replacement hull decals...

[CliffA]

the hull decals and striping for my boat are starting to peel and have some small missing pieces from bumping into docks over the years....new decals are no longer available from Sea Ray (shocker i know)....i thought about contacting a local graphics company to see what it would cost to have replacement decals made in the same shape/color as the originals....the original decals are in good enough shape that they can be used as templates for the new decals...

before i contact anyone about making new decals does anyone have any experience with this that could offer a 'ball park' price range?...i know the price can vary from one geographical region to another, but just trying to get a feel for pricing to get mentally prepared for what i am sure will seem like a high price when i do make the call...

 

[jason78]

Cliff, I would suggest you consider going back with just a double boot stripe. I think it may give the boat a little more "modern" look but more importantly, it will be MUCH easier for a graphics place to work up (nothing custom), easier to apply, less vinyl to work with= LESS COST. Not to mention, WAY less vinyl to worry about getting messed up again. My 225WE had a simple double boot stripe on each side. Like you, I had Light Blue Canvas and thought it looked very nice with the boot stripes. I can find a pic if you want to see what it looked like.

You may need to do a heavy compound to get rid of ghost marks from your old graphics but that should not be hard with a rotary buffer.

 

[CliffA]

Cliff, I would suggest you consider going back with just a double boot stripe. I think it may give the boat a little more "modern" look but more importantly, it will be MUCH easier for a graphics place to work up (nothing custom), easier to apply, less vinyl to work with= LESS COST. Not to mention, WAY less vinyl to worry about getting messed up again. My 225WE had a simple double boot stripe on each side. Like you, I had Light Blue Canvas and thought it looked very nice with the boot stripes. I can find a pic if you want to see what it looked like.

You may need to do a heavy compound to get rid of ghost marks from your old graphics but that should not be hard with a rotary buffer.

thanks Jason...i have actually been looking at pics of 215 WE's and 225WE's to get a feel for what they look like....i do like the double boot stripe on those boats....although very similar, the hulls for the 215/225WE and the 215EC are a little different, especially the angle of the rub rail at the rear where it bends down toward the water....the WE's have a steeper down angle than the EC, but that may be a minor point....if you can find a pic of your old 225WE show it to Sherry and see how she likes it...i agree that it would make the boat a little more modern looking and much easier to maintain....

thanks.
cliff

 

[Monroe Boater]

I had to make a similar decision last year. My plan was to remove the hull graphics and just replace them with new boot and top line stripes. Unfortunately, due to age and damaging effects of years in the sunlight, the gelcoat that was protected under the hull graphics was very visible in the pattern of the graphics even after sanding and reconditioning of the hull. Because of this, I made the decision to have a local vinyl shop recreate the original graphic package. They did hull tracings using the raised gelcoat areas of the original graphics and used the color guide listed in the Sea Ray parts manual to get accurate placement, width, and color. I am very happy with the results. The cost was right around $1000 for all new graphics, stripes, and model logo. An added bonus is that now if part of the graphic gets damaged (I have been known to bump the dock from time to time :^)), I can get matching replacements or patches very easily.

 

[CliffA]

I had to make a similar decision last year. My plan was to remove the hull graphics and just replace them with new boot and top line stripes. Unfortunately, due to age and damaging effects of years in the sunlight, the gelcoat that was protected under the hull graphics was very visible in the pattern of the graphics even after sanding and reconditioning of the hull. Because of this, I made the decision to have a local vinyl shop recreate the original graphic package. They did hull tracings using the raised gelcoat areas of the original graphics and used the color guide listed in the Sea Ray parts manual to get accurate placement, width, and color. I am very happy with the results. The cost was right around $1000 for all new graphics, stripes, and model logo. An added bonus is that now if part of the graphic gets damaged (I have been known to bump the dock from time to time :^)), I can get matching replacements or patches very easily.

thanks for the reply....you have a good point about the depth of the 'ghosting' outline left in the hull when the decals are removed...my boat spent most (if not all) of its previous life in the hot Florida sun, so the hull got baked almost daily....i do have a rotary buffer that may or may not remove the ghosting.....right now my wife and i are undecided if we want to remove the side decals....they do date the boat but to us that is not a big issue...we like the clean look of just the boot stripes but we are also kind of fond of the sporty look the side decals add....my decals are not in 'terrible' condition but they have seen better days....i have even thought of simply applying some new sheet vinyl (same material as stripes) over the old decals and using a razor blade to simply use the old decals as a template...i know it would not look as good as new decals but it may be OK for a while....

oh, and i know what you mean about bumping a dock now and then....i have just spent A LOT of time going over my hull and removing as much dock rash and dings as possible and polishing/waxing it....i have made myself a promise that i will use the fenders EVERY time i pull up to a dock from now on....before i would sometimes not take the time/effort to set out the fenders but i have now developed a system that allows me to deploy the fenders in a few seconds...no more excuses to not set out the fenders....

