i am just curious what are the methods of adding decals to sails?

dacron or mylar (pentex)?

Felt tip pen. Big fat one. I love the smell of those...

That explains alot.

At least he doesn't eat them like you do Todd.

if pentex, put them on dry...lining them up is tricky.

With the backing paper and full mask tape on the graphic, place it where you want it on the sail. Using some 1" masking tape, tape the top of the graphic to the sail with several pieces of masking tape. You've just made a hinge. Flip the graphic upside down hinging on the tape, remove the backing paper, and then carefully swing back into place and start rubbing it down from the center out. Once you've rubbed it into place, a rubber roller on a stick is very useful to fully press the graphic into the texture of the pentex.

If you are aligning a second graphic to the first with some overlap, remove the backing paper from the graphic and reapply it leaving a .25" reveal of the adhesive of the piece you are applying. The backing paper will keep the rest from sticking while you line it up with the graphic already on the sail. Carefully line up the graphic looking through the mask tape and stick the .25" you exposed. Then use THAT as the hinge, flip the graphic over, remove the backing paper, and squeegie/press into place.

Don't use application fluid when putting them on the sails. It will take 10 hours to dry before you can remove the mask tape and move onto another graphic.

Lastly, it REALLY helps to have one or two people help to hold up the ends of long graphics and keep the sail flat while you start to press them down. However, those people need to understand how to feed slack to the areas that are being pressed down while keeping the graphic taught. They can be either a huge help or a big wrinkle maker.

Anyone know where pre-cut sail numbers & lettering can be obtained? I've got a deal underway for some new flapping things and will want to swap out the numbering.

by these answers i guess all (or most) decals have an adhesive backing.

i wasn't sure if some were stitched on, or under a uv layer that is part of the cloth.

thanks all...

Almost always sticky-backed...they don't work for spinnakers though.

Verrr rr rr rrr rrr rr y carefully.

numbers can be supplied by your local sail maker, they get apprentices to cut out batches when the floor doesn't need sweeping.

Other stuff your local sign writer.

If its for a kite you need an overhead projector and a big wall. Project the image onto the kite and trace with the above mentioned nice smelling, edible pen and then paint by numbers.

YOu eat those pens?

Read the whole thread, particularly Undecided's post.

Some one-design classes require certain sized sail numbers, so watch it. Don't ask me how I know. Oh...wrong thread.

Also if you hit the sticky-back with a little heat it will stick forever. Hair dryer, heat gun (carefully) etc. You're really just warming it up.

J

Sail numbers at

http://www.sailrite.com/Categories?search=numbers

The first time I put numbers on a sail, I used the 7-segment numbers from LayLine. I didn't much like how those looked, so since then I've cut out numbers (et. al.) with shears. Next time, I'm planning to laser-cut them.

Regards,
Eric

Any sign shop (mine included) can make numbers for sails quite easily and in any color.

Here is my 2 cents worth since I have the large graphic. Per Dave Posey, of Posey Sails, man I miss him but you can't work forever. The best material is what they call insignia or number cloth. It is sailcloth with a sticky backing. I’ve never had it come off. I’ve also used the Mylar or plastic and have it come off. The Palm Tree on my sail is insignia cloth (not sure what I used as a pattern for the leafs). The sun is plastic and had it peel once. My sail is monofilament so I’m guessing plastic sticks better to it then it would to regular type sails. I used a little water under it to slide the sun around some then a squeegee and that worked all right. I was sailing several hours after applying it, just the time to drive to the beach and rig the boat.

If you have access to a sail maker try to get the insignia cloth. I made the pattern out of construction paper. All you have to do is flip it for the other side. If you look on my website you can how large the graphic is and how it looks.

Mike Shappell

Well, since Joleen (my wife) sews sails, I have access to the materials, and since I have a laser cutter, I'll make the logos and numbers myself. It won't cut pvc, but dacron should be fine.

Regards,
Eric

If applying vinyl graphics to a mylar sail, try not to use application fluid - rather apply them dry. If you have to use application fluid, give them at least 48 hours to dry and rub them down again after that period before using them.

I own a vinyl graphics business and I've used a LOT of vinyl graphics on sails. Only once did I have any come off....but that one was "sanded" off the sail as it was beached on it's side and I'm not sure much of anything would prevent that!