Lettering

[Sneaky Pete]

Can anyone suggest the best way to apply lettering, (boat name), onto a swinging mooring buoy. The buoy supports the riser chain and is about 60cm in diameter. Would like a method that lasts a couple of years.

 

[MoodySabre]

If you have made by a sign company the it will come in one strip. Mark a line where it goes and apply, peeling off the outer layer when when fixed.
To get a longer lasting job then the fibreglass needs to be very clean.

Oops didn't notice it was a buoy.

 

[prv]

What sort of buoy? Soft inflatable, or rigid fibreglass?

Pete

 

[pvb]

I'd paint it in Hammerite, using stencils. You could get a stencil made easily by a signwriting company, in cut-out vinyl. Stick it around the buoy, paint Hammerite on, remove the stencil. You could use special PVC paint instead (as used for inflatables) but it's eye-wateringly expensive and for your stated couple of years Hammerite should be fine.

 

[Daydream believer]

For the polythene inflatable & foam filled we have found that the vinyl lettering seems to be the best. It is not easy to apply to the 3d surface but one has to cut the strip onto short sections to allow one to form a more parallel line around ( as in latitude) around the sphere
If you want to use stencils print on paper in "Word" ( 2-4 letters per page) & cut out with a modelling knife. Draw around the letter with a felt tip pen & fill in to the line with paint.
One method we did use, was sections of plastic soffit 10mm thick. 80 * 225 .Cut the name free hand in the surface 3mm deep,with a small router & 6mm bit, Fill the letters with bitumen paint, remove the protective covering, so that the black paint is now neatly in the grooves, Fix the tag to the buoy with a cable tie. Best for simple site numbers or short names. Quick for large quantities or application to a buoy already on the mooring.

 

[LadyInBed]

You have time on your hands, so cut a template and spray it on.

 

[Humblebee]

Your other, and cheaper option, is to buy a small fender, write or paint your boat's name on it then tie it to the buoy. Quick and easy!

 

[JumbleDuck]

I bought a standard vinyl name from Funky Monkey, which has lasted eight years and counting. The riser buoy was almost new, which probably helped.

 

[chris-s]

Did ours last week. Drew it up on the computer, printed it out ‘mirrored’and stuck it to the back of some black sticky back vinyl, then cut the letters out.

 

[Sneaky Pete]

What sort of buoy? Soft inflatable, or rigid fibreglass?

Pete

Soft inflatable.