take way longer with wetapplication. Use a spraybottle (instead of spongebob) with clean water and a cpl drops of soap. Preferably a neutral childs champoo. Jonnson&Jonnson has one that pretty much is avalible world wide. It is practically 3M approved. :) IF you get some bubbles with water application. They absolutly have to get adressed. On dry application. Small airbubbles will dissapear after a day or so in the sun. (1-2mm size) U can use plenty of soapwater, But you have to scrape hard with a propper squeegie. You also have to take account to about a week, to get full tack from the ahdisive. When using water. Have fullwrapped a few racing sailboats. So in that case you need to seal the edges. (can be smart with powerboats too) Plastic transfertape is ok with wet application. But I always use good paper transfer. Especially if there is some compound curves that is been applied to. Good info for ppl who whant to buy graphics. There is so many makes/manufacturers of vinyl foils. With each a bunch of different series for different applications. I see alot of my coulegues in the biz. Who sells to low quality materials. Wen getting quotes. Ask what make and series they are going to deliver. Its often marked on the liner/backpaper what it is. For boats that live in salty water and sun. Id strongly recommend a "8year" foil. At least... Life of the vinyl is depending on the enviroment. UV degradation ect. Recommended brands is 3M, Avery, MacTac, Oracal. And to some extend Hexis. But be avare that all brands have cheaper foils for short term use. Ask for casted vinyl. Or at least polymeric. These types also always has a propper ahdisiv. In other words, make sure you get what yo pay for. And if it is cheap. It probably is cheap quality. Considering this type of product takes some manual labour to produce. (and apply if you dont want to do it youre self) And for longterm graphics. Dont buy printed logos ect. The color will have faded severly in a few years in the sun. Screenprinted will live longer than digital printed. But a through colored cutfoil. Will last way, way longer in the sun and salty waters. Oh! Fist thing! Us a solvent to clean the surface. befor anything else. Nothing sticks well to a greasy surface. Or old wax. Wax with teflon or silicon is a pain in the butt.... Removing old graphics class.. will be a later story. Cheers!

[@RiggingDoctor]

Any suggestions on how to seal the edges? I just squeegeed them until they were perfect with no bubbles or blebs, but I did not apply anything else to seal the edges. What product and methods do you recommend?

[@RocketSailing]

3M has a edgesealant that I use. But in you’re case I wouldn’t use it. Fairly slow sailboat isn’t a problem. But let your decor sit for atleast a week before u go ⛵️

[@RiggingDoctor]

RocketSailing thanks for the info! It’s going to sit in the sun for over a month before it gets wet!

[@CaptMarkSVAlcina]

Dammit ,I was just about to watch TV now will have to watch this. Also I noticed that the sticker you put on is going the wrong way, the yacht is going forward and the sticker of your yacht is going the other way.

[@RiggingDoctor]

Haha! True. We didn’t want to mirror the image because then the view from the bow would show how unsymmetrical the boat is :P

[@SuperADI2]

And how you protect the sticker from salt water ? In short time the edge will start pealing out.

[@RiggingDoctor]

We shall see, but the last time I did it this way, the name stayed on for 4 years until I sanded it off to redo the topsides.

[@RiggingDoctor]

Different places do things differently. The shop I worked at we used dawn soap. I took graphics off my own car a few years after I applied them and they were hell to remove. There are always a ton of different ways of doing something and everyone is adamant that their way is the only correct way and every other way is horribly wrong, doomed to fail in a blaze of woes. Everyone also seems to be very happy with the results of their own projects. Maybe there is more than one way to do things and you could learn a little open mindedness in the process!

[@RiggingDoctor]

By the way, I put the old name on this boat with the exact same method and I had to sand the name off because I couldn’t get the letters to peel off.

[@SuperADI2]

@@RiggingDoctor Thank you for the answer, useful info :)

[@hughsmith7668]

I liked it when it looked like a pickle,

[@asraharrison]

You never showed the finished product. I wanted to see how all the stickers came out!

[@RiggingDoctor]

It’s on our Instagram page. Instagram.com/riggingdoctor