Boat/Marine decals

[Foxtailsigns]

Good morning everyone,

I’m after everyone’s opinions on what to use media-wise for a project I’ve got coming up. I rather large company has approached me to produce decals sets for their marine engine cowlings. Although they will not be submerged in the water they will need have a good resistance to sea water, UV protection and good overall life.
I have scrolled through the threads but didn’t seem to find anything.
The media needs to be able to be wet applied as one of the decals is massive and wraps around the cowling at different angles.
And it needs to be eco-solvent printable/digital vinyl, not just coloured vinyl as their decals have gradients if colour and too complex for just colour vinyl.

The current company they’re using are using some sort of Orajet but I don’t have any experience with Oracal/Orajet. I have applied a couple of sets of decals to the cowlings with the Orajet and it makes things easy.

I’m based in the UK.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thanks
Loz

 

[damonCA21]

Any printable vinyl will be fine to be honest. They will need to be laminated anyway for resistance to sea water, so the laminate gives the protection, the print vinyl under it doesn't make a lot of difference.

 

[CanuckSigns]

I would use a good quality cast vinyl like 3m IJ180cv3 with the matching laminate.

 

[Foxtailsigns]

I would use a good quality cast vinyl like 3m IJ180cv3 with the matching laminate.

I read that this cannot be applied wet, this that true? As due to the shape of the decals I need to apply it goes round both faces of the cowling and in very specific places.

 

[CanuckSigns]

No you can't apply it wet, but with the controltac adhesive you really shouldn't need to.

 

[Johnny Best]

Air release cast vinyl with cast laminate.

 

[signheremd]

Not sure why you want to wet apply when there are many good choices of Wrap vinyl, like:

Orajet/Oracal 3951 RA Proslide would be an excellent choice - low initial tact, air channels to make dry apply on compound curves easy, 7-8 year warranty depending on laminate used (note this vinyl is really 10 vinyl, but warranty has changed). For laminate, Oraguard 290 Gloss laminate is excellent, Or you can use Oraguard 289 which is a thinner, more expensive 8 year laminate with superior UV stability.

If you want to go PVC free, Oracal 3981 RA combined with Oraguard 293 laminate would work for this application. This is rated at 10 year durability.

 

[unclebun]

Not sure how large the engine manufacturer is or their volume, but I've applied factory decal sets to Mercury outboards many times. They aren't made using digital sign printers like we all have. They are screenprinted and die cut. They are using an air release material, to be applied dry. They are supplied with template decals which are made of printed and cut stencil vinyl that is applied at the corners and edges of panels and have a notch cut out for placement of the decal so that everything is always aligned correctly.

 

[bcxprint420]

Not sure how large the engine manufacturer is or their volume, but I've applied factory decal sets to Mercury outboards many times. They aren't made using digital sign printers like we all have. They are screenprinted and die cut. They are using an air release material, to be applied dry. They are supplied with template decals which are made of printed and cut stencil vinyl that is applied at the corners and edges of panels and have a notch cut out for placement of the decal so that everything is always aligned correctly.

Thought similar at least about the screen print. The notching sounds logical as well. Screen print ink is going to be the best choice and in quantity will cost less overall. I suggest doing some research before you dive in and find out its only a 2 foot pool lol. Check with firesprint.

 

[Precision]

I redid my Mercury Decals on my bass boat with IJ180cv3/8518 a few years ago. They still look brand new and went on well, no problems.

Make sure to use a cast vinyl and UV cast lam.