UV mapping doesn't work with NURBS.
Instead what you do is separate the surfaces in rectangular parches (it's not like you have much of an option anyway, because NURBS are rectangular), then you simply create textures to apply to each rectangle or square. Which is why you probably want to have a bunch of smaller surfaces instead of a big surface encompasing most of the model.
You can paint the textures in photoshop or something, and to know where in the square you should put the different things that you want to draw (or where is up and where is down for example) you can use the 3D paint tool to draw some reference lines directly over the blank textures applied over your model in Maya and then open the picture with the reference lines in photoshop and work on a separate layer ontop of the lines.
To explain you how to use the 3D paint tool I would need a long time, and it's kinda late right now. So first see if you can find out about that looking in google, or I think there is actually a video tutorial in simplymaya about exactly that (I think mtmckinley did one, right?). Anyway, if you have any problem with that post some specific questions and I'lll see what I can explain.
There can not be Good without Evil, so then it must be good to be Evil sometimes.
:tup: