You’re staring at a sticker and at your boat. How, exactly, are you supposed to do this? Here’s how to apply bow numbers for regattas – foolproof, easy and in under a minute: Prep the surface FIRST with acetone, or even window cleaner if needed. You want to remove salt, road dirt, McLube or other lubricants first. Then, using the bow as a guideline, peel the top right or top left corner of the backing paper, exposing the sticky number…
Boat number fonts (other than for boat registration stickers) are up to the regatta and the sailboat class. Melges 24, for instance, uses a version of a specific typeface/font with a specific angle that matches with their brand in a specific vinyl color that also matches their brand. We tend to choose narrow fonts like Bebas and Impact for bow numbers, especially those that go on integrated sponsor stickers, in part, because the cost is related to the sticker real…
A recent One design sailing survey says (no surprise here) sailing is overwhelmingly older and male. Here’s how we change that (and we have some really good activities here in Lansing to share!) Recognize that sailing, like a lot of sports, has a triangle problem. At the tippy-top are white men with a lot of time and money on their hands to devote to expensive boats, expensive crew and gear. At the bottom are everyday folks sailing at their local…
Are ocean-friendly recyclable bow numbers a thing? Championship Regatta Graphics expert Ann Siegle talks about what ocean friendly and recyclable mean when we talk about bow numbers for sailboats in sailing regattas. There are two issues at play here, one is “is this ocean-safe?” and the answer is, YES, there are bow numbers that WILL NOT COME OFF in the water. But so few companies know anything about the proper materials (including, cough cough, those sailmakers providing you with free…
Can permanent bow number systems work for your sailboat class? Many sailboat racing classes struggle with how to ID their boats during regattas and then have to discard 100 vinyl numbers. From both an eco- and a logistical perspective, many classes are turning to permanent bow number systems. Can your class do this? Let’s explore. Manufacturer classes such as Viper 640 and Melges 24s have already adopted these requirements. Their approach to it, though, is very different. Melges24 allows an…
Are you looking to make your regatta eco friendly? Are you part of the Sailors for the Sea Clean Regatta program? You can eliminate the waste from bow numbers by: Choose eco-friendly recyclable bow numbers for your regatta. These are available in cut vinyl in several colors (the cost is 4X traditional vinyl but does not contain the C, chloride, which is not recyclable). Since most bow numbers are not expensive options, and sailors participating in the Clean Regatta program…