It would be nice to have a proper 'FIRE' sign on the side of the boat. Sets it off a bit, don't you think? But unfortunately, you need big letters, and transfers don't come cheap...
So why not use a stencil? Here I printed out the nearest approximation I could get to the original lettering (Franklin Gothic Demi - 120pt, since you ask) on a bit of paper, and cut round the outline with a knife. Instant Stencil!
Here it is on the side of the boat, with a bit of Blu-Tack to hold it on...
and here it is with a bit of white spray on it.
Of course, there is a reason why stencils are made from hard card, and not paper. And that's because paper bends away from the surface...
...producing results like these.
Oh Dear! Never mind, now that we know the problem, we can address it. And the obvious thing to use is a sheet of ink-jet transparency acetate, which I was saving for the glazing.
Here is a picture of an invisible transparent sheet of plastic! You can just see the edges of the letters, and you can see the thin blobs of Blu-Tack which I am using to position the stencil and hold the edges down.
And here it is with a bit of spray on.
You have to get just the right amount of spray. Too little, and the edges of the letters fade away. Too much, and the paint sticks the stencil to the model. Always spray straight at the stencil, not at an angle...
And that looks slightly better.
It's still a poor edge, due in part to my poor knifework, but it can be touched up when it's dry. And, most important, it's cheap!
