Quayside boat job – advice or suggestions?

[Robert Lambie]

always heat large areas at a time, dont over heat small areas, as it may damage the boat, or even scorch/discolour.
find a hidden area of the boat first. test all chemicals you are suing on that part before touching the rest of the boat.
the best way is to have the boat facing the sun, stripping is much easier.
before removing the vinyls take a chinagraph pencil and make series of marks all along the lines. then remove… you now have marks to work from. boats are sometimes a nightmare to get continuous straight lines.
if you have broad stripes, make sure NOT too thick or they WONT bend towards the front of the boat. IF THEY MUST bend then they will have to be cut in that shape before hand.

i personally dont like doing boats. not coz they are really difficult or anything like that, just awkward and slow.
rememebr your arm bands 😉

[Chris Hooper]

Thanks for the advice Rob – the striping towards the pointy end (to use the correct nautical terms) is a bit on the thick side. You say its fiddly and slow – how long would you allow for a job like this?

Thanks Chris

[David Shinn]

An amusing incident relating to working on boats:-

A signwriter I once worked with got the job of lettering the sides of a boat that was moored at Scarborough. When he arrived, it was not in dry dock, but shallow water, so he put his ladder into the water and got going. The first problem was the fact that he was still, but the boat was bobbing up and down. It was only moving slightly, but it was a real pain when trying to signwrite to chalklines. WORSE WAS YET TO COME! He did not notice as he worked, but his ladder was sinking very slowly into the seabed. When the time came to move his ladder down the boat, it was well and truly stuck in. Some nearby workmen saw him in trouble and came with the best intentions to help him waggle it free, but they broke the ladder in the process!

Not a good day, but he was able to relate the incident (much better than I can) years later, and had us all in stitches one tea break!

Regards,

David

Leeds

[Shane Drew]

I only did one boat in my career, and that was only last year. Something I have regretted ever since.

You see, I get sea sick, I mean I get REALLY SEA SICK. Even in shallow water, I’ll be sick as a dog in 5 minutes of sitting in the boat. I can not even sit in a bath for too long – seriously 😥 (althought I enjoy swimming)

The job I did was for a bloke that had been let down by a sign shop and he literally ran out in front of me and waved me down in the street, begging me to help. Poor bloke was nearly in tears. His boss was coming for a ‘day out’ and the boat had no rego or name on it.

I explained that I got sea sick, but said I’d help as long as no one was on or in the boat whilst I worked. (How long would it take after all) He agreed to all my conditions.

I was doing really well, although feeling very squeemish, but very proud of myself, when it seems the bloke was thirsty, and whilst I was balancing on the flybridge, he decided he needed a beer from his fridge in the galley. He was a big bloke, and running on and off the boat caused it to rock rather violently.

It was not a pretty sight 😥

Consequently, no more boats for me…..

[Chris Hooper]

:lol1:

I got a sneaking suspicion I will be suggesting waiting til the end of the season when the boat is out of water!

[Nobby Thomas]

Hi Mate,

Having done many boats and saving the idiots too I would strongly recommend waiting till the boat is out the water and setting up some for of walkway along the sides of the hull. A lot easier I can assure you. 😎

[Chris Hooper]

End of the boat season it is then!!!

:lol1: :lol1: :lol1:

[John Singh]

Extremely awkward when the boat is moored

I had to signwrite one whilst on the canal
As already mentioned the boat goes up and down but you get used to it and can some times predict the length of each bobble

I remember sitting rather awkwardly – almost off the edge of the bank bracing myself against the narrowboat with the water just beneath me.
And remember both hands occupied with the pallette board, mahl stick and brush!

Then I had to do the other side
Took about twenty minutes to turn the boat across the canal
Interesting experience though
And fortunately didn’t require the lifeguard :lol1:

John

[Chris Hooper]

Thought I would let you know how we got on yesterday. (so much for waiting until the end of the season – had to be done before the Bank Holiday)

Rob you were absolutely correct – painstaking and slow. However job made a lot easier by the advice on and from members of UK signboards.

The striping around the cabin area was quite thick 70mm and had to shape around 6 angles. Customer wanted this in two pieces and was prepared to pay. (applying round corners demo proved good) We also had a bit of good fortune as we contacted the boat maker and they forwarded a vector file for the whole thing)

Again advice on UK signboards “removing vinyl” proved sound – tested first in small area as Rob suggested – good old white spirit and the little chiseler was the way to go. (don’t use Autoglym Tar and glue remover as it took the polished finish straight off the gel coat)

They had a good mooring – access from a floating pontoon the full side gave us a good start – owner turned the boat around for the other side so all OK there.

Only trouble with the job is that I now need a new production assistant – last seen floating out of Dartmouth Harbour! At least he had a life jacket on”

Thanks again for the advice.

Chris

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