Putting Names on a Rowing Shell [video]
March 29, 2010 by Mike
Filed under Other stuff, videos
Throughout history the names on boats have been an important part of who we are. You don’t have to look much past the Titanic, the Exxon Valdez, and the Mayflower for examples.
And the same goes for our sport of rowing . . . the names on shells are important. Sometimes very important.
Just how do you get a name on a boat? Glad you asked.
This video details one method. There are others ways to put names on a shell (painting, tape) but vinyl lettering is one of the easier and longer lasting methods.
The quality of the video isn’t quite up to snuff (had a camera software issue), but hopefully I get a few of the critical steps across.
Let me know what you think, and if this was helpful, in the comments below.
Nicely done. You’re far more patient than I am when doing this.
I always thought they were all named “the PAIN BANK”,,,,, so you are saying “Hide in BOW and Slide” is OK also,,,lol
Keep afloat my friends, ron boi
Thanks Mike,
always good to see how the small things are done.
Thanks for the helpful video Mike. What height of letters do you recommend?
Team, talk to me about name selection. What are the superstitions/traditions? We’re a JR program with 7 boats that are new to us that do not have names. Some were replacements for old damaged boats or boats traded in. The old boats had names but can we reuse? If not, what do you do for selecting boat names?
Thanks!
@ Dave & Dale . . . appreciated. Thanks.
@ Ron Boi . . . Ha!
@ Jo . . . that depends on the size of the boat. I usually use about 1.5 inches for single/pairs, 2 inches for four/quad, and 3 inches for an eight. But that depends on gunwale size. Those sizes have worked for me in the past.
@ Dan . . . the traditions of naming hulls vary. I bow much more to the organization or institutions rules/traditions than any outside ones.
However, I do use two basic rules. (1) Get a name on a boat asap, and (2) find a name that is meaningful. That can be in terms of honoring a person, acknowledging a donor, or a name that has meaning in another way.
In your case, it may (or may not) work to let folks know that for a donation of $xx, there is a naming opportunity of a boat. But you may not be comfortable with that.
I think that Dr. Rowing would have more info on the more public *rules* of boat naming.
hi there, generally agree with how you put the letters on but i find that once you have it all lined up then it really helps with the letters to stick by rubbing a soft clean cloth over the whole thing. It allows you to work the letters onto the surface very firmly with the protection of the application layer still in place. Also if the air temperature is quite cold then warming up the surface with a hair dryer or similar ( i put lots of numbers onto steel shipping containers and use a small gas burner) helps. If you ever have to take numbers off it helps to warm them up, makes them peel off much more cleanly.