Boat Name Plates: Hand-Gilded Teak With Gold Leaf

Every ship has a name, and yours deserves to shine. At Designs & Signs, we make personalized boat name plates and plaques by hand in Edgewater, Maryland. We specialize in painting gold-leaf, outlined, or shaded signs for your boat. Our teak boat name plates are hand-painted and varnished, so they look distinctive and stylish. For example, we made a set of name boards for the Suzannah Aqui. They suit sailboats, powerboats, and yachts alike.

We Make Boat Name Plates

These teak name boards are handmade for the Suzannah Aqui. The letters are not carved. Instead, the letters are gold leaf, turned by hand with a cotton ball. The outline is also painted by hand.

We Use Gold Leaf, and Then We Turn It by Hand

We apply 23 karat gold leaf by hand. Then we turn it, a technique called engine turning. Next, we paint the black outline by hand. Before varnishing, we clean the teak so the finish bonds well. We apply several coats of TotalBoat Lust marine varnish before gilding. After gilding and outlining, we varnish the boards again. With regular upkeep of the varnish, these boards hold up for years.

Why Boat Names Matter

Sailors say it is good luck to name your boat. Many also believe that a boat without a name brings bad luck. So choose your boat name and your boat sign with care. For ideas, read these boat naming tips from Marina Reservation and Sailing World. Once you have a name, tell us the style and colors you like. Then we design the layout and make your boat name plates. If you would rather have a larger board, take a look at our quarterboards.