Blackmail — 78ft Maori Backlit Yacht Lettering
YachtGraphx designed, fabricated and installed custom backlit name lettering on Blackmail, a 78-foot (23.8 m) Maori yacht, in lacquered Acrylic.
Lacquered acrylic lettering is a lighter alternative to metal, cut from cast acrylic and finished in a matched lacquer; it weighs a fraction of steel, which matters on a lightly built transom, and the LEDs behind it produce a softer, more diffuse glow than polished metal returns.
The work was carried out by YachtGraphx from the company's Fort Lauderdale showroom; YachtGraphx has lettered more than 1,000 vessels over more than twenty years, including four of the five largest yachts afloat.
What did YachtGraphx install on Blackmail?
| Vessel | Blackmail |
|---|---|
| Length | 78 ft / 23.8 m |
| Builder | Maori |
| Class | All Yacht installations |
| Material | Lacquered Acrylic |
| Characters | 9 |
| Photographs | 1 |
| Installed by | YachtGraphx |
How long does backlit yacht lettering take to build and fit?
- Design. Layout and letter height are set against photographs of the transom, and a proof is issued for approval.
- Fabrication. Characters are cut and finished, and the illumination and fixings are built up and bench-tested.
- Fitting. Positions are set out from a template, the transom is drilled once, and the characters and drivers are fitted and commissioned.
What determines the cost of lettering a 78 ft Maori?
- Character count and letter height — the two biggest drivers.
- Material and finish: lacquered acrylic and polished stainless carry different fabrication cost.
- Whether the characters are illuminated, and how the supply is run.
- Mounting: standoff fixings on a curved or cored transom take longer to set out.
- Where the vessel lies, and whether a team has to travel to it.
Frequently asked questions
What lettering did YachtGraphx install on Blackmail?
YachtGraphx fabricated and fitted custom backlit name lettering for Blackmail, a 78ft Maori yacht, in lacquered Acrylic. The characters are standoff-mounted so the LEDs behind them light the hull rather than the letter face.
Why lacquered acrylic on a 78ft Maori?
Lacquered acrylic is specified where weight is the constraint or where the owner wants a softer, more diffuse glow. It is lighter than steel on a composite transom and takes a colour-matched lacquer, at the cost of the mirror return that polished stainless gives.
How is the lettering fixed to the transom?
Characters are standoff-mounted on marine-grade fixings set clear of the surface, which creates the gap the LEDs wash light through. Fixing centres are set out from a template so the transom is drilled once.
Can backlit lettering be fitted with the vessel in the water?
Transom lettering above the waterline is normally fitted afloat, from a tender or a dock. Hauling is only needed when the work area sits below the boot top or the yard requires it.
More general questions are answered on the YachtGraphx FAQ.