www.iFourWinns.com

Mike is absolutely right about the trick to getting them to look straight. I didn't do that and here's how mine ended up. I just put them on as they came (with soap and water) not realizing they would look a little skewed. But honestly, not that noticeable. I can live with them. But from the right angle, they tend to look like they are bowed downward in the middle. The KY and XT should have been separated and tilted to the left and to the right respectively to give it a straighter look. But it only took me 30 minutes and not the 2 hours it took mike so I got more time on the lake!!

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Former owner of:
1996 Four Winns Horizon 200 5.8L VP
2006 Four Winns Horizon 260 8.1L VP
2007 Sea Ray 290 Sundancer

Current boat
2004 Sea Ray 290 Sun Sport Twin 350 Mags

LOL - Yeah I can never get on the lake anyway, so it didn't matter how long it took

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

So let me get this straight...

The rub rail is by no means straight. it curves. Add in the complex curves on the hull and that creates a PIA situation.

My thoughts:
1) Soam & Water trick is a must
2) Cut the lettering down to 3 peices. Add the registration tag and that makes 4.
3) Follow the curvature of the rub rail by spacing down and equal amount (say 3 inches). Install w/ soap & water. Step back 6 feet and stare. Adjust appropriately. Get 2nd opinion. Adjust appropriately.
4) Squeegee the crap out of it. Just when you think you've got it, you really are only 80% of the way there?


Less than 5 steps... that's easy. 1 Beer per step and then 1 celebratory beer.

2 hours end to end sounds about right (beer included).

Am I on the right track?

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

So let me get this straight...

The rub rail is by no means straight. it curves. Add in the complex curves on the hull and that creates a PIA situation.

My thoughts:
1) Soap & Water trick is a must

Without a doubt. You won't even get out of the gate without it.

2) Cut the lettering down to 3 peices. Add the registration tag and that makes 4.

I suggest dealing with the registration sticker after everything else is done.

3) Follow the curvature of the rub rail by spacing down and equal amount (say 3 inches). Install w/ soap & water. Step back 6 feet and stare. Adjust appropriately. Get 2nd opinion. Adjust appropriately

Yeah, index off the rubrail if you want, or else let your eye guide you in determining whether to match the line of the rub rail or just make it pleasing to the eye (my choice). And keep everything wet until you're certain it's in the final position. Adjusting is easy as long as it stays wet, but it dries fast.

4) Squeegee the crap out of it. Just when you think you've got it, you really are only 80% of the way there?

I kept finding more bubbles when I thought I was done. I thought I was done about 5 times on each side, but had to keep spraying it, squeege'ing it, over and over. After a few cycles I got to where I was a lot better at spotting bubbles that I wasn't seeing the first time or two.

Less than 5 steps... that's easy. 1 Beer per step and then 1 celebratory beer.

2 hours end to end sounds about right (beer included).

Am I on the right track?

Yeah, except I recommend 2 celebratory beers.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

cougarcruiser:
It has been one snowy winter here at New England. Although it has not being very cold winter. Ice on lakes and rivers are not as thick as typical years so I am hoping that people can get out on boat by the end of April… My family is a big time snow skiers so we are not complaining about this winter. I have an appointment to pick up my boat and ride on lake on May 10th. In the mean time I can not get more picture of my new boat since it is deeply in the storage building.

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08 H260 VP 8.1Gi DP.....Previous
2013 Crownline E6 Merc 8.2MAG BIIIX, DTS/SC

Time's up, where are the PICS!?

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

I received the registration numbers... will be putting them on the weekend after easter... along with the stereo... a dual bank battery charger (if I get it in time)... and whatever nifty treats I can dig up between now and then.

My wife is having a heart attack every time she hears the UPS driver drive around the block - thinking "oh my god, what did he order now"....

Stay tuned.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

Just use the trick my wife uses on me with new clothes:
Me "when did you get that?"
Her "Oh, this, I've had this for a long time"




Me, after short pause "Why are you just now taking the tags off?"

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H210SS 6.2
F150 Platinum

Finally got my boat registration numbers on the boat... it really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I ordered the custom numbering from BoatUS (thanks for the reference Mike). They are the reflective white color... standard 3 inch numbers.

I started by trimming the excess to the very top of the numbers as close to the actual numbers as possible... straight line across the whole way. To deal with the curve of the hull, I did a V cut between the sections so I could adjust as I go. The numbers are not the wet install - they were a dry install per the instructions from BoatUS.

I dug up some 1.5 inch blue painters tape to act as a spacer from the rub rail. I measured back about 10 inches from the dock light and found a rub rail screw that was my "starting point" from the bow. coincidentally, there as anothe rub rail screw on the other side that was within 1/4 inch of my measurement - so both sides match almost perfectly. Get the tape up and make sure it follows the rub rail... then I peeled back one set of numbers at a time and just mounted them up there. it's a painstaking process -- take your time. I had a 2nd set of hands to help me out when I needed it - that helped alot also.

They came out pretty good. The font I used also seems to hide a couple of misalignments pretty well.

Spacer with blue tape


Installed looking straight on


Installed looking down the hull a bit

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

Looks great. It's good to know they've gone to dry application. I started out using blue tape also, but decided I had better luck just trusting my eyes.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

They look great

I hope your STATE regulators agree

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Jeff

2006 Four Winns Yellow Horizon 30th Anniversary 200 SS
2005 Nissan Titan Crew Cab
2004 Ford F-150 Lariat

http://www.seabrook-services.com

I make my own registration numbers and transom name. I was in the "business" for quite a while and still keep a vinyl plotter around for fun. Numbers look very nice.