Port decal/name placement for a USCG documented boat

[Dorfl68]

So, we got the Catalina 42! yeah!

We want to change the name. It's USCG documented. The regs say (for recreational boats) "letters at least 4 inches high, the name and hailing port must be marked together on some clearly visible exterior part of the hull."

I would like to put the name on the hull port and starboard close to the transom, and the port of hail on the stern. Is that allowed? That's how it has been on the boat but I am unclear how to interpret this regulation (or whether anybody cares). There is not enough space to put both on the stern (swim ladder/platform is in the way).

attached a picture from the internets with a similar setup. The name would be further back than this example.

 

[kappykaplan]

I haven't seen name and hailing port done that way, but your plan does seem to be in compliance with USCG regulations.

 

[Calif. Ted]

Last documented boat I had marked that way, name high toward the aft and hailing port on transom. I had a capitol letter so I think I went with 6" which gave me lower case letters big enough. Maybe that was just the font I was using but sometimes a little bigger is better, someone might be trying to read it from a distance. After the Ensenada race one year I was hailed by the Navy, "Sailing Vessel Expresso, this is US Navy Warship 61, we are 4 knotical miles off your port beam". I couldn't even see him of course.

 

[JoeWhite]

The image above appears to be catalina 36. Is that the vessel you are asking about? If it is c36 there is 32" of space for the hail port and over 4" of height. That is where I have mine on.
Visit DSC02609 | Sail-La-Vie | Catalina 36 MKII Album | Sail La Vie Home

 

[kappykaplan]

The image above appears to be catalina 36. Is that the vessel you are asking about?

So, we got the Catalina 42! yeah!

 

[JoeWhite]

C42 has 3 ports in front of the mast. C36 has 2. The image showed 2 ports. Is the 3rd one hidden in this image due to the angle of the photo? In any case there is plenty of room on the transom for hailing port lettering.