License numbers

[Matthewhealey516]

Hello everyone.

I have just bought my first inflatable boat. I was wondering what people use to display the license numbers.

We live in the Lake District, I will be using it on at least 2 lakes, as well as the Norfolk Broads, so I don’t want to stick the numbers straight into the boat. I was also thinking that when I pack it away for storage the numbers will fall off.

My Uncle used to have a propper number plate made up. I may get one of those.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Peter_C]

Welcome to the board

The best way is to use a fabric material like PVC and either cut the numbers individually, or cut them out reversed from the fabric and glue them on. There should be companies that will do the reverse by waterjet or laser. My friend and I printed numbers out, he hand cut them with scissors, then we glued them onto the boat with a two part glue.

If like here in the USA you also have registration stickers (decals) they too will need to be put onto a stiffer surface that won't expand or contract. They can be made with thin but harder plastic that conforms to the hull. A surround glued to it makes it pretty.

https://www.boatnumberplate.com/inflatable_boats

These are my numbers for an example. I downloaded the letters and numbers from a website, blew them up to the desirable size per regulation. I used a private driveway sign cut up for the backer to the decals. Already had thin grey PVC in stock that cuts easily with sharp scissors, along with Stabond 2 part glue.

[Matthewhealey516]

Thanks Peter, you have confirmed what I was thinking. I know a load that can help me with that.

[Croolis]

I'm a cheap skate, so I printed it out and used the laminator at work, then tied it to the rope line things on top of the sides of the boat. That are next to the oars.

Someone will tell me what they're called in a minute

[Trello]

Grab ropes, I think.

[CJL]

The Lake District National Park sell black plastic plates and stickers for your registration. (Note you need the black background and white letters for them). Its quite cheap and you can put holes in the top of them and hang them on the lifelines down the side of the tubes or on the A frame if you have one.

We have done this and put a Thames registration on the back so you just swap them round, depending where you are.

Chris

[Fenlander]

>>>printed it out and used the laminator at work

Buying a £20 home laminator over a decade ago opened up a whole world of opportunity!

[Croolis]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

>>>printed it out and used the laminator at work

Buying a £20 home laminator over a decade ago opened up a whole world of opportunity!

My mate at work who comes out in the SIB with me has recently bought a 3D printer. Now he's trying to solve all sorts of problems that don't exist with cheap plastic engineering solutions.

The latest thing is - he wants to make a fuel tank collar/connector thing that will mate an extra tank to the filler cap of the integrated fuel tank I have on the 2.5hp. In his brain it sits on top of the outboard, doubling or trebling the capacity.

I said I'd rather just use a funnel and avoid the death by fireball.

[Fenlander]

I could laminate you a warning notice for the transom.