Gallery

What the vinyl looks like once it is on a boat — on gelcoat, bare aluminium, rotomoulded plastic and a textured pontoon rail, in both colours we stock.

Registration numbers, hull by hull

The surface is the thing that changes. Gelcoat is easy; plastic and textured aluminium need the high-tack film, which we send free.

IA 3717 ZW · 3" black on a white hull. Bow, both sides, with the validation decal aft. — **IA 3717 ZW · 3" black on a white hull**Bow, both sides, with the validation decal aft

MC 1234 AB · 3" white on a navy hull. Dark hull, light vinyl - the contrast rule in one picture. — **MC 1234 AB · 3" white on a navy hull**Dark hull, light vinyl - the contrast rule in one picture

MO 1234 AB · 3" white on metalflake. Glossy gelcoat is the easiest surface there is. — **MO 1234 AB · 3" white on metalflake**Glossy gelcoat is the easiest surface there is

WS 1234 AB · 3" black on bare aluminium. Flat panel between the rivet rows. — **WS 1234 AB · 3" black on bare aluminium**Flat panel between the rivet rows

TX 1234 AB · 3" black on a pontoon rail. Textured aluminium, high-tack as standard. — **TX 1234 AB · 3" black on a pontoon rail**Textured aluminium, high-tack as standard

CF 1234 AB · 3" black on a PWC hull. High-tack vinyl, free on every PWC order. — **CF 1234 AB · 3" black on a PWC hull**High-tack vinyl, free on every PWC order

MN 1234 AB · 3" black on a kayak. Rotomoulded plastic needs high-tack. — **MN 1234 AB · 3" black on a kayak**Rotomoulded plastic needs high-tack

Names and transom lettering

Script is fine on a transom and illegal on a registration number. Curved transoms get laid out from your photo at no extra charge.

Transom name · 6" black script. Boat names start at $29. — **Transom name · 6" black script**Boat names start at $29

Name + hailing port · 6" and 4" on a curved transom. Arced to the curve from your photo. — **Name + hailing port · 6" and 4" on a curved transom**Arced to the curve from your photo

Script on a transom. Script reads beautifully on a transom. — **Script on a transom**Script reads beautifully on a transom

Measuring the transom. Send us the measurement and we lay it out. — **Measuring the transom**Send us the measurement and we lay it out

What arrives, and how it is cut

Cut from sheet vinyl to order, pre-spaced on one sheet with application tape over the top. Nothing is printed on a clear square.

What arrives in the envelope. Two sets, a squeegee and the instructions. — **What arrives in the envelope**Two sets, a squeegee and the instructions

Cut to order. Cut from sheet vinyl to order, not printed. — **Cut to order**Cut from sheet vinyl to order, not printed

Three inches against six. The same number at two heights. — **Three inches against six**The same number at two heights

Cut to order in Evansdale. Plotter, vinyl, and a bench. — **Cut to order in Evansdale**Plotter, vinyl, and a bench

Copy it off the card. Character by character. — **Copy it off the card**Character by character

Getting it right

The two that cost people money: a number that is not distinctly visible against the hull, and characters under three inches.

The contrast mistake. White on white is not “distinctly visible”. — **The contrast mistake**White on white is not “distinctly visible”

What three inches looks like. 3 inches is the federal minimum. — **What three inches looks like**3 inches is the federal minimum

Where the numbers go. Forward half, both sides. — **Where the numbers go**Forward half, both sides

Removing old lettering. The ghost line the old set leaves behind. — **Removing old lettering**The ghost line the old set leaves behind

Read the rules in full →

Out on the water

Aluminium, fibreglass, river and lake. One pair fits any hull.

On the water. Social only - never used as proof. — **On the water**Social only - never used as proof

At the ramp. Social only - never used as proof. — **At the ramp**Social only - never used as proof

Tied up. Social only - never used as proof. — **Tied up**Social only - never used as proof

Every kind of boat. One pair fits any hull. — **Every kind of boat**One pair fits any hull

Aluminium and fibreglass. Different hulls, different adhesive. — **Aluminium and fibreglass**Different hulls, different adhesive

On the Cedar River. Local pickup at the shop. — **On the Cedar River**Local pickup at the shop

The install, step by step

The same hull through all seven frames, so you can see what each stage is meant to look like before you start.

Step 1 · Wash, then wipe with alcohol. Soap leaves a film and wax is the enemy of adhesive. — **Step 1 · Wash, then wipe with alcohol**Soap leaves a film and wax is the enemy of adhesive

Step 2 · Tape the sheet in position, dry. Two strips of tape along the top edge, as a hinge. — **Step 2 · Tape the sheet in position, dry**Two strips of tape along the top edge, as a hinge

Step 3 · Wet the hull. A few drops of dish soap in a spray bottle of water. — **Step 3 · Wet the hull**A few drops of dish soap in a spray bottle of water

Step 4 · Peel the backing away. The characters stay on the clear tape. — **Step 4 · Peel the backing away**The characters stay on the clear tape

Step 5 · Squeegee from the centre out. Firmly, from the middle toward each edge. — **Step 5 · Squeegee from the centre out**Firmly, from the middle toward each edge

Step 6 · Pull the tape back on itself. Flat back against itself, not straight out. — **Step 6 · Pull the tape back on itself**Flat back against itself, not straight out

Step 7 · Leave it 24 hours. No pressure washing, no launching, for a day. — **Step 7 · Leave it 24 hours**No pressure washing, no launching, for a day

Read the full install guide →

One state at a time

Every state page carries a shot of that state’s format on a hull, photographed where people actually launch.

FL 1234 AB · 3" black on a light hull. What a Florida number looks like on the bow. — **FL 1234 AB · 3" black on a light hull**What a Florida number looks like on the bow

NY 1234 AB · 3" black on a light hull. What a New York number looks like on the bow. — **NY 1234 AB · 3" black on a light hull**What a New York number looks like on the bow

GA 1234 AB · 3" black on a light hull. What a Georgia number looks like on the bow. — **GA 1234 AB · 3" black on a light hull**What a Georgia number looks like on the bow

IL 1234 AB · 3" black on a light hull. What a Illinois number looks like on the bow. — **IL 1234 AB · 3" black on a light hull**What a Illinois number looks like on the bow

WN 1234 AB · 3" black on a light hull. What a Washington number looks like on the bow. — **WN 1234 AB · 3" black on a light hull**What a Washington number looks like on the bow

LA 1234 AB · 3" black on a light hull. What a Louisiana number looks like on the bow. — **LA 1234 AB · 3" black on a light hull**What a Louisiana number looks like on the bow

All 21 state pages →