We are new boat owners and need to remove and replace the tape as well as lettering for the name. How do you remove old tape and letters? What is the best product to clean the windows and remove the film?
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LaDonna Bubak - Catalina Owners
Renaming
You do know you must give proper homage to Neptune when renaming a boat, don't you? There's a great "ceremony" on 48* North's site (see link) that will ensure that your new