Removing Registration Letters/Numbers and Stickers

[stephen Penny]

Looking for a non-destructive method to remove the registration letters/numbers and registration stickers (~3 inch square) from the sides of my fiberglass sailboat without damaging the fiberglass? Options I found so far are: 1) heat gun + plastic scrapers. and 2) Wonder Wheel. Does anyone in the forum have experience and a recommendation on the best method?

 

[Steve Dion]

Steve:

I have tried:

hair dryer/heat guns - Least desireable way in my opinion.

Eraser (wonder wheel) - Okay but not the easiest depending on the vinyl

Wall Paper Steamer - almost unbelieveable.

 

[ggrizzard]

Goo Gone and elbow grease!

 

[Roy10289]

I used the plastic scraper to remove mine and it worked quite well. Actually the scraper was a plastic razor blade. I think I bought the pack of them in West Marine.

 

[inarathree]

I used a hair dryer (it seems to me that the heat gun is too hot), and a plastic scraper. The problem I came across is that the numbers/letters had been on so long that the gelcoat underneath was visibly raised from the exposed gelcoat. Even after polishing the oxidized gelcoat and waxing several times I can still see where the old letters were. But at least my numbers are straight now

 

[Kermit]

Goo Gone and a single-edged razor blade worked well for me when I scraped off the former name of the boat (don't let this become a renaming thread, please!). Took the old registration expiration date label off equally as well. Just be careful with the blade and don't let the Goo Gone drip to the bottom paint. Wash the area with soap to remover residual Goo Gone.

Hope this helps!

 

[dutchy]

I used Easy Off oven cleaner on the sides of my h34. Worked great except hull under letters was a slight different colour than the rest - I guess because it has been protected from the sun. After a good clean and wax it was much better.

 

[heart of gold]

I removed the hull stripes and all transom lettering as well as the old numbers on my boat. I used(as most of you did) a heat gun to soften the vinyl and a razor blade to lift it. We have a sign shop at work and they gave me a concentrated citrus cleaner for the residue, which worked like magic. Same problems though with the shadow of the old name etc.

 

[stephen Penny]

Thanks for everyone's input. As it turned out the artist that took off the PO's name (is wiife and port city (Turlock, CA in central CA) and put on my new boat's name and port city (San Francisco, CA) took the CF numbers and stickers off at no charge!! Looks great.

 

[Kermit]

Pictures, man. We want pictures!

 

[Mike H.]

I've taken the old name, stripes, stickers, manufacturers name, etc. off of our boat. Heat gun used properly softens the vinyl and adhesieves, (don't get it too close), then use single edge razor blades in holder, or plastic scraper, or fingernails, whatever and scrape it off. Acetone or laquer thinner cleans off the old adhesieve. Then plan on cutting, polishing and waxing, (there is and excellent thread on this site about polishing). After the polishing, you shouldn't be able to see the ghost of the old stickers.

 

[stephen Penny]

Thank-you for the advise. They are now off. I am off to the next project.