Wrap.

[KINGFISHER 9]

Thinking about getting the hull colour wrapped, probably in white.
Anyone in the South of France had anything wrapped? ... know any companies who do it? ... successful?

 

[jrudge]

Pm me and let's chat on the phone

 

[burgundyben]

Thinking about getting the hull colour wrapped, probably in white.
Anyone in the South of France had anything wrapped? ... know any companies who do it? ... successful?

The Wild Group. Greg Hoare. Old chum of mine. He knows how to wrap a boat.

White sounds boring, wrap it as a giant crocodile, much more fun.

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

The Wild Group. Greg Hoare. Old chum of mine. He knows how to wrap a boat.

White sounds boring, wrap it as a giant crocodile, much more fun.

Where is he, please?

 

[jrudge]

Wraps ...

Well we have one and whilst there are positives there are also things to consider.

The wrap we had done was by Grapefruit. Let me start by saying that our experience of them was very good and anything that follows should not be taken in any way as a comment on them, but simply the realities of living with a wrap.

If I was going to get a boat wrapped I would probably use Grapefruit as they stand by their work ( which in our case included a total rewrap).

So living with a wrap.

Firstly the obvious - it is not paint. It is a vinyl wrap, and vinyl wrap regardless of what you maybe told is relatively ( well very actually) fragile.

It comes in two "grades" our first one was the lower grade ( we did not know this at the time) and the second is a Cast Vinyl which we understand is tougher - within the limits that is is still a wrap of course.

Our problems were several fold - some of this can be avoided - more below - some just happens.

- Lifting

When the boat is lifted the wrap crinkles. This is not a good look.

This can be avoided by using yoga mats carefully positioned as the boat is lifted ( even with the mats we got one rogue crinkle ). If the boat is lifted and someone either is not told this is needed ( as in the first time the boat is lifted and you have been given no instructions to do anything different :-( ) or thinks they know better you will need repairs.


- Ropes

In the med we are stern to so by and large no ropes touch the sides of the boat. If you are in the uk for example and moor along side, or if in the med you pull into a full station and moor along side there is every opportunity for the ropes or a spring line to drag down the side of the boat. This will ( in my experience not may - will) tear the wrap.

We were in Sardinia, literal gale pulling into the fuel station and the boat drifts back on the ropes. Ropes go down side of boat.

Can you avoid it - you can but ... if you often have inexperienced crew who do as you ask ( put that line there please) their consideration is not going to be your wrap - and neither to be honest is yours when you ask them to put the line there. Even experienced crew are going to think of the boat first and the wrap second.

Once its done it done. So you can avoid it but in the real world it will happen.

- General Wear

We may have been unlucky. After 18 months the wrap looked terrible. It made the boat look old and was streaked etc.

The manufacturer rejected a claim. Grapefruit re wrapped it.

What caused this is not really certain but if you are using teak cleaner, shampoo or anything else and it runs down the boat I would be very very careful.

- Fender Scratch

Not a huge issue but fenders do make rub marks. I gather that some wrappers are now putting a clear wrap on top to try and add strength / lack of scratches etc. This adds some 50% to the price.


Would I do it again ? Maybe - there is the advantage the hull below is like new when it comes off if its a new boat.

If you know its limitations ( above) and have a plan to manage them you will be in a better place than I was.

If your hull is tired, or you dont like the colour, then for little money if makes it look like new which is a positive.

There is no such thing as a free lunch, and a wrap is no exception. Cars dont have fenders, ropes and so on so the like for like comparison is not clear cut.

Each boat is different and has cleats in different places - look at you boat when normally moored - where are the ropes - if they touch any part you will have wrapped ... I would think again.

 

[boatingdave]

Wraps ...

Well we have one and whilst there are positives there are also things to consider.

The wrap we had done was by Grapefruit. Let me start by saying that our experience of them was very good and anything that follows should not be taken in any way as a comment on them, but simply the realities of living with a wrap.

