Captain Fizz and Derek [Del], thanks for your encouragement.
Not such a good day today [after pruning right back a large buddleia davidii in the garden- it's that time of year!], as I attempted to start the decal fixing and fortunately had a spare set salvaged from 17-21's workshop rubbish bin a couple of years ago. The stern arching 150th Anniversary stripes decal decided to crack, even when using MicroSet [blue bottle - more of that below]. So used the spare set, having now trimmed both ends exactly to their edges. I did not attempt, at this point, to trim the carrying medium back top and bottom as the actual boats do not have this trim applied directly underneath the rubber fendering - now show me a model lifeboat that gets that right, can't remember one, it should be around 1" below. However, as can be seen from my photo below, even mine is too low [should be half that distance], but the carrying medium would not allow me to butt it any higher. To overlap it against the rubber fender and trim off later I did not want to do as I had just spotted that this new decal had 'patches' on the printing! These can be seen above the word 'Newhaven' and towards the starboard stern corner. Also the decal was starting to develope white patches - all in all a moment I could have done without. So I lifted the decal with the tip of a scalpel blade and fed some more MicroSet underneath and reset it in place. Then I over-painted with MicroSol [red bottle] and waited. It's not perfect or anywhere near as good as I wanted, but that is life! I then went ahead and applied the boat's Station name 'Newhaven Lifeboat' one that my family and I have supported for more than fifty years.
Now for a couple of corrections to my previous post. Firstly, when speaking of MicroSet I called it MicroSol. 'Set' is used to get a better adhesion for your decal and 'Sol' is used after 'Set' when you want the decal to soften even more and conform to rivet heads or sink into engraved lines. There are a number of YouTube videos covering the process. Secondly, when I said it took me back 18 years, I meant to have said '48 years'! Lastly, when commenting on the previous Post to that one, I mentioned 'optiVISOR' and spelt it wrongly, not something I like doing, so here it is correctly spelt and in the same upper and lower case lettering as used by the company.
Well, tomorrow I will spend a day relaxing with 17-09 on the cliffs above Dover, looking at new acquisitions modelling wise and also comparing my new Models by Design 1/12th Shannon hull, deck and wheelhouse against the RNLI plans. Back to decals again on 'Good Friday' - for me, I hope it will be.[/color][/color]