A: This depends on the size and complexity of the project however vinyl has the advantage of being significantly quicker than paint because the job only needs doing once. With Unique Yacht Wrapping, a full hull colour change on a 80 foot yacht will take around 3 days whilst a colour change on a 30-60m yacht will take 8-12 days to complete. These projects like can be booked in and completed quickly, even in the middle of your main operating season.

A: The cost savings are significant when comparing marine vinyl wrapping to marine painting. When painting, you pay a large amount of capital which can be considered as an investment in the value of your yacht, however it depreciates every year and needs to be redone every 8-10 years. Paint also degrades significantly under UV and is further eroded each time it is polished until eventually there is no protection left. When the time comes to repaint it has a huge cost, months of downtime and potentially millions in lost revenue if you are in the charter industry. Marine wrapping on the other hand also lasts several years (5-8 years depending on finish). The major cost difference is that when wrapping, you can expect the cost to be around 10x lower than painting. These savings increase as yacht size increases. The speed we can install means you have little downtime, which for busy charter yachts represents a huge saving alone. Owners, captains and others in the marine industry are realising that wrapping is a way to keep their paint fresh on a permanent basis, wrapping every season, year or other interval. This is also applicable to interior wrapping, giving charter yacht interiors a complete refresh when looking worn out and tired from yearly use.

A: As with paint, this depends on what you are asking the vinyl to do. On exterior work vinyls have a great resistance to UV but will be damaged by coming alongside with no fenders down. If left alone (no hitting pontoons) vinyl can be as stable as the best paints and is certainly better than gelcoat. For reasons that we have not worked out, vinyl fairs very well against fender wear.

A: This is a question commonly asked on full hull wraps, and the answer is largely ‘yes’ due to the lack of a quality of finish that can be achieved in the water, but there is a lot of work that can be done in the water – interior work being the obvious example, however, work on super structure and detailing may also be able to be done in the water.

A: Today's vinyl films can be said to rival most aspects of paint and are in some cases indistinguishable from the paint alternative. In many cases though the finish achievable with vinyl would be simply impossible with paint.

A: Yacht paint is without doubt more durable and tougher than vinyl but that is not the question. We do not consider vinyl as an alternative to paint but rather a compliment. Imagine, if instead of polishing your paint every couple of years, you wrap it. After ten years, your paint and gel coat would still be in brand new condition, saving you the cost of repainting and you wouldn't have lost anything operationally in terms of downtime. With vinyl wrapping you are also free to try out new colours and styles along the way, customise and do things you never would or could with paint because whatever you choose to do with vinyl is fully reversible.

A: The pigments (colouring) of the vinyl film influence the durability of the colours. Based on a vertical exposure, black and white vinyl can last approximately 10 years in a Mediterranean climate. Colours have an indicative durability of 8 years, whereas metallics and certain other finishes have an indicative lifespan of 3-5 years. Exotic finishes such as chrome are not warranted for long term use in a marine environment and should only be chosen with this understanding. When wrapping a yacht, the key thing to understand is that the vinyl will degrade over time so that the paint doesn't have to. As we discuss with all our clients, polishing degrades the paint and wrapping preserves it for the future. If this is understood up front, you will never be disappointed.

A: You should not buff vinyl, nor scrub with anything abrasive. Simply keep it clean by using soap, water and a cloth.

A: The durability of the product depends on a large number of factors including: the quality and the preparation of the substrate, exposure (environment, climate, exposure angle), the maintenance of the vinyl and the amount of pollution. The degradation of materials such as the slight and progressive change of the colour and the gloss is a natural and unavoidable phenomenon for both vinyl and paint. On yacht exteriors, vinyl has a great resistance to UV. If left alone, vinyl can be as stable as the best paints and fares extremely well against fender wear.

A: It is highly important to use high quality vinyl films and we cannot emphasise enough the importance of this. Incorrect vinyl selection may lead to shrinkage, adhesion failure and premature breakdown of the film. Unique Yacht Wrapping only use the highest quality selected marine coated vinyl film.

A: At Unique Yacht Wrapping we are always looking to be as environmentally friendly as possible. Vinyl is a much better eco friendly alternative to marine painting as the solvents are locked in the material. Vinyl wrap can also be recycled unlike toxic marine paints.

A: Matt paint is very difficult to apply and touch up as it can’t be buffed or polished in the way that gloss can. The majority of problems occur with suncreen/oil based spillage marks which soak into the paint and cannot be buffed out, similar to marks made when coming alongside pontoons. After buffing, the paint becomes glossy and uneven in tone to the rest of the matt coat often resulting in the costly option of a total coat re spray to maintain the consistent finish. Matt or textured vinyls lend themselves to a vinyl finish as they are considerably easier to repair. Vinyl is also a great solution as a ‘touch up’ for a paint finish proving an exact match for matt black. True matt black vinyl marks easily so satins are advised as these are more durable.

A: Vinyl films come in different roll lengths and widths, however, the norm is 25m long x 1.52m wide. Interior rolls however come in narrower widths.

A: We generally say unless you know the joins are there you won’t see them as they are disguised over features and within the natural lines of the boat. Our skilled installers may also put joins in places where light changes on the yacht.

A: With vinyl it is important to follow the standard health & safety procedures but you do not need the extensive equipment (breathing equipment, eyewash stations, technical clothing, extracts) or carry the same risks as with a paint job. There are no fire and explosive hazards.

A: There are two levels for repairing vinyl. The first is owner/crew repairs, which are carried out when needed, this usually involves a ‘patch’ over a damaged area (in the same colour) to give colour consistency in that area. This is a very convenient solution for small areas and while the boat is out in service. The second level is for larger damaged areas and this is best repaired by skilled fitters.

A: Vinyl is far easier to remove than paint, and although it is not a fun job it is essentially just a case of peeling the vinyl back. Subject to how long the film has been applied it may leave some adhesive residue behind, which is easily removed with a mild solvent and some effort. A major advantage of vinyl films is that you can buy a new boat in factory white, colour change the hull in vinyl and when you come to sell strip it back to white – revealing a brand new gel/painted surface to potential new owners.

A: We require a sound surface to wrap onto, which means no flaky or exfoliating/peeling paint. The more perfect the surface we wrap onto, the more perfect the finish. If you choose not to repair scratches, they will be visible through the vinyl - vinyl isn't forgiving, does not have filling properties and cannot be used like a blanket. It is very important to correctly prepare any cracks which could take on water, so that they are filled, sealed, smooth and dry before wrapping.