Old Registration Numbers Left "shadow" on gelcoat - rubbing compound suggestions

[GSmith116]

I decided that the registration numbers on my MacGregor 25 looked pretty bad so I ordered new vinyl lettering. It took a lot of effort to get the old numbers as well as the white backing off and to my surprise, I had three gelcoat shades. The oxidized general hull shade, a brighter shade under the white background and an even lighter shade under where the black numbers were.

The only rubbing compound that my local marina had in stock was Meguiar's M49 and I applied that with a power buffer and wool bonnet pretty aggressively. The result was a nice shiny hull in general with the old registration numbers even brighter. (see pictures)

My question is if you think that a better (more aggressive) rubbing compound like 3M Marine Rubbing compound 09004 would do better. I'll have to drive a fair distance to get it in stock. I did order 3M Marine Compound and Finishing Material 06044 from Amazon since I could get it in 2 days. Should I make the trip to get the 3M rubbing compound or another suggested compound?

Thanks,

Greg

 

[Jackdaw]

Is your goal to buff the entire hull to the color that was under the letters? That will be a big job, if it’s even possible. The gel coat on the Mac25 was not that thick to start with.

 

[dlochner]

Time and Sun are your friends. Gelcoat oxidizes and changes color with UV exposure. Some colors are worse than others.

You might try some 1000 grit wet sandpaper, but I wouldn't be too aggessive or you might go through the gelcoat. Replicating the original design, i.e., putting the numbers on a vinyl background to hide the old numbers.

 

[31seahorse]

Hello Greg, We will be sailing out of Geneva again this summer. We have a similar problem with our 1977 Celebrity. Inappropriate name and a shadow where the insignia and lettering were removed. We tried McGuiers(sp?) buffing compound, but still have a shadow. Our solution is to add the new name lettering, add a sticker after the lettering, and add a Finger Lakes sticker after that. Not a wonderful choice, but I plan to sail the boat, not enter any beauty contests or antique boat shows. Can you match the number size and just place them where the old ones were? Best Wishes.

 

[jon hansen]

over the years i have run into these situations.
'i don't care cause i cannot see it from the helm chair'
the sun will correct this over a few years.
do nothing, GO SAILING, put the sails up and catch a nice glide.

just my $0.02 many will not agree, but hey, i sail allot more that they do

 

[Mr Fox]

I second what Jackdaw and Jon said. You’d have to bring all the surrounding gelcoat to the recently exposed color, lot of buffing!

It will most likely fade as the newly exposed areas sit in the sun; might take a little bit, the old number marks on my boat needed one season to vanish (and were mostly covered by the new numbers anyhow).

My boat is white however so I’m not sure if yellow would take longer?

 

[jon hansen]

......................... if you use a heat gun the vinyl numbers are easy to remove. so you will know next time. then lighter fluid to remove the goo.

 

[GSmith116]

Jack and Dave,
Thanks for your replies. It sounds like it is pretty unrealistic to try to take the amount of gelcoat off that would be required for the old lettering to not be visible. I guess it is a lot smarter to just put the new lettering on and wait for the old lettering to fade away. I think it will look something like the picture, although I am not that great with graphics programs.
How should I prep the surface to add the vinyl lettering? DoItYourselfLettering says to put it over the final surface "wax" and all. I was thinking that I would apply the lettering over a bare buffed surface and then wax over the lettering.

 

[Capt jgw]

I've seen much worse. Sometimes the gelcoat shrinks in the sun leaving a raised surface where the vinyl was that you can feel with your fingers. That would probably never level out by itself, you'd have to wet sand. A friend of mine bought a Hunter 31, 1985 model I think it was, with a truly stupid name in vinyl on the transom. When he peeled the vinyl off, he was left with the name still visible raised by at least 1/16 inch. Took him a solid week to sand and buff it out. The transom on that model is huge, and the graphic covered the whole thing.

 

[dlochner]

Jack and Dave,
Thanks for your replies. It sounds like it is pretty unrealistic to try to take the amount of gelcoat off that would be required for the old lettering to not be visible. I guess it is a lot smarter to just put the new lettering on and wait for the old lettering to fade away. I think it will look something like the picture, although I am not that great with graphics programs.
How should I prep the surface to add the vinyl lettering? DoItYourselfLettering says to put it over the final surface "wax" and all. I was thinking that I would apply the lettering over a bare buffed surface and then wax over the lettering.

I'd be inclined to wax after the numbers are installed.

 

[Mr Fox]

For removing any trace of old wax safely a toluene-based brush cleaner (not mineral spirits or paint thinner) is very effective, rinse after.

 

[GSmith116]

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions. I will definitely remember the heat gun and lighter fluid removal method and to use toluene-based brush cleaner to remove wax before the application. The thing that I am most concerned about now is that I have two large boat name vinyl graphics to apply to both sides of the boat. I'm sure glad that none of the previous owners did what I am about to do because my boat name probably falls in the "truly stupid name" category for anyone but a trumpet player. The actual 16x39" graphic along with what I hope it will look like on the boat are attached as images. I ordered one graphic with the trumpet facing forward and the other with it facing backward. Otherwise, the boat would tend to rotate in tight little circles . But, I haven't decided if the trumpet on either side should blow forward or aft. Any opinions?

 

[kappykaplan]

But, I haven't decided if the trumpet on either side should blow forward or aft. Any opinions?

Facing aft. It just looks better!

 

[Maine Sail]

Time & UV will eventually correct this.

A human attempting to shortcut the time equation, with abrasives, will only serve to thin the gelcoat and the ghosting will still be there...

 

[dlochner]

Horn should be blowing aft. If you play the horn facing forward it will slow you down.

 

[Cowpokee]

Wow, it is not often that I disagree with those that know more than me, but I would place the trumpets blasting forward - announcing your arrival!

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

It will most likely fade as the newly exposed areas sit in the sun; might take a little bit, the old number marks on my boat needed one season to vanish (and were mostly covered by the new numbers anyhow).

Had the same issue on one of my own boats...sunshine assisted by frequent applications of bleach (use a spray bottle) faded the "ghost" of the old name in a couple of months.
--Peggie

 

[ToddS]

Time and Sun are your friends. Gelcoat oxidizes and changes color with UV exposure.

+1 for time and sun... Last spring I peeled off vinyl lettering when I renamed my "new to me" boat... left a shadow of the original lettering. Tried buffing... didn't help... decided to wait. At first, it wasn't great. Now, one year later, I would say it is 90+ percent fixed by sitting in the sun. I'm the only person that can find/see it still, and even then, only with the light coming from just the right angle. By the end of this summer I suspect even I won't be able to see it anymore. My vote is just wait for the sun to help that area "catch up" to the rest of the boat.

 

[31seahorse]

I like the name and the trumpet! Trumpet facing aft......for those few times when there is no other wind. Regarding the registration numbers: If they were the "stick-on" style just get a sheet of those in a contrasting color from the hull color and stick them where the other numbers were. OR....you could offset them a bit and employ the shadow to your advantage.

 

[agprice22]

Yeah... been there, done that... you gotta relax and let time and the sun even this out. I have done 600, 1200, 2000 wet sand and compound to fix this before. I got a beautiful hull on which I could still read the old name.
Sail The Boat. STB. Nothing else really matters. And if you knew me, you would know I do NOT go easily...