I've checked the archives, and most say that stick-on numbers and clear epoxy are good for the bilge or other out-of-sight place. The rep at West Marine says that epoxy, besides being expensive, will melt vinyl stick-ons, and recommended polyurethane to coat the numbers with. Has anyone used polyurethane? Will it provide the same desired result? Is it compatible with fiberglass? Thanks.
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Bob Zolczer
Epoxy didn't melt my vinyl stick on numbers
I believe the USCG requirement is that removal of the numbers would cause noticeable damage. Polyurethane varnish won't accomplish this. Epoxy will. Why do I get the impression that the West Marine employee who told you that didn't have a clue. I bet the store wanted to get rid of last year's stock of polyurethane.
I believe the USCG requirement is that removal of the numbers would cause noticeable damage. Polyurethane varnish won't accomplish this. Epoxy will. Why do I get the impression that the West Marine employee who told you that didn't have a clue. I bet the store wanted to get rid of last year's stock of polyurethane.
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Phil Decker
West System epoxy is the way to go
When I applied my documentation numbers, I used clear, two-part West System epoxy, and it was very, very easy. I used a paint brush to spread the opoxy over the lettering, after masking a rectangle around the area with masking tape. S/V Catmandu Catalina 27, 1982, A4, TR, trad.
When I applied my documentation numbers, I used clear, two-part West System epoxy, and it was very, very easy. I used a paint brush to spread the opoxy over the lettering, after masking a rectangle around the area with masking tape. S/V Catmandu Catalina 27, 1982, A4, TR, trad.
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Bob Howie
Stencils, sign painter, sign shop
Forget all that work -- sheesh! peel-n-stick, then epoxy or polyurethane!? I just hired one of those mobile graphics guys who was already at the shipyard next door to go down to my boat, do a quick job on the cockpit lazarette and then on the hull just under the companionway and that was it. $50 and he was thru. There's no USCG code of permanence just as long as the numbers are there and the graphics guy guaranteed the work for 5 years against fading or peeling; in and out, including making the signs, in about 20 minutes.
Forget all that work -- sheesh! peel-n-stick, then epoxy or polyurethane!? I just hired one of those mobile graphics guys who was already at the shipyard next door to go down to my boat, do a quick job on the cockpit lazarette and then on the hull just under the companionway and that was it. $50 and he was thru. There's no USCG code of permanence just as long as the numbers are there and the graphics guy guaranteed the work for 5 years against fading or peeling; in and out, including making the signs, in about 20 minutes.
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William Burgess
Epoxy over vinyl worked fine for me.
Cheap and easy. From USCG FAQ: The official number assigned to documented vessels, preceded of the abbreviation "NO." must be marked in block-type Arabic numerals at least three inches high on some clearly visible interior structural part of the hull. The number must be permanently affixed so that alteration, removal, or replacement would be obvious and cause some scarring or damage to the surrounding hull area.
Cheap and easy. From USCG FAQ: The official number assigned to documented vessels, preceded of the abbreviation "NO." must be marked in block-type Arabic numerals at least three inches high on some clearly visible interior structural part of the hull. The number must be permanently affixed so that alteration, removal, or replacement would be obvious and cause some scarring or damage to the surrounding hull area.
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Gregg
West Systems 101T?
Thank you all for the response. Since everyone seems to mention epoxy and no one mentions polyurethane, I had a feeling the kid at West Marine didn't know himself. As it turns out, I bought a West System 101T epoxy repair pack for something else. It consists of packets of the 105 resin and 205 hardener. This sound like the right stuff?
Thank you all for the response. Since everyone seems to mention epoxy and no one mentions polyurethane, I had a feeling the kid at West Marine didn't know himself. As it turns out, I bought a West System 101T epoxy repair pack for something else. It consists of packets of the 105 resin and 205 hardener. This sound like the right stuff?
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John Dawson
Thickness counts
The West Marine guy should have said it can melt them, not will melt them. If you've worked with epoxy, you know that when its thick, it will generate enough heat to fry vinyl. When you brush it on, its thin enough to stay cooler. Use the right amount of catalyst so it doesn't cure too fast and hot. Use two layers if you want it thicker.
The West Marine guy should have said it can melt them, not will melt them. If you've worked with epoxy, you know that when its thick, it will generate enough heat to fry vinyl. When you brush it on, its thin enough to stay cooler. Use the right amount of catalyst so it doesn't cure too fast and hot. Use two layers if you want it thicker.
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Bob Howie
Making all this too hard
What makes America truly great is that we can all do whatever we want however we want for as long as we want, but why make things difficult. The USCG rule does not say, nor does it infer, that documentation numbers have to be vinyl or something and be epoxied to the hull. You can simply paint them on and that's fine. I'm a little confused how this Goldbergian discussion of first affixing vinyl numbers and then coating them with epoxy came up in the first place. Anyone care to enlighten me? Maybe I'm missing something here. Y'know, years ago when I was growing up in the boat yards of south Mississippi, a lot of shrimp boats back then were wooden and folks -- including my father who happened to own a shrimper that we all had a lot of fun on -- chiseled the numbers into the structure; talk about being permanent!! Of course, with fiberglas hulls these days, that might not be too practical!!
What makes America truly great is that we can all do whatever we want however we want for as long as we want, but why make things difficult. The USCG rule does not say, nor does it infer, that documentation numbers have to be vinyl or something and be epoxied to the hull. You can simply paint them on and that's fine. I'm a little confused how this Goldbergian discussion of first affixing vinyl numbers and then coating them with epoxy came up in the first place. Anyone care to enlighten me? Maybe I'm missing something here. Y'know, years ago when I was growing up in the boat yards of south Mississippi, a lot of shrimp boats back then were wooden and folks -- including my father who happened to own a shrimper that we all had a lot of fun on -- chiseled the numbers into the structure; talk about being permanent!! Of course, with fiberglas hulls these days, that might not be too practical!!
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Rick Webb
Bob, You do Not Get it at all
If you read carefully between the lines of the regulation and the apocrypha you will see that it clearly states the documentation number must be sandblasted into a non accessible member filled with a fluorescing color resin epoxied over twice in two directions and illuminated with a black light from 37 minutes before sun up to 42 minutes after sun down or whenever the Astros are playing a day game.
If you read carefully between the lines of the regulation and the apocrypha you will see that it clearly states the documentation number must be sandblasted into a non accessible member filled with a fluorescing color resin epoxied over twice in two directions and illuminated with a black light from 37 minutes before sun up to 42 minutes after sun down or whenever the Astros are playing a day game.
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Lauraine
...and turn around clockwise 3 times and...
spit over your left shoulder...oh wait nevermind- that's the renaming ceremony...
spit over your left shoulder...oh wait nevermind- that's the renaming ceremony...
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Nelson Windsor
Stick on numbers & polyurathane
I used this method on the inner hull of my CS-40 about 9 years ago and the numbers are fine. The only negative is the polyurathane yellowed somewhat after 4 or 5 years but does not seem to have gotten any worse in the past few years. I put mine in a foul weather locker so they are not visible so the yellowing does not bother me.
I used this method on the inner hull of my CS-40 about 9 years ago and the numbers are fine. The only negative is the polyurathane yellowed somewhat after 4 or 5 years but does not seem to have gotten any worse in the past few years. I put mine in a foul weather locker so they are not visible so the yellowing does not bother me.
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Rob
Documentation
We just recieved documentation on the boat we bought in January..We have been thinking of changing the name.does anyone know the process for changing the name of a documented vessel?? thanks
We just recieved documentation on the boat we bought in January..We have been thinking of changing the name.does anyone know the process for changing the name of a documented vessel?? thanks
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