Great News — 72ft Princess Backlit Yacht Lettering
YachtGraphx designed, fabricated and installed custom backlit name lettering on Great News, a 72-foot (21.9 m) Princess yacht, in stainless Steel.
Backlit lettering of this type is a solid marine-grade nameplate, machined from plate and standoff-mounted clear of the transom, so LEDs behind each character wash light onto the hull and the name reads as a halo after dark.
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 Great News?
| Vessel | Great News |
|---|---|
| Length | 72 ft / 21.9 m |
| Builder | Princess |
| Class | All Yacht installations |
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Characters | 9 |
| Photographs | 3 |
| 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 72 ft Princess?
- 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 Great News?
YachtGraphx fabricated and fitted custom backlit name lettering for Great News, a 72ft Princess yacht, in stainless Steel. The characters are standoff-mounted so the LEDs behind them light the hull rather than the letter face.
Why stainless Steel on a 72ft Princess?
Marine-grade stainless is specified where the nameplate has to survive continuous salt exposure and hold a mirror finish. It is heavier than acrylic, so the transom structure and the mounting method are checked before the letter height is fixed.
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.