I need help removing the painted name on the transom of my boat. The previous owner apparently painted over the name several times. I paid a local graphic boat artist to remove the name. He did his best but it's very easy to see the "shadow" of the old name. The artist suggests that when he paints the new name on the boat he will do his best to cover the old name but can't guarantee it won't be somewhat visable. Can anyone suggest what I need to do to totally remove any appearance of the old name? I want it to look good, not cheap. Thanks, Joe Mullee
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
Bleach, sunlight and time
The "ghost" tells you how much your hull has oxydized...the part that was covered by the paint was protected from fading, the rest of the gelcoat wasn't. So, the way to exorcise the ghost is to oxydize it. Spray the whole area as often as possible--every day if you can--with undiluted bleach...sunlight and time will do the rest. If the new name is to be painted on, you SHOULD be able to continue this treatment after it's done...but ask the sign painter to test the paints he plans to use to be sure (one soaking with bleach will tell the tale), 'cuz the pigments in some paints aren't as stable as in others. This will also be a good test of how well the name will hold up, too. I had the same problem on my last two boats. I went ahead and had the names changed and kept up the bleach treatment...took about a months for the "ghost" to completely disappear...about 2 months on the other one 'cuz the boat was a lot older and the old name had been on it much longer. And btw...it was sign painter who put the new name on both boats who told me to do this. The only other alternative is wet sanding, and that can be tricky to do...too much pressure, and you're all the way through the gelcoat. My way takes a little time, but it works without any risk.
The "ghost" tells you how much your hull has oxydized...the part that was covered by the paint was protected from fading, the rest of the gelcoat wasn't. So, the way to exorcise the ghost is to oxydize it. Spray the whole area as often as possible--every day if you can--with undiluted bleach...sunlight and time will do the rest. If the new name is to be painted on, you SHOULD be able to continue this treatment after it's done...but ask the sign painter to test the paints he plans to use to be sure (one soaking with bleach will tell the tale), 'cuz the pigments in some paints aren't as stable as in others. This will also be a good test of how well the name will hold up, too. I had the same problem on my last two boats. I went ahead and had the names changed and kept up the bleach treatment...took about a months for the "ghost" to completely disappear...about 2 months on the other one 'cuz the boat was a lot older and the old name had been on it much longer. And btw...it was sign painter who put the new name on both boats who told me to do this. The only other alternative is wet sanding, and that can be tricky to do...too much pressure, and you're all the way through the gelcoat. My way takes a little time, but it works without any risk.
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Joe Mullee
Peggy, Will the bleach dull the gelcoat?
My "ghost" is actually a light brown shadow. I'm guesing the previous name was on the boat almost 18 years (1983 H34)and was painted over several times. I only get down to the boat once per week. Will your solution work at that type of interval? Will the bleach dull the gelcoat? Thanks.
My "ghost" is actually a light brown shadow. I'm guesing the previous name was on the boat almost 18 years (1983 H34)and was painted over several times. I only get down to the boat once per week. Will your solution work at that type of interval? Will the bleach dull the gelcoat? Thanks.
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
No. Won't dull it all.
The less often you can spray bleach on it, the longer it'll take for the ghost to vanish, but not that much longer. Btw, the ghost SHOULD be very close to the original hull color...any other color is a stain, in which case bleach may not work. What did your sign painter use to remove the old name? If the ghost is same color as any part of the name, I wonder if he got all the old paint off.
The less often you can spray bleach on it, the longer it'll take for the ghost to vanish, but not that much longer. Btw, the ghost SHOULD be very close to the original hull color...any other color is a stain, in which case bleach may not work. What did your sign painter use to remove the old name? If the ghost is same color as any part of the name, I wonder if he got all the old paint off.
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Pete Loewenstein
Try oven cleaner?
I haven't tried this myself, but a friend recently had a painted-on name removed successfully. The guy who did the work used Easy-Off oven cleaner to break down the paint. It seemed to work great, so you might give it a try. Pete s/v Sh'boom! (H-356)
I haven't tried this myself, but a friend recently had a painted-on name removed successfully. The guy who did the work used Easy-Off oven cleaner to break down the paint. It seemed to work great, so you might give it a try. Pete s/v Sh'boom! (H-356)
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David
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
Guys...oven cleaner only takes the paint off,
It can't remove the "ghost" that's left when the paint is gone--that's the result of gelcoat oxydation around the paint, but none under the paint...like the white your watchband leaves on your wrist when you get a suntan. And it's the ghost he's asking how to remove...the paint is already gone.
It can't remove the "ghost" that's left when the paint is gone--that's the result of gelcoat oxydation around the paint, but none under the paint...like the white your watchband leaves on your wrist when you get a suntan. And it's the ghost he's asking how to remove...the paint is already gone.
Oven Cleaner again.
Joe: Oven cleaner will work and does not damage the gel coat. What it will not do is remove the ridge that you end up with. If you want to clean it up a little you can wet sand the area with very fine wet/dry paper. I personally would not repaint the name. I think that the vinyl is a better option and looks great. Typically it is also less expensive and very simple to install.
Joe: Oven cleaner will work and does not damage the gel coat. What it will not do is remove the ridge that you end up with. If you want to clean it up a little you can wet sand the area with very fine wet/dry paper. I personally would not repaint the name. I think that the vinyl is a better option and looks great. Typically it is also less expensive and very simple to install.
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
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Pete Loewenstein
Peggy's right ... but
Peggy notes correctly that the oven cleaner solution is for removing paint ... not the 'ghost' left behind after all the paint is removed. I suggested the oven cleaner solution because I thought there might be some residual paint still on the hull.
Peggy notes correctly that the oven cleaner solution is for removing paint ... not the 'ghost' left behind after all the paint is removed. I suggested the oven cleaner solution because I thought there might be some residual paint still on the hull.
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Jim
vinyl / paint
Use oven cleaner only on painted lettering. On vinyl letters, heat with a hair dryer and peel off. Oven cleaner will make a mess on vinyl.. As noted, oven cleaner will not remove the ghost.
Use oven cleaner only on painted lettering. On vinyl letters, heat with a hair dryer and peel off. Oven cleaner will make a mess on vinyl.. As noted, oven cleaner will not remove the ghost.
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
Btw..do NOT use oven cleaner on a painted hull
Anything that will take a painted name off will take the paint off the hull too. Jim, you might try some Easy-Off on a small portion of the "ghost" to see there's still any paint left. Spray it on...wait a bit--long enough to give it plenty of time to work, but not long enough to dry--and scrub really hard with a plastic scrubber, then rinse very thoroughly. If no more comes off, it's not paint. If more does come off, I'd use another sign painter or go with vinyl (which was my last choice)...'cuz that will mean this painter's work is pretty sloppy. I have no idea what "ridge" Steve referred to...I've never seen any kind of ridge left behind after removing the painted names from two boats.
Anything that will take a painted name off will take the paint off the hull too. Jim, you might try some Easy-Off on a small portion of the "ghost" to see there's still any paint left. Spray it on...wait a bit--long enough to give it plenty of time to work, but not long enough to dry--and scrub really hard with a plastic scrubber, then rinse very thoroughly. If no more comes off, it's not paint. If more does come off, I'd use another sign painter or go with vinyl (which was my last choice)...'cuz that will mean this painter's work is pretty sloppy. I have no idea what "ridge" Steve referred to...I've never seen any kind of ridge left behind after removing the painted names from two boats.
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