Decals or Naked?

[waterskier23]

Looking for some input from the Crew on decals.  I purchased a set of new old stock from Great Lakes Skipper in 2014 that looked awesome, but began to peel in early '15 (i will attribute a large part of that to installer error (me)).

So what should I do now?  Here's a current "naked" view.  Thoughts?

[Raimie]

Wow, original Vapor! Love it. I would leave it Naked.

[jk13]

Does look good naked.

When I bought mine I was nostalgic for the tournament boats with the logos on the sides. Back in the 80s and 90s only the inboards had that, unlike now with the bass boats and runabouts having graphics all over. So I went to my local sign shop and had them make me simple drop shadow logos with no rising sun and matching registration numbers. I'm sure any modern sign shop can print what you had with the shadowing and border no problem.

Here it is with the factory graphics in the shed I bought it out of, and after a wet sand and buff with my dog and in my driveway:

 

 

Edited April 25, 2016 by jk13

[Michigan boarder]

10 hours ago, waterskier23 said:

Looking for some input from the Crew on decals.  I purchased a set of new old stock from Great Lakes Skipper in 2014 that looked awesome, but began to peel in early '15 (i will attribute a large part of that to installer error (me)).

So what should I do now?  Here's a current "naked" view.  Thoughts?

Leave it as is.  Leave the little Echelon LX in the back, looks good.

Edit: Put some guide post covers over that PVC, those do make it all look a lot better.

Edited April 25, 2016 by Michigan boarder

[oldjeep]

Looks perfect the way it is.

[isellacuras]

I'm not a fan of nekkid boats but I really like the echelons classic lines and gel schemes. 

[Bill_AirJunky]

Looks great to me.

Are you being paid to advertise for someone?

[minnmarker]

Looks great as is.  Art work.

On the other hand, if you want "Malibu Cred" from the average boater then better put the name on there.

[jk13]

11 minutes ago, Bill_AirJunky said:

Are you being paid to advertise for someone?

Funny enough that is my philosophy everywhere else in life. No tags or logos on vehicles, hats, etc. unless it's my own or a sponsor/partner. 

But those are the boats I grew up in love with and I just wanted that look. All in was about $100 six years ago. And plenty of others have spent many times that on the drip molded stuff.

[Bill_AirJunky]

3 minutes ago, jk13 said:

Funny enough that is my philosophy everywhere else in life. No tags or logos on vehicles, hats, etc. unless it's my own or a sponsor/partner. 

But those are the boats I grew up in love with and I just wanted that look. All in was about $100 six years ago. And plenty of others have spent many times that on the drip molded stuff.

Yea, I guess I've been disappointed more than a few times by pretentious inboard owners who think their &%$# don't stink.   

I'm more impressed by whats happening 80' behind the boat.

[dfarhood]

2 hours ago, Michigan boarder said:

Leave it as is.  Leave the little Echelon LX in the back, looks good.

Edit: Put some guide post covers over that PVC, those do make it all look a lot better.

The look on the trailer is only important if the boat lives on the trailer full time... I prefer to use mine on the water 

[Michigan boarder]

3 minutes ago, dfarhood said:

The look on the trailer is only important if the boat lives on the trailer full time... I prefer to use mine on the water 

Me too, I didn't know if the OP trailered a lot or not.  I bought a cheap pair from Bakes a few years ago and they have held up well, and my Echy sits on a lift all summer with the trailer tucked away in a pole barn.  But when it is on the trailer, it looks a lot better.

[ahopkins22LSV]

I'd leave it nekkid. Orrrrrr get some custom colored ones made from DomedNumbers...

[Chia]

That's a nice looking boat.

The designers of that boat designed it to look good with whatever is under the gelcoat. The stickers are an add on from another department (marketing?).

Personally, i like the more subtle approach, like Porsche. If you know cars you know its a porsche. If you know boats, you know its a malibu, huge sticker not required.

[Bill_AirJunky]

2 hours ago, ahopkinsTXi said:

I'd leave it nekkid. Orrrrrr get some custom colored ones made from DomedNumbers...

Did that.

[Sixer]

Apparently I'm the outlier on this one, but I like the old-school Malibu decals.  I'd slap the decal with the sun on there if you can get one.

[ConnollyCrew]

Nekkid is always more fun!

[waterskier23]

Thanks for the feedback, leaning towards keeping in naked for now... any suggestions for a good source for the decals if interested?  DomedNumbers?  Other?  

I also like the suggestions of the guide post covers... where is a good source?  I'm open for small upgrades... this is the same trailer that punished my last summer with needing a new axle.