Name, Fonts, Name Boards and Installation

Working on name boards and figuring out how to make them conform to the sheer plank may be getting ahead of myself.

Naming a boat may be easier than figuring out how to display that name. Indeed, the name, “Gardens of Fenwick,” came to me before I began building.

Deciding on a font for displaying the name on the boat is much more difficult. There are a MANY fonts to choose from - one site lists over 10,000! - so deciding on a font took some time.

Here are the font finalists:

CF Boston

CF Boston with unsuccessful attempts to improve the capital G and F

Gothic Ultra OT

Papyrus

And the font we chose is… Gothic Ultra OT

As for installing on the boat, we have two options. First, the name can be painted directly on the sheer plank in a contrasting color. However, my artist/sign painter-in-residence prefers a more controlled painting environment than the side of a boat in the barn...

The second option is to create name boards, paint the name on a flat, well-lighted (and warm) room, and install those on the sheer plank. Kerf-cut bending of solid wood works, but left me searching for another method of creating/installing name boards. On a whim, I cut a 5”x28” piece of 1/4” okume ply to test for fit… and was pleased to see it conforms to the sheer plank with minimum effort. The ply creates enough of a shadow line around the name board for the look I want. The name boards have been cut out, coated with epoxy, and will be faired and painted with the color of the hull. The name will be the same color as the sheer plank. The name boards will be through-bolted with round-head bronze machine screws.

Of, course, the painting and installation has not taken place. Updates as they occur.