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Click here to PRINT
these Instructions |
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| Applying your vinyl
graphics is simple if you follow some basic guidelines.
The boat names generally come in one piece and
are sandwiched between a paper layer of transfer
tape and a wax layer of backing. |
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| You will need only
a few items: |
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- Mildly soapy water in a spray bottle or
mister. Just enough dish detergent to break
the surface tension and suds up a little.
Maybe three or four drops per quart.
- A piece of hard plastic, we call a "squeegee"
- A roll of masking tape.
- An Exacta blade.
- A tape measure
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| Wait for a nice
day, unless you are a fearless pro. The worst
weather is windy weather. Rain is OK, but not
while you're applying. Tarp it off if you have
to. Vinyl should never be applied in temperatures
less than 40 degrees Fahrenheit or 4 degrees Celsius.
Also the lettering surface should be free of dirt
and wax for best results. Done properly, this
job will last for over seven years, (or until
you sell the boat.) |
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| 1. |
Temporarily tape
name to boat. To get the name to go up
straight, start with a piece of tape on one corner.
With the backing still on the graphics (that's
right, don't get ahead of yourself now!) slap
it up there where you think it should go. Go ahead!
You can always move it if you don't like the position |
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| 1. |
Bring the other side into
position and tack it down with another piece of
tape. Use a tape measure to be sure it is level.
If you have a straight edge on the paper backing
to measure to, great! If not, measure from the
edges of similar letters. Remember that some letters
(like O's and S's) normally sink below the line
of text. If you like coffee, now is the time to
stand back and take a break. Breathe deeply that
air of satisfaction, knowing that |
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you
are actually getting somewhere! |
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| 2. |
If you're lettering
both sides of the vessel, pick a piece of hardware
common to both port and starboard as a reference
point BEFORE you begin. You'll really want to
double check position of both sides before adhering
either! Sometimes one side of the boat surprises
you with a drain or a mystery window. Seriously!
Stand back and take a moment to look. |
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| 3. |
"Hinge"
the graphic along one of the straight edges with
a long piece of tape. Half the tape should
be on the transfer paper and half on the boat.
Make sure you've got a grip. |
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| 4. |
Now when you flip
the graphic back to remove the wax paper, everything
stays in place. Test it! Make sure it's not getting
loose on you! If you can't flip it back because
you're on a curved surface, cut between the letters.
See the diagram in step six below. |
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| 5. |
Peel back the
wax paper and expose the sticky side of the vinyl.
Big long names sometimes call for a helper at
this point, but if you have a name that can be
divided into smaller sections, cut between the
letters so that you're dealing with a more manageable
piece of vinyl. |
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| Separating the
letters after hinging is also very helpful when
lettering on curves surfaces...each letter needs
to fall differently and cutting between them will
assure that |
you
steer clear from leveling problems. |
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| 6. |
Many times it's
easier to smooth out the name if you mist the
adhesive backing with a little soapy water. Wetting
it also prevents it from sticking immediately
and the soap makes "the water wetter."
Usually a wet application is good, then again,
if it's too soapy and doesn't stick at all, you
have to rinse some of that soap off with fresh
water. Generally, use the wet application as it's
easier to squeegee out water bubbles than it is
to squeeze out air bubbles. When all the water
evaporates out from under the name in a few days,
the vinyl will adhere as if it were going up dry
to start. If you're one of those daring pros,
you'll start with a dry application because you
know it's going to stick better right away. |
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| 7. |
Lay the vinyl
close to the hull. It won't stick if you've wet
it down, especially if you don't press it too
hard. It's called "pressure sensitive"
vinyl which means that the harder it is pressed,
the harder it sticks. Holding the free edge tautly,
just off the surface , pull the squeegee across
the center of the graphic to get a good center
line of adhesion. |
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| 8. |
Now you can lift
one of the sides up and squeegee from the center
line toward the edges. ALWAYS work from the center
toward the edges!! Do this to avoid trapping air
or water bubbles. |
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| 9. |
Finish off the
other half the same way (from the center to the
edges, then from the middle to the top and bottom).
If you started with a good centerline, the rest
of the vinyl will fall into place, naturally!
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| 10. |
Finish by spraying
down the transfer tape with that spray bottle.
Squeegee a little more for good measure and let
that water soak into the paper. The water not
only helps you apply the vinyl smoothly, it also
loosens the paper and helps to remove it without
pulling the vinyl back off the boat. Pop any bubbles
with a pin point and press out the air or water |
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Any
water bubbles will evaporate |
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| Congratulations! |