Prepping your boat

• A sound paint or gelcoat with no flaking or excessive chalkiness. • All dents and dings are filled and faired as any uneven areas will show up clearly under the vinyl. • The surfaces are clean and free from marine growth, mould and mildew, or any silico

easier to repair. During application, high-wear areas like the bow and where fenders rub can be reinforced to extend the life of the vinyl finish.

Dings and scratches are the most common damage, but lifting along the edges, especially close to the waterline, can result from poor preparation, faulty application or problems with the substrate. A special sealant should be applied to the waterline edge to help prevent the vinyl from lifting or peeling. If applying antifouling paint, take it to just over the edge of the vinyl to further protect it from lifting.

The vinyl should be carefully trimmed around the gunwales, waterline and any fittings. Joins and seams are trimmed to reduce their visibility. The boat’s name, stripes and graphics are applied over the top of the vinyl wrap.

Nicholson quotes John Martin from the Island Cruising Association, whose yacht he wrapped some years ago, as saying vinyl wrapping gives a “ten-foot finish”. That is, the boat looks great from 10 feet away, but closer inspection reveals it’s a vinyl finish, not paint.

“I reckon you can’t beat vinyl for repairs,” says Nicholson. “I’d much rather stick on a patch, which you can do on the water provided it’s not on the waterline, than haul the boat out to paint the whole hull, or spend forever trying to blend in a paint patch. I’ve been there and done that, with little success.”

Colour-matching of patches is much easier than matching paint. Vinyl holds its colour well, so patches blend in easily.

“Professional jobs should have no sharp corners in the vinyl to start with, and a specialised sealant is used on the edges and waterline to stop peeling occurring,” says Nicholson. “A real professional will stand by their work too, and sort out any issues that may occur.”

As with painting, the end result depends on how well the hull was prepared before wrapping. Any imperfections in the hull will show up through the vinyl, so it’s important to have the hull well faired before the wrapper arrives. B