Change it
Bill, I also have a 96 23.5 and haven't cared much for the stripe. A portion of it was damaged a few years ago by a rubbing fender and I found that the strip can be easily removed by peeling (or if needed warm it with a hair blow dryer and peel it off). I used a razor blade to cut through the damaged area and area I didn't want and peeled them off (then did it to the same area on the other side of the boat, also). To replace it, I went to a local computerized sign shop, picked out a matching color decal with the boat's name, had the pair made to specifications and placed them on the hull in the open spots. Relatively inexpensive, personallized design, easy to do. That has been several seasons ago, and my decal has held up as well as the remaining 'factory positioned' portions of the stripe. Good luck! s/v Wind Seeker