If I was going to get a boat wrapped I would probably use Grapefruit as they stand by their work ( which in our case included a total rewrap).

So living with a wrap.

Firstly the obvious - it is not paint. It is a vinyl wrap, and vinyl wrap regardless of what you maybe told is relatively ( well very actually) fragile.

It comes in two "grades" our first one was the lower grade ( we did not know this at the time) and the second is a Cast Vinyl which we understand is tougher - within the limits that is is still a wrap of course.

Our problems were several fold - some of this can be avoided - more below - some just happens.

- Lifting

When the boat is lifted the wrap crinkles. This is not a good look.

This can be avoided by using yoga mats carefully positioned as the boat is lifted ( even with the mats we got one rogue crinkle ). If the boat is lifted and someone either is not told this is needed ( as in the first time the boat is lifted and you have been given no instructions to do anything different :-( ) or thinks they know better you will need repairs.


- Ropes

In the med we are stern to so by and large no ropes touch the sides of the boat. If you are in the uk for example and moor along side, or if in the med you pull into a full station and moor along side there is every opportunity for the ropes or a spring line to drag down the side of the boat. This will ( in my experience not may - will) tear the wrap.

We were in Sardinia, literal gale pulling into the fuel station and the boat drifts back on the ropes. Ropes go down side of boat.

Can you avoid it - you can but ... if you often have inexperienced crew who do as you ask ( put that line there please) their consideration is not going to be your wrap - and neither to be honest is yours when you ask them to put the line there. Even experienced crew are going to think of the boat first and the wrap second.

Once its done it done. So you can avoid it but in the real world it will happen.

- General Wear

We may have been unlucky. After 18 months the wrap looked terrible. It made the boat look old and was streaked etc.

The manufacturer rejected a claim. Grapefruit re wrapped it.

What caused this is not really certain but if you are using teak cleaner, shampoo or anything else and it runs down the boat I would be very very careful.

- Fender Scratch

Not a huge issue but fenders do make rub marks. I gather that some wrappers are now putting a clear wrap on top to try and add strength / lack of scratches etc. This adds some 50% to the price.


Would I do it again ? Maybe - there is the advantage the hull below is like new when it comes off if its a new boat.

If you know its limitations ( above) and have a plan to manage them you will be in a better place than I was.

If your hull is tired, or you dont like the colour, then for little money if makes it look like new which is a positive.

There is no such thing as a free lunch, and a wrap is no exception. Cars dont have fenders, ropes and so on so the like for like comparison is not clear cut.

Each boat is different and has cleats in different places - look at you boat when normally moored - where are the ropes - if they touch any part you will have wrapped ... I would think again.

Comprehensive response - I was thinking of it but this has put me off. ;-)

 

[jrudge]

I may put you off but that is not really the aim - but you need to go into it with your every wide open - i didn't!

 

[boatingdave]

I may put you off but that is not really the aim - but you need to go into it with your every wide open - i didn't!

I realised it wasn't the aim but it is good information so it can be a better informed decision. . Our hull is fine, I just fancied a change in colour but with the constraints you described, with the fenders and cleats on our boat I'm not sure the risk is justified against cost. I've seen other boats with a wrap and they look fantastic which is what started me thinking but maybe I should focus on other enhancements. Thanks for the reply.

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

I may put you off but that is not really the aim - but you need to go into it with your every wide open - i didn't!

Thanks for the PMs ... your in-depth report above has made my mind up for me ... now for Plans B or C !!!

 

[aquapower]

The Wild Group. Greg Hoare. Old chum of mine. He knows how to wrap a boat.

White sounds boring, wrap it as a giant crocodile, much more fun.

That is another company I shall get a quote from, have been recommended by others, I had price of about £1600 from Grapefruit for a band round the hull about 400mm wide on 7m boat which I thought sounded a bit much so will get more quotes before going ahead, will sort ready for next year now as don't want to lose time now.