Transfers add the finishing marks to a model boat: the name on the transom, the port of registry, draft marks at the bow and stern, hull numbers, funnel bands and flags. Applied well, they look painted on. Applied badly, they show up as shiny rectangles of carrier film, and those are hard to fix afterwards.
This guide covers the main types of transfer, how to apply water-slide decals cleanly, how to fix common problems, and what changes when the boat is going to sail.
Transfers vs Decals: Same Thing, Different Words
In the UK, “transfers” is the traditional term. In North America, “decals” is more usual. Both mean printed markings that you move from a backing sheet onto the model. Kit instructions and suppliers use both words, sometimes on the same page.
Types of Model Boat Transfer
Water-Slide Decals
This is the most common type in plastic and wooden kits. The design is printed on a thin clear carrier film on paper backing. You soak the decal in water, the glue under the film softens, and the decal slides off onto the model. Water-slide decals can be very thin and conform well, but they need a smooth surface and some care.
Rub-Down (Dry) Transfers
Dry transfers have the design on the back of a carrier sheet. You place the sheet on the model and rub over the design with a burnisher, and only the printed letters or shapes transfer. There’s no film to hide, so they’re popular for ship names and lettering on wooden models. You can’t move them once they’re down, so line them up carefully. A strip of low-tack tape helps you hold the sheet in place.
Self-Adhesive Vinyl
Cut vinyl lettering and printed vinyl stickers are common on larger RC boats. Vinyl is thicker than a water-slide decal and won’t settle into fine detail. It is much tougher, though, and copes better with water, handling and the odd knock on the pond.
Common Markings on Model Boats
What you need depends on the subject, but typical markings include:
- Name and port of registry, usually on the stern, and the name often repeated at the bow
- Draft marks (draught marks in the UK) at the bow and stern, showing depth in feet or metres
- Load line or Plimsoll marks amidships on merchant ships
- Hull numbers or pennant numbers on warships
- Fishing registration letters and numbers on fishing boats
- Funnel bands, house flags and company logos
- Warning and safety signs on tugs and workboats
Check photographs of the real vessel at the period you’re modelling. Markings, fonts and positions often changed over a ship’s life. Our guide to RNLI lifeboat colours shows how much detail one livery can involve.
How to Apply Water-Slide Transfers
Prepare a Gloss Surface
Water-slide decals need a smooth, glossy surface. A matte or satin paint surface is rough at a microscopic level. Air gets trapped under the clear film and shows up as a silvery haze, which modellers call silvering. Brush or spray a gloss clear coat over the areas that will take markings and let it cure fully.
Cut, Soak and Slide
- Cut the decal out close to the printed edge with a sharp blade or fine scissors. Less carrier film means less to hide.
- Dip it in clean, lukewarm water for a few seconds, then lay it on a paper towel. Most decals are ready to slide after a short wait. Don’t leave them floating, or the glue can wash off.
- Wet the spot on the model slightly so you can move the decal around.
- Hold the backing paper against the model and slide the decal off with a soft brush.
- Position it, then gently push out water and air from the centre outwards with a damp brush or a folded tissue.
To get long names and draft marks straight, put a strip of masking tape on the hull as a guide line and butt the decal against it.
Setting and Softening Solutions
Decal setting fluids help decals stick and settle over panel lines, rivets and planking. The two-step systems sold by several hobby brands usually work like this:
- A setting solution goes on the surface before the decal. It helps the decal stick and lets you move it a little.
- A softening solution goes on top once the decal is in place. It softens the film so it settles into recesses.
Softening solutions make the decal very fragile for a while. Don’t touch it until it dries. Wrinkles often flatten out by themselves as it dries, and a second coat can help. Test any new product on a spare decal first, because some decals react more strongly than others.
Seal and Match the Sheen
When the decals are fully dry, wipe off any leftover glue with a damp cloth. Then put a clear coat over the whole area so the decal edges disappear. Use satin or matte to match the rest of the hull. Our pillar guide to model ship finishes explains how to choose a sheen at scale.
Fixing Silvering, Wrinkles and Tears
- Silvering after drying: prick the silvered area with a fine needle, then apply softening solution so it seeps under the film. A further clear coat can also help hide it.
- Wrinkles that don’t settle: apply softening solution again and leave it alone. Poking the decal while it’s soft usually tears it.
- Torn or broken decals: float the pieces into position one at a time and touch up the gaps with matching paint afterwards.
- Decal over a curved surface or rope moulding: make small relief cuts in the carrier film with a sharp blade so it can wrap without creasing.
Old or Cracked Decal Sheets
Decals from old kits may break up when wet. The carrier film turns brittle with age. Before you soak an old sheet, brush on a thin coat of liquid decal film or gloss clear varnish and let it dry. This gives the decal a new carrier that holds it together. Test on a marking you don’t need first. Yellowed carrier film can sometimes be lightened by leaving the sheet in sunlight for a while before use. Results vary.
Making Your Own Transfers
Custom names and registration numbers are easy to make with inkjet or laser decal paper, which is sold in clear and white versions:
- Clear decal paper suits dark lettering on light hulls.
- White decal paper lets you print colours on a white background. You then have to trim right to the edge of the design.
- Inkjet ink is usually water-soluble. Seal the printed sheet with a clear coat before you put it in water, or the ink will run.
- Most home printers can’t print white ink. White lettering on a dark hull usually means buying custom decals, using rub-down transfers, or painting through a mask.
Fine lines and small text can lose sharpness on home printers. For very small scales, commercial printing services may give cleaner results.
Transfers on RC Boats That Go in the Water
Water-slide decals are not waterproof by themselves. On an RC boat:
- Seal every decal under at least one good clear coat, and take the coat beyond the decal edges.
- Consider vinyl for markings near the waterline or on areas you handle often, such as the transom near hatches.
- Wipe the hull dry after sailing, especially after use in murky water, and look for lifting edges at the end of each season.
If you’re painting a boot topping or waterline stripe before marking up the hull, do that first and put the decals on afterwards. Our guide to painting a straight waterline on a model ship covers the masking.