cliff

 

[cptnblah]

You could also go to a graphics place online to see if they can work something up for you. Some can even take a graphic you have and draw it up fairly easy. I used www.houseofgrafx.com and here is the link to their designs so far http://houseofgrafx.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=17&zenid=131i4hha8f0m1ct2285d2d5782. I am in the works of coming up with some designs for doing the same. I just don't have the funds yet for the hardware for making the cuts and the color lazer stuff. Plans are for the fall of this yr of spring of next yr. I tried to upload some pics of what I drew up for my Kia Soul and had Talia at the houseofgrfx cut for me but I couldn't get the pics small enough for the forum to allow me to upload then all. You can also go to their webpage and do a search for soul and she has pics there of my finished car.

 

[CliffA]

i had a couple local graphics companies quote on new hull decals....both were around $1,000...this is more than i want to invest in this project....i have decided to try and cover the existing decals/stripes with new decals/stripes....i will remove any loose edges and clean the existing decals with alcohol to insure all dirt and wax have been removed.....using the old decals/stripes as a template should make the job of applying the new decals/stripes relatively easy....i have found a few companies on the internet that sell all sizes and colors of striping materials...i am going to use a different shade of blue for the new decals/stripes that better matches the color of my canvas....the stripes/declas are navy blue now and the decals fade into a copper color....the new stripes/decals will be one color...i will have less than $100 in materials and an estimated 1/2 day in time for the new decals/stripes....if it turns out OK i'll post pics...if it does not turn out OK i will consider removing the decals and just use a boot stripe like the 215WE's have...

 

[cptnblah]

I am quite sure that those should be able to be done cheaper. That seems like a very high cost. I wish I had my equipment already. Good luck in getting it to look like you want it.

 

[kgrantsc]

When my dealer was delivering my boat to me the sales guy ran the boat into the out drive of a boat that was in a wet slip at the marina. It scratched the gel coat a little and the Sea Ray decal was scratched right down the middle. I found a replacement on pair ebay for $40. I've seen larger graphics go in the $100 to $200 range. I would check their if I were you.

 

[CliffA]

When my dealer was delivering my boat to me the sales guy ran the boat into the out drive of a boat that was in a wet slip at the marina. It scratched the gel coat a little and the Sea Ray decal was scratched right down the middle. I found a replacement on pair ebay for $40. I've seen larger graphics go in the $100 to $200 range. I would check their if I were you.

thanks....i recently talked to another local small graphics company and he said he could make and install new decals for $450....that sounds reasonable so i'll likely have this company do the work later this year....

cliff

 

[just me]

Watch out for cheap vinyl , it will shrink and crack in no time , Ask for 3M ,

 

[CliffA]

Watch out for cheap vinyl , it will shrink and crack in no time , Ask for 3M ,

thanks for the heads-up....i did not ask what type vinyl he would be using.....

cliff

 

[chandalen]

I bought pinstriping on ebay... was about $25 for 50' of 2" and half that for 1" Its actually very easy to put on yourself. As for the decals, I paid $100 for the name on my boat, which is about 6' wide and 18" tall. They can do any graphics given to them. For all the 'brand' logo's that would be on my boat ... 4 I think, it would be under $100.

I decided to stick with the plastic SeaRay logo's on the sides of the boat, I am repainting them myself because new ones are $45 each.

 

[cptnblah]

I am working on getting my equipment this fall for doing the decal as well and would be able to make them any size. Would just need the pic and overall dimensions. I will be doing for cars, boats, RVs, motorcycles. Will be for sure starting with the solid colors and adding multicolored at a later date. Doing the research for the cutter. I do my designs on AutoCAD. I will post when I have it all together and quote to see if competitive. I bet we have lower overhead costs than the others. My time for the drawings is free as long as it isn't too elaborate. I did my car's decal.

 

[Russell Poggiolo]

I had to make a similar decision last year. My plan was to remove the hull graphics and just replace them with new boot and top line stripes. Unfortunately, due to age and damaging effects of years in the sunlight, the gelcoat that was protected under the hull graphics was very visible in the pattern of the graphics even after sanding and reconditioning of the hull. Because of this, I made the decision to have a local vinyl shop recreate the original graphic package. They did hull tracings using the raised gelcoat areas of the original graphics and used the color guide listed in the Sea Ray parts manual to get accurate placement, width, and color. I am very happy with the results. The cost was right around $1000 for all new graphics, stripes, and model logo. An added bonus is that now if part of the graphic gets damaged (I have been known to bump the dock from time to time :^)), I can get matching replacements or patches very easily.

 

[Russell Poggiolo]

Can you tell me where you got the graphics done. I have the same boat and need new graphics. Thanks