Marinette Boat Forum

Weather beginning to show signs of warming and I'm getting ready to rename my 32. Present name has been on her most likely since early 1991 as boat is a 1990. Reading about vinyl removal predominately talks about removing from fiberglass. Any good tips out there on proper removal? Also quite confident since old lettering being on so long will still show where old letters were due to fade around letters. What is best way (beside repainting) to minimize or remove the imprint?
Thanks,
Ron

As to removing the letters:
Given their age, they're probably brittle and won't pull away from the hull in one piece. You could try heating/warming them with a hair dryer and then see if they become pliable enough to peel away from the hull. If that doesn't work, you could still try the hair drier and a razor blade decal scraper. Either method may leave gum/glue residue. To remove you'd want to start with the lowest solvent and work up. Ie. start with isopropyl alcohol, then possible acetone (fingernail polish remover, turpentine / mineral spirits, and the finally, naphtha. There are also commercial solvent s available. Make sure to wear protective gloves.

For a sun caused imprint / fading:
You could try a cleaning product such as Soft Scrub (Industrial version). It contains bleach so my suggestion would be to test on an inconspicuous spot. It's an abrasive and you don't want to "rub it in". Just dob it on the surface. The abrasive part of it will hold it to the surface. You can slow the normal evaporation rate by covering it with plastic (a sandwich bag will be plenty big enough). Secure the bag on all sides with painter's tape which can easily be removed. Give it an hour then remove and wash off. If you're satisfied with results, you could, using a paint brush, further test its effectiveness by "painting" one of the letter's (such as an "F") section (the middle horizontal part of the "F" for instance. Repeat the plastic bag process and see how it looks.

Bill

They make rubber wheels just for decal removal.

bcassedy wrote:As to removing the letters:
Given their age, they're probably brittle and won't pull away from the hull in one piece. You could try heating/warming them with a hair dryer and then see if they become pliable enough to peel away from the hull. If that doesn't work, you could still try the hair drier and a razor blade decal scraper. Either method may leave gum/glue residue. To remove you'd want to start with the lowest solvent and work up. Ie. start with isopropyl alcohol, then possible acetone (fingernail polish remover, turpentine / mineral spirits, and the finally, naphtha. There are also commercial solvent s available. Make sure to wear protective gloves.

For a sun caused imprint / fading:
You could try a cleaning product such as Soft Scrub (Industrial version). It contains bleach so my suggestion would be to test on an inconspicuous spot. It's an abrasive and you don't want to "rub it in". Just dob it on the surface. The abrasive part of it will hold it to the surface. You can slow the normal evaporation rate by covering it with plastic (a sandwich bag will be plenty big enough). Secure the bag on all sides with painter's tape which can easily be removed. Give it an hour then remove and wash off. If you're satisfied with results, you could, using a paint brush, further test its effectiveness by "painting" one of the letter's (such as an "F") section (the middle horizontal part of the "F" for instance. Repeat the plastic bag process and see how it looks.

Bill

Thanks Bill

Tuggle wrote:They make rubber wheels just for decal removal.

Went online and saw these. Pretty cool.
Thanks

Hair dryer should work....

There is an important ceremony for the new naming process..... that will be fun

I always use the hair dryer technique as well, but don't think the stern won't need repainting.

You might try wet sanding the entire area with 400 down to 600 wet or dry (with water), then compounding. It MIGHT make the color shading acceptable, but...

Jeff

PS: Don't forget to follow the accepted ritual for renaming a boat or all hell will befall you! Seriously.

Here's how I de-stickered our 28 express last summer - in the water, at the dock. (warm sunny day)
#1 let thumbnail grow a little longer than usual
#2 open beer
#3 start picking
only took me 3 buds to finish the whole thing.
orange goo gone took care of any sticky boogers left behind.
600 wet sand - use Dawn in the water
rub out - Meguiars ultra cut compound (I hand rubbed it, use a machine if you can)

Great advice all especially the 3 Buds. Heard that 1 bottle of champagne for decommissioning and 1 bottle for christening. Maybe and extra in case needing a little more luck.
Thanks for great advice

My boat kept the same name for 46 years and all Hell still decended on me. I called it a number of things but never wrote it on the stern. Gotta admit, with her gone to the far north, I’m going to miss the pain this spring.
Regards to all and a wish for an early spring for all of you.
75 degrees and sunny today in middle Tennessee.
Rockxx