I have recently aquired an 83 Cat 30. It needs a name change. Will Island Girl safely remove the old lettering (vinal?) sp? And at what concentration? The hull although dirty still has some shine. I plan to use the sealer and then the superwax. Do I put on the new lettering (a sign company made a nice stick on) after the pink or after the sealer or after the wax? thanks Joe
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H
Henry
R
R.W.Landau
Caution if the boat is painted!
A heat gun will blister the paint if it is to hot. That is from experience (a bad one). r.w.landau
A heat gun will blister the paint if it is to hot. That is from experience (a bad one). r.w.landau
J
john
what kind of results withsealer and super wax
just curious..what kind of sealer and superwax? Have you done this before...just wondering how good it may come out?
just curious..what kind of sealer and superwax? Have you done this before...just wondering how good it may come out?
J
Jeff
Island Girl
I used the Island Girl to remove the letters from my 322. We used the pink solution straight and it worked great. We put the new letters on after the sealer but before the wax.. Have had no problems.. Good luck...
I used the Island Girl to remove the letters from my 322. We used the pink solution straight and it worked great. We put the new letters on after the sealer but before the wax.. Have had no problems.. Good luck...
D
Doug Dannen
follow proper name changing procedures
Just to let you know that changing the name of you boat is bad luck. But lucky for you there is a proper procedure to follow in Denaming and renaming a boat. I think the procedure is in the Boatus web page. Have some fun with the procedure.
Just to let you know that changing the name of you boat is bad luck. But lucky for you there is a proper procedure to follow in Denaming and renaming a boat. I think the procedure is in the Boatus web page. Have some fun with the procedure.
J
Jim Willis
Lettering etc
Sorry I have been a bit slow in replying. These are the experiences I had and have heard about over th last 8 years: 1. Removing Vinyl Stick on lettering. DO NOT USE ACETONE, MEK, Lacquer Thinner etc. T His will damage gelcoat and paintwork. In many cases the same applies ot Citrus (d-limonene) based solvents that can damage plastics. In addition to the heat gun method, Steve Dion (I am sure he will junp in here) has used an "eraser" that is attached to a drill. Presumably the eraser acts like the heat gun to heat up the vinyl and then strips it off. However gelcoat is thicker and different to paint (especially single part paint). I would be extremely careful in using lettering from painted surfaces using paint becuase you could likely "bubble up" the paint and remove it too. On GELCOAT and on a hypalon inflatable, I have used IG cleansers or cleanser/conditioners (each of the three will work) to gently soften the adhesive and peel off the lettering. The technique is apply with paper towel over the lettering (to make it more pliable) and around the edges. Allow to soak for 1- several hours (depending upon ambient temperature, how old the lettering is etc). Then use your fingernail or edge of a knife to start to peel back the lettering - then reapply more cleaner in the gap, so that it begins to soak in under the lettering. You can even leave overnight. Usually you can then jsut peel off the lettering the next day. You can also use this technique on TWO PART LPU (cleaner will not dissolve- test with paper towel) but if you have any doubts, use these solvents in a similar way: a) Xylene or Toluene (Goof off, Auto "Grease and wax remover", "bug and tar remover" etc) On gelcoat, LPU and (but try first in a small area) single part paint. DO NOT USE THESE SOLVENTS ON INFLATABLE BOATS (can damage hypalon). b) Kerosene-type solvent (actually WD40 works well and will evaporate slower). THIS IS PROBABLY THE SAFEST ALTERNATIVE. 2. Removing baked on adhesive residue from removed tape, On gelcoat, IG cleaners work well on gelcoat, removing even baked on adhesive. by constrast, most solvents flash off too quickly. N. Clear and Sea Glow are a 3. Removing painted on-type lettering. DO NOT USE REGULAR PAINT STRIPPERS- WILL REMOVE GELCOAT TOO! Mike, a sign painter friend of mine says that two part paints are never used, but single part enamel, that dries slowly enough for minor corrections to be made (wipe off and redo). This type of enamel can be removed from GELCOAT without any harm to the underlying surface by IG cleaners. I have used all of them and find the N. Clear or Sea glow to be more powerful, but pink a bit more gently. Just apply over the lettering and gently scuff with a 3M "artificial steel wool pad (000 very fine grade). Mop off the dissolved paint with white paper towel soaked in more of the cleaner. Then inactivate the cleaner by water rinsing and towel dry. There are, of course fiberglass-safe paint removers you can use if you do not have IG products. but do NOT use them on painted surfaces(even two part) or on inflatable boats. What if you have painted lettering on single part paint? If the single part paint is well cured, you can (IF VERY CAREFUL) use IG PINK and very localized scuff pad use to remove the paited lettering. If you get pink on the surrounding paintwork, immediately inactivate with water (water-soaked sponge or paper towel). When complete, rinse with water and dry. If youware careful you will not need to redo the paint under the lettering. 