Name plate: specs on legibility?

vas

vas

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I apologise for not posting the delivery trip photos as it's not happened yet (delays in the paperwork due to the beaurocracy in the whole system...)
Following a three week period of discussing the name we should give her (currently called Freedom a rather 70ies name to fit with her age I suppose...) we just this morning decided. So I spend the last five mins (waiting for next meeting) sketching the following:

mitos_1.jpg


To be lasercut in stainless steel and bolted using spacers on the transom.

Big Q: is that going to be considered legal or am I going to have probs. I can improve legibility with small perforations and playing with textures no problem, just the overall image I'm afraid is slightly too arty and akin to shopfronts and company logos and less to crafts.

I admit that it is going to dramatically improve before going to the cutters, but that's not the issue.

So, what do ppl think?

tia

Vassilis
 
Mitos ? But it looks a bit like the UK Olympic logo sideways on.

Is it the registration number that concerns you ? It really needs to be separate.
 
@Steve Clayton

lol, since I was testing the waters, you'd not expect me to just give away the name on the first post, would you? :)
Yep, I see your point, not legible enough (or at all...)

@sarabande
Out of curiosity, did you figure it out, or checked the jpg filename?

oops, didn't known the two have to be separate! I can do another one for the reg.no, no big deal. Must be under the name, right?

Mind you, boat registered in Greece, so I have to check with them as well, just getting an idea of what is expected from names and numbers in general.

I'm afraid I'll eventually have to use this as a backdrop and maybe have clear(ish) patterns for each letter overlaid and spaced in front of the ss plate. Point is that in this case I'll have to use another material for the letters which'll be some synthetic thing that will look **** or if I wanted to spend days on doing it, could be lacquered teak veneer at 6mm to get a 3D effect.
An autocad/3dsmax job for the w/e for sure.

cheers

V.
 
I think that is too arty - to the point where it is illegible :)

Also it would be much better if the reg number were done in vinyl decals, maybe silver colour, so that they look "inferior" to the main s/s name and don't spoilt the name. Doing the reg number in s/s letters makes them too "important", and you want them to be "inferior" (indeed, you only have the sodding numbers to comply with rules; aesthetically you'd prefer if they were not there at all).

www.yachtlite.com do backlit names if you want. My "Match" is on their gallery.
 
thanks for the comments and sarabande for the info on the PM
Didn't realise that legally the one needed is the number and not the actual name...

second go now that kids are asleep and I have some time to spare.
The number will either remain in decal as it is now, or most likely will be a similarly set ss item 10-15cm lower than the name with a solid bar of ss on the bottom out of which all letters and numbers emerge v.clearly. No teak on it, so will feel to be more on the background.


mitos_2.jpg


The shaded area is where teak veneer will be used to form clearly the letters with a backdrop of ss spaced over the hull.

and yes name is Mitos as in Ariadne's ball of string given to Theseus in order to find the exit of the Minotaur maze. Enough of Greek mythology, mainly the idea is that the craft will be the tool/means to solve some of our problems, mainly being together as a family and relaxing over the summer...
Wife's idea I like, np.

However, it may also mean the tangled mess of wiring developed over the last 35 odd years that I have to solve over the winter to get her to the standards I want (and the other 3 can enjoy...) :rolleyes:

btw, what height do I aim for name and numbers, any internationally regarded minimums I should adhere to? Gut feeling for the 43ft size would be 12-14cm for letters and 8-10max for numbers.

V
 
FlowerPower said:
Looks like the label on a packet of crisps or biscuits?
Click to expand...
not sure what you have in mind, left UK in 99 and only being back 2-3 times on vacation. Only biscuit package I can recall is mcvities plain chocolate hobnobs which was part of my main diet for 7-8yrs back then :)
Probably the colours used are confusing, that's the felt tip markers my son had around at the time...
 
virtuvas said:
So, what do ppl think?
Click to expand...
V, I hate to rain on your parade, but I always assume that when someone ask such questions, is looking for honest answers.
So, sorry but mine is that I really do NOT like your drawing.
Maybe, and I stress maybe, I could live with that on a modern sportboat.
But your is a proper, "serious" vessel, which demand something more elegant.
My suggestion is a classic serif font. I very much like the Felix Titling for instance, but there are many others which would be fine.
Otoh, the materials you have in mind (teak letters on a s/steel plate) would be appropriate.
Actually, I've been a fan of the KIS principle on my boats for decades, therefore I always went for plain vanilla decals, because not only they're quick/easy/cheap to make and to replace if and when faded, but they also never become a dirt trap, and can be washed very easily.
That said, from an aesthetic viewpoing, the 3D effect of wood on steel could be very nice on a boat like yours.
Just be aware that after spending a lot of time to make it, you will have to spend many more to keep it ship shape during the whole boat life... :)
 
MapisM said:
V, I hate to rain on your parade, but I always assume that when someone ask such questions, is looking for honest answers.
So, sorry but mine is that I really do NOT like your drawing.
Maybe, and I stress maybe, I could live with that on a modern sportboat.
But your is a proper, "serious" vessel, which demand something more elegant.
My suggestion is a classic serif font. I very much like the Felix Titling for instance, but there are many others which would be fine.
Otoh, the materials you have in mind (teak letters on a s/steel plate) would be appropriate.
Actually, I've been a fan of the KIS principle on my boats for decades, therefore I always went for plain vanilla decals, because not only they're quick/easy/cheap to make and to replace if and when faded, but they also never become a dirt trap, and can be washed very easily.
That said, from an aesthetic viewpoing, the 3D effect of wood on steel could be very nice on a boat like yours.
Just be aware that after spending a lot of time to make it, you will have to spend many more to keep it ship shape during the whole boat life... :)
Click to expand...

not to worry MM, I am looking for honest answers, else I'd just post the finished rendering from 3DSMAX and send the file to the lasercutter...

