I'm having a hell of a time taping straight!
 

In the process of spraying the sides of my 30" deep vee and I'm having a hell of a time keeping the attempted tape lines straight for the entire length of the boat. Bottom and top of boat will be white with the sides blue. Planning for the blue to start about 3/4 an inch up from the bottom edge on the sides for the entire side of the boat up to the rub rail. The stripe will be in the lower third of the blue and be a simple swoosh white pointed line going from a point at the bow hook widening to a constant 2 or 3" or so line following the bottom edge of the boat going all the way to the transom.

Any pointers on keeping that constant 3/4" tape line at the bottom edge and especially taping a nice swooshing graphic without line wobble? Is it easier to have a graphics shop cut out a 30' stencil assuring both sides match? Would like to do something like the graphics in the pictures below.

Regards

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their is a few way to do it..if you want to follow he contour of the line of the boat you can take a measurement and mark it out on the boat with a grease pencil..when you go to follow the line with the tape you stick the tape to one end of the boat and make sure its stuck real good then you will need to go the legnth of the stripe wit the tape,,pull the tape off the roll the legnth and with one hand with the tape over yout head and your eye looking down the side of the boat bring the tape in towards the lines you marked but ley the tape stick on its own and still pulling on the tape and following the line until you followed it to where you ended your stripe..then lightly go over the tape by hand so it sticks...it takes some time to get use to it but the trick is keeping the tape tight and pulling on the tape to make the slight curve in the hulls side..its not easy but take your time and you will finally get it after a few rolls lol..

Well, if your taping sober and can't get a straight line, maybe a few capt and cokes to get tuned in and you will flow right down the side of the boat...... :party-smiley-004:

That's what I was going to say! Drink more or less! You will get it. :lolhit:

start with a fine line tape first...It is twice as hard to use a 3/4".

that would help but use the yellow,,blue wont stretch back like the yellow does..

pull out several feet of tape (6+) at a time. hold it off the hull and lay it down slowly. lines will be straighter than if you try to work "in front of you". when I stripe a car I start at one end (taillight) and pull out most of the length of the car before i start laying the stripe down on it. If you use this method you can look down the line and see if it is what you want before you stick it.

Use 2" masking tape to lay a base line and tape off that. The wider tape will hold a line better than 3/4 and fineline is too fluid. It is a two person job and takes a bit of time.

Thanks guys for the advice!

I'll definitely need to find a buddy to help and to pick up that rum and coke!!

He is right use a wider tape so it doesn't try to curve on you as much. 1 1/2" or 2".