4. Removing "Shadow". The lettering will have protected the underlying hull surface from UV and pollution, meaning that (as easily seen after removing vnyl lettering). I only have direct experience with gelcoat and hypalon. Because IG cleaners can reach down into the pores, the staining and chalk can be removed, often bringing the surrounding gelcoat to very close to the "original" color. I have personally seen this on a boat in outside dry storage in Alameda CA (N. Clear) and on a piece of powder blue Hobie Cat that I used to take to boat shows (Sea glow). Use of the scuff pad helps and in the case of the blue Hobie cat you could not see the color difference at all, but could feel the "step" cuased by years of ocidation and compunding. In case the the "step" is really marked or that the outside layer of gelcoat pigment has faded, then you really do need to use abrasive over the area. Use the 0003m Scuff pad on a block (light abrasion) to wet sanding, compounding and then polishing (if problem is severe) On hypalon, only the scuff pad is necessary. Note on vinyl boats, some "shadow" can remain form blue of red painted lettering, but usually not from white or black (pigment size is larger?). One customer used to use N. Clear to remove race lettering froma racing inflatable boat and then put on a new number for the next race!. 5. Reapplying the lettering. The surface should be clean and dry and free of wax or (dimehtyl silicone- the shiny, lippery stuff in Armorall and all waxes). Our cleaners do not have silicones and traces will not affect adhesion paint adhesion but might interefre with drying of the stick on adhesive. All of our glossy coatings will contain traces of DMS. If in doubt briefly use a caustic/solvent based degreaser like Castrol Superclean or Mudshine (made by an associate of mine).. Water rinse, dry and then wipe with a grease and wax remover or (v. quickly) some acetone. Do a trial "sticking" with some masking tape but very careful on paint. The same goes for painted lattering. Keep away from (deges mainly) both types of lettering with waxes sealants for about a month to allow full curing. Note: if you do have MH Superglaze as a sealant on your gelcoat and it is well cured (some weeks) and clean/dry (water rinse, buff dry with microfiber cloth) you can paint on it directly and easily take off with our cleansers (actually a new use in grafitti prevention!). Sticky back lettering also sticks on REALLY well!. This is because surface traces of DMS have evaporated away and the resin components (no wax present) make a really goo surface for adhesion. AGAIN be cureful in use of solvents on inflatable boats. 6. Freshening and protection of older lettering/stripes A very QUICK wipe with one of our cleanser conditioner will freshen the surface of both vinyl and painted lettering and provide anti-oxidant protection. Sea glow will also "brighten" red, blue and other colors (also applies stick on vinyl). Then neutralize with water, wipe dry and seal (M Superglaze is best- use VERY SPARINGLY and keep from getting "under" the stick on vinyl. When cured, the lettering will be very well protected. Yes- its long and boring as usual!. However, I will do some updates and corrections and post above in the "reference" section over the next few weeks. Thanks Jim Willis
Sorry I have been a bit slow in replying. These are the experiences I had and have heard about over th last 8 years: 1. Removing Vinyl Stick on lettering. DO NOT USE ACETONE, MEK, Lacquer Thinner etc. T His will damage gelcoat and paintwork. In many cases the same applies ot Citrus (d-limonene) based solvents that can damage plastics. In addition to the heat gun method, Steve Dion (I am sure he will junp in here) has used an "eraser" that is attached to a drill. Presumably the eraser acts like the heat gun to heat up the vinyl and then strips it off. However gelcoat is thicker and different to paint (especially single part paint). I would be extremely careful in using lettering from painted surfaces using paint becuase you could likely "bubble up" the paint and remove it too. On GELCOAT and on a hypalon inflatable, I have used IG cleansers or cleanser/conditioners (each of the three will work) to gently soften the adhesive and peel off the lettering. The technique is apply with paper towel over the lettering (to make it more pliable) and around the edges. Allow to soak for 1- several hours (depending upon ambient temperature, how old the lettering is etc). Then use your fingernail or edge of a knife to start to peel back the lettering - then reapply more cleaner in the gap, so that it begins to soak in under the lettering. You can even leave overnight. Usually you can then jsut peel off the lettering the next day. You can also use this technique on TWO PART LPU (cleaner will not dissolve- test with paper towel) but if you have any doubts, use these solvents in a similar way: a) Xylene or Toluene (Goof off, Auto "Grease and wax remover", "bug and tar remover" etc) On gelcoat, LPU and (but try first in a small area) single part paint. DO NOT USE THESE SOLVENTS ON INFLATABLE BOATS (can damage hypalon). b) Kerosene-type solvent (actually WD40 works well and will evaporate slower). THIS IS PROBABLY THE SAFEST ALTERNATIVE. 