I'm also slightly worried about the 35yo vs modern(ish) design, but as a designer it's easy to get carried away :rolleyes:

Having a heavily curved transom and a centrally placed gangway things are a bit difficult...
Was thinking of "curving" the design so once bent and bolted on the transom the top straight line will register as horizontal. Problem is that I have no proper photos and wont be back in Athens for 10 days (hopefully for the delivery trip) Need to do a half decent photomontage to get the right feel for it.

Considering the gangway and the need to have fairly large letters far apart to be visible (if I stick to a centrally placed setup) I think the above design is impossible unless it is over a 1m long which would be awful...
If I opt for an offset name, then the design should be okish.
I may after all simply cut 2 of them at 40X12cm and place them on the sides just over the side windows at f/b level.

Plenty of real work to do, so 2D and 3D modeling will wait for a while.

cheers

V.
 
fwiw, and while still waiting for the documentation and transfer to complete I had a go on modeling my design:

plan
mitos_3D_p.jpg


looking down
mitos_3D_u.jpg


side(ish) view
mitos_3D_ds.jpg


don't know if I finally cut and put this up on the transom but it's more or less what i had in mind when I started the thread. I'd definitely do some more work on the S and 8 9... and spend a lot of time getting it the right size for the lot.
Had another look around the yachts and mobos in our marina and it seems I could get away with this lot being 35-40cm wide (i.e. rather small)

V
 
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reviving an old thread of mine, so I guess it's okay :p

when I first posted I can assure you I wasn't expecting three years on to have the boat on the hard, but here we are...
So, had another go at the label as I'm stuck at home with flu...

mitos_logo_1b.gif


mitos_logo_2b.gif


It's a rough cut without "disassembling" the font curves and sorting out minor glitches, moving/shifting things a few mm about to get the to line properly. Probably to be placed to starbord on the transom as the ladder from the bathing platform is going to be to port.
Two options there:

A. Laser cut on from a sheet (2 or 3mm) with the letters "missing" (provision for the O, 8 and 9 with short cuts/links) bolted on spacers

B. laser cut letters one by one, secured on the transom through I guess small ss screws

No backlit, think it's too much for my boat-would like it more discreet.

Size probably around 350-450mm across.
Worried on option A that some kids may be able to take part of their scalp off :(
Option B again has the mounting issue, as I'm not happy with two dozen ss countersunk screws there

another take on the idea A with the links in place (not too happy but again that was a 3min pshop job...)

mitos_logo_2d.gif



cheers

V.
 
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sorry Vas, trying to post a pic of Rafiki's lettering, but for some reason, I am only getting a whale tail fluking. Bizarre! However, Rafiki is in stainless steel, on glued backing. Still looks like new after 18 months. Supplied by Techstainless.
 
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rafiki_ said:
sorry Vas, trying to post a pic of Rafiki's lettering, but for some reason, I am only getting a whale tail fluking. Bizarre! However, Rafiki is in stainless steel, on glued backing. Still looks like new after 18 months. Supplied by Techstainless.
Click to expand...

Website (if it wasn't obvious) http://www.techstainless.com/

I like the Versilcraft lettering too.

Pete
 
thanks guys,

I also like the original lettering, only I'd forgotten that I've got the pics that JFM sent me a couple of years ago!
I'll try and model them from the pic, a bit more work on photoshop as I got to perspective correct the pic and trace the letters over, but no big deal.

Not too keen on vinyl letters, maybe 1mm thick stainless would be nice.
Talking about glue there, what do you recommend, obviously not double sided 3M self adhesive on that heat!

Could do all the lettering in one go (both name and model/builder) Thank god we've not got this silly ruling with the 200mm (at least!) high letter number combo that the Italians do.

cheers

V.
 
Vas, if you buy from Techstainless, the letters will come with the glue. All you have to do is Mark out and apply them. Dead easy, no harder than vinyl. If you get the letters cut locally, then a double sided tape will work, probably 3M.
 
I'll happily be corrected, but afaik Techstainless only make letters in their range of fonts. For the "London" on my transom I used http://smart-group.co.uk/stainless_steel_lettering.htm because they made the letters in any font/design I wanted (I wanted the Porsche 911 font). They were made in 1mm thick mirror polished s/s with high-bond tape applied, so all I had to do was peel off the backing paper. The letters were all ready-spaced on a single sheet of paper too. The edges were a bit rough and if ordering again I would insist they polish the edges a bit better. IIRC this was about £60
photo-3.jpg


Vas for a boat flagged in UK you don't need any registration number at all on the outside of the hull. The number goes on a small plate inside, on an engineroom bulkhead for example. You do need a port name on the hull, so maybe it's no net advantage
 
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