Adding a wide stripe

[mpdive]

Hello to everyone. I am not an auto detailer but came here hoping your expertise would help me. I have an 18 ft Stingray boat that I am going to put a wide stripe on. It will be installed below the rubrail and will run from bow to stern. The bow and stern measurments from rub rail to the first rib of the boat are 8 inches. The center of the boat has a measurement of 11 inches from the rail to the rib. I guess you could say the middle goes to a "belly". I could very easily stick an 8 inch piece across the boat following the rub rail but when stingray does it they follow the rib. My question is this.....Is there a way to accurately run the vinyl long past this rib and then cut it say a half inch above the rib? I thought about hooking my finger under the rib and following along with an exacto knife but I am not sure about staying accurate. I didn't know how the pros would do it and thought there may be a tool or tecnique to it. Also is there some kind of backing paper I would use behind the vinyl to avoid cutting into the gel coat? Any help you may offer would be greatly appreciated? The material I have is reflective Oracel 5300 and it is 24 inches wide.
Thanks again.
Mike

 

[fontgeek]

Vinyl normally has a backing paper on it prior to installation but that backing paper is typically peeled away during the installation process.
As to cutting the edge smoothly, you might look at something like a "Shape Cutter". It's made by Fiskars and sold at craft shops, Target, Walmart, etc. The ShapeCutter is a mounted swivel cutter that lets you set the depth the blade cuts at. You could use a rib on the hull itself, or maybe a long straight edge to run the cutter along to give you a smooth cut.
If it was a sign installer doing this, the stripe would be cut to size and shape prior to it being installed. The vinyl would be covered with transfer tape, and the backing paper would be sliced into many smaller sections. They would have some pieces of tape ready so that they could position the stripe up to the desired spot, then use the bits of tape to secure it in place, then they would peel away the backing paper one section at a time, and smooth that whole section out, working from the center out so that they don't trap any bubbles or make any ripples, then go onto the next section and do the same.

But keep in mind that the stripe is only as good as the measurements and drawings used to create it. Don't try to over-stretch the vinyl, it will want to contract with age. The finer, milled 2 mil vinyl will do better for compound curves and typically does better in aging for signs and such, but like any vinyl it has a limited life span, you might get seven or eight years out of it. If you want more durability for your stripe, then paint it instead of using vinyl for the stripe.

 

[mpdive]

Vinyl normally has a backing paper on it prior to installation but that backing paper is typically peeled away during the installation process.
As to cutting the edge smoothly, you might look at something like a "Shape Cutter". It's made by Fiskars and sold at craft shops, Target, Walmart, etc. The ShapeCutter is a mounted swivel cutter that lets you set the depth the blade cuts at. You could use a rib on the hull itself, or maybe a long straight edge to run the cutter along to give you a smooth cut.
If it was a sign installer doing this, the stripe would be cut to size and shape prior to it being installed. The vinyl would be covered with transfer tape, and the backing paper would be sliced into many smaller sections. They would have some pieces of tape ready so that they could position the stripe up to the desired spot, then use the bits of tape to secure it in place, then they would peel away the backing paper one section at a time, and smooth that whole section out, working from the center out so that they don't trap any bubbles or make any ripples, then go onto the next section and do the same.

But keep in mind that the stripe is only as good as the measurements and drawings used to create it. Don't try to over-stretch the vinyl, it will want to contract with age. The finer, milled 2 mil vinyl will do better for compound curves and typically does better in aging for signs and such, but like any vinyl it has a limited life span, you might get seven or eight years out of it. If you want more durability for your stripe, then paint it instead of using vinyl for the stripe.

Thanks so much for the reply. I was going to wet the whole piece down, run it long past the rib, and then trim. Do you think I might be better off taping the piece up there and pre cutting it to size? The longest width is 11 inches and tapers off towards the bow and stern. I would love to take it somewhere but I have BUKU bucks in this already and plus I only paid 40.00 bucks for a 24 by 20ft. piece of vinyl. Worst that could happen is 40.00 wasted. The shape cutter is a great idea! If I did paint, can you really achieve good results by rolling and tipping?(I dont know what tipping is) Thanks again for taking the time to reply! Always appreciated!

 

[fontgeek]

Even with the surface wetted (using a soapy water solution) I wouldn't strip off all of the backing paper and try to handle the whole thing at once. If you have the boat in drydock, I'd be tempted to make a paper template of the size and shape you need, and then mark and cut the vinyl (with the paper still on the back) before I wen to apply it. I'd still use the soapy water and only work the small sections at a time. If you wanted to paint the surface rather than use the vinyl then I'd mask off the surrounding areas and apply the paint via a big, wide, soft brush, or with an HVLP sprayer.
I'd try to avoid the cutting of the vinyl once it's applied. Without a rigid pattern or guide to follow with a knife or something like the ShapeCutter your chances of getting the two sides of the boat to be exactly the same would be difficult at best.

 

[mpdive]

Even with the surface wetted (using a soapy water solution) I wouldn't strip off all of the backing paper and try to handle the whole thing at once. If you have the boat in drydock, I'd be tempted to make a paper template of the size and shape you need, and then mark and cut the vinyl (with the paper still on the back) before I wen to apply it. I'd still use the soapy water and only work the small sections at a time. If you wanted to paint the surface rather than use the vinyl then I'd mask off the surrounding areas and apply the paint via a big, wide, soft brush, or with an HVLP sprayer.
I'd try to avoid the cutting of the vinyl once it's applied. Without a rigid pattern or guide to follow with a knife or something like the ShapeCutter your chances of getting the two sides of the boat to be exactly the same would be difficult at best.

Thanks for the reply Fontgeek. My neighbor has offered to paint it for me so were pulling it up to the body shop Saturday morning. I went to Finishmasters this morning and picked up a quart of two part Dupont urethane. Came to 85.00 for the paint and hardener. He said he gave me body shop pricing. I want to say it's Chromabase. Got everything I need such as paint, hardener, stir sticks, strainers, cold 12 pack etc. I will try to post a pic when it's done. Thanks again for your time and effort on the responses!'
Mike

 

[fontgeek]

Keep in mind that this paint probably needs a clear coat over it to protect it, and for the sides of a boat, I'd do 4-6 coats of clear.
The hardener just lets the paint harden/cure, it's not a protective coat. Make sure your neighbor is okay with spraying this kind of paint, the fumes are toxic and require specific cartridges for his respirator.