The company used its HP Latex 800W to print the graphics onto Drytac Polar Premium Air vinyl coupled with Weathershield Gloss, before applying the wrap to the hull of the boat.
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Diversified printing and sign-making business Nettl Signs has used its HP Latex 800W to create an impressive wrap for a rowing boat in preparation for its six-week trip across the Atlantic Ocean.
Working out of specialist locations in Bath and Chippenham, Nettl Signs traces its roots back to 1987, expanding over the years to become an all-round provider of print, signage and websites. The company works with customers around the UK on projects spanning wide format, litho and digital print, as well as signs and display, and vinyl graphics.
It was its expertise in the latter category that recently caught the eye, as Nettl Signs linked up with a long-term customer on a particularly innovative job. This saw the company design, print and install a wrap on the hull of a 9m-long rowing boat.
The boat in question is currently being prepared for the World’s Toughest Row, an annual event that challenges competitors to row more than 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean from San Sebastian de la Gomera in the Canary Islands to English Harbour in Antigua & Barbuda in the Caribbean.
The race welcome teams from all over the world, with competitors gathering support from sponsors in the weeks and months leading up to the event. With this in mind, the customer approached Nettl Signs to create a wrap incorporating sponsor logos for Team Seasoar.
“We had previously produced an array of signs for his company on the HP Latex 800W,” said Ben Gregory, Owner, CEO and Managing Director of Nettl Signs. “As we have an in-house design and wrap team, we were given the opportunity to design, print and fit sponsors’ logos and graphics to his boat.”
Nettl Signs is a long-term user of HP Latex print technology and also runs an HP Latex R1000 at its production site. Using its HP Latex 800W, the company designed, printed and installed the graphics, consisting of two 9m-long side strips, front and back panels, and cabin graphics.
In terms of materials, Nettl Signs chose to work with Drytac Polar Premium Air, a self-adhesive polymeric vinyl with air egress technology, coupled with Weathershield Gloss, a polymeric PVC overlaminating film, also from Drytac.
Both products were purchased from Premier Paper, Drytac’s exclusive distributor in the UK and Ireland.
Polar Premium Air features permanent adhesive with bubble-free application technology, meaning it is easy for users to install graphics. The polymeric vinyl also has high opacity and white point, making it an ideal solution for a range of application types including general signage and graphic promotions, both indoor and outdoor, as well as vehicle livery.
Weathershield Gloss has a cross-linking adhesive fortified with UV stabilisers and absorbers and uses more complex plasticisers, resulting in improved durability and weatherability. A highly flexible product, it is suitable for use in outdoor signage or high-end indoor graphic applications that require the highest level of protection.
“We had considered traditional wrap media but as this would be in constant contact with sea water during the six-week row, we opted for the Drytac materials,” Ben said. “Although not sold as a wrap product, we have found that the air release vinyl allows for wrapping over simple curves, and the strong adhesive gives excellent grip.
“Combined with HP Latex inks, it was a great match for a high quality, fine detail wrap. Installation was also simple given the excellent properties of the vinyl, while HP Latex inks helped by allowing heating and stretching of the vinyl without degradation of the printed image or colours thinning.”
As for the response, Ben said the customer was delighted with the completed wrap, which took just one day to print and laminate and two days to install on the boat. The team has since been able to take to water in the new-look vessel to get in some valuable practise sessions ahead of the event starting on 12 December 2024.
“The customer had high expectations as businesses had paid thousands in sponsorships for logos and names on the hull,” Ben said. “He was blown away by the quality of print and the speed in which we were able to complete the work ready for a televised PR launch party.”
This is not the first time HP Latex technology has been used to decorate a boat for the World’s Toughest Row. Last year, HP Latex R2000 and HP Latex 3600 printers were used to produce specialist decals to cover a similar boat.
The boat in question was manned by former HP manager Nick Hollis, who rowed solo across the Atlantic Ocean to raise awareness of climate change. Despite being subject to some of the most difficult conditions on the planet for 50 days straight, not to mention lengthy exposure to the hot sun of the Caribbean, the graphics remained fully intact and showed no sign of wear or tear when Nick arrived in Antigua.
