Here is something I’m almost embarrassed to admit. Since we have had the boat there has been no hailing port in it. It was Point Loma when we bought the boat and we decided to have that removed when we had the bottom paint done and the hull waxed the first week of ownership. We were gonna have someone come and do it but never got around to it. I was looking online and needed to also replace the registration numbers and found a place that does this kinda thing CHEAP. The site is www.boatletteringtoyou.com and they have a pretty nice site that lets you pick the size and fonts and spacing. I measured the size of the Point Loma lettering from before, you can kinda see it still and got the new hailing port the same size but a different font. I think it was about $12.
Installation:
This was a breeze. I took my time so it would be centered and straight. I got some masking tape and taped a straight line across the transom. I measured from the tape to the top of the transom on each end of the tape and the middle. All exactly the same. I then grabbed the vinyl graphics and it comes with a 2 step application. Step one is line it up and then tape it with masking tape on the top to hold it in place. Then lift the vinyl upfront the bottom while keeping the tape at the top attached and peel off the paper backing exposing the letters adhesive. Then careful lay it flat down and using the plastic squeegee thing it comes with the smooth it out. Once that’s down i went over the letters with the plastic applicator for about 5 minutes. Then I peeled the top layer off which left just the letters on the boat.
DONE!!
I’m ashamed it only took 6 years to get around to a $12 solution. I’m pretty happy with the way it came out. Now if I could only change the way the backstay mounts to the transom and refresh the Cuajota lettering without the silver bar across the name. I’ll put that on the list of things to do. A lot of other things are ahead of it though.