2. Removing baked on adhesive residue from removed tape, On gelcoat, IG cleaners work well on gelcoat, removing even baked on adhesive. by constrast, most solvents flash off too quickly. N. Clear and Sea Glow are a 3. Removing painted on-type lettering. DO NOT USE REGULAR PAINT STRIPPERS- WILL REMOVE GELCOAT TOO! Mike, a sign painter friend of mine says that two part paints are never used, but single part enamel, that dries slowly enough for minor corrections to be made (wipe off and redo). This type of enamel can be removed from GELCOAT without any harm to the underlying surface by IG cleaners. I have used all of them and find the N. Clear or Sea glow to be more powerful, but pink a bit more gently. Just apply over the lettering and gently scuff with a 3M "artificial steel wool pad (000 very fine grade). Mop off the dissolved paint with white paper towel soaked in more of the cleaner. Then inactivate the cleaner by water rinsing and towel dry. There are, of course fiberglass-safe paint removers you can use if you do not have IG products. but do NOT use them on painted surfaces(even two part) or on inflatable boats. What if you have painted lettering on single part paint? If the single part paint is well cured, you can (IF VERY CAREFUL) use IG PINK and very localized scuff pad use to remove the paited lettering. If you get pink on the surrounding paintwork, immediately inactivate with water (water-soaked sponge or paper towel). When complete, rinse with water and dry. If youware careful you will not need to redo the paint under the lettering. 4. Removing "Shadow". The lettering will have protected the underlying hull surface from UV and pollution, meaning that (as easily seen after removing vnyl lettering). I only have direct experience with gelcoat and hypalon. Because IG cleaners can reach down into the pores, the staining and chalk can be removed, often bringing the surrounding gelcoat to very close to the "original" color. I have personally seen this on a boat in outside dry storage in Alameda CA (N. Clear) and on a piece of powder blue Hobie Cat that I used to take to boat shows (Sea glow). Use of the scuff pad helps and in the case of the blue Hobie cat you could not see the color difference at all, but could feel the "step" cuased by years of ocidation and compunding. In case the the "step" is really marked or that the outside layer of gelcoat pigment has faded, then you really do need to use abrasive over the area. Use the 0003m Scuff pad on a block (light abrasion) to wet sanding, compounding and then polishing (if problem is severe) On hypalon, only the scuff pad is necessary. Note on vinyl boats, some "shadow" can remain form blue of red painted lettering, but usually not from white or black (pigment size is larger?). One customer used to use N. Clear to remove race lettering froma racing inflatable boat and then put on a new number for the next race!. 5. Reapplying the lettering. The surface should be clean and dry and free of wax or (dimehtyl silicone- the shiny, lippery stuff in Armorall and all waxes). Our cleaners do not have silicones and traces will not affect adhesion paint adhesion but might interefre with drying of the stick on adhesive. All of our glossy coatings will contain traces of DMS. If in doubt briefly use a caustic/solvent based degreaser like Castrol Superclean or Mudshine (made by an associate of mine).. Water rinse, dry and then wipe with a grease and wax remover or (v. quickly) some acetone. Do a trial "sticking" with some masking tape but very careful on paint. The same goes for painted lattering. Keep away from (deges mainly) both types of lettering with waxes sealants for about a month to allow full curing. Note: if you do have MH Superglaze as a sealant on your gelcoat and it is well cured (some weeks) and clean/dry (water rinse, buff dry with microfiber cloth) you can paint on it directly and easily take off with our cleansers (actually a new use in grafitti prevention!). Sticky back lettering also sticks on REALLY well!. This is because surface traces of DMS have evaporated away and the resin components (no wax present) make a really goo surface for adhesion. AGAIN be cureful in use of solvents on inflatable boats. 6. Freshening and protection of older lettering/stripes A very QUICK wipe with one of our cleanser conditioner will freshen the surface of both vinyl and painted lettering and provide anti-oxidant protection. Sea glow will also "brighten" red, blue and other colors (also applies stick on vinyl). Then neutralize with water, wipe dry and seal (M Superglaze is best- use VERY SPARINGLY and keep from getting "under" the stick on vinyl. When cured, the lettering will be very well protected. Yes- its long and boring as usual!. However, I will do some updates and corrections and post above in the "reference" section over the next few weeks. Thanks Jim Willis
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