exterior decals

[Brad Truby]

I have recently purchased a 84'hunter 26footer the exterior is a little worn out i have been asking around for awile now on how could i could i bring some life back to it . The decals are all worn out of color meaning the striping along the sides of the boat . my question is there any way that i can replace with new or is there some kind of solvent that will make the old decals pull off . I have spent alot of time redoing the boat and would love to get it back to its original looks. If there is any way you can help , or have any kind of answers please email me at B-Truby@MSN.COM

 

[Peggie Hall/Head Mistress]

Stripe removal made (sorta) easy

Use a blow dryer to soften the adhesive..be patient, it takes time--and you ONLY want to soften the adhesive, not melt the plastic...which is why I don't recommend using a heat gun unless you're very skilled with one. Then pull the striping off, working your way slowly down the side of the boat. Remove the adhesive residue by spraying it liberally with good ol' WD-40 (there are products specifically marketed for this purpose--Goo-Gone and several others, but none of them work any better, most don't work as well...so why spend money on something you'll only use about 10% of, when you already have at least 3 cans of WD-40?)...let it soak for a while, then scrub with a 3-M scrubber or very fine bronze wool. Wash the WD-40 off with detergent and water. This works on striping, old registration numbers, names (except painted), and anything else that's "glued" on the boat. New striping in assorted colors and widths is available from any major marine supply store.It's a time consuming process, but not difficult...cold beer helps--but too much...you don't want to "fry" the old striping!

 

[Steve Dion]

Stripe removal made VERY easy.

Brad:I posted an article on the Foto Forum on this subject. Take a look. All you need is an electric drill and the "ERASER". Be sure that you purchase the arbor too. It was more work doing the clean-up than it was removing the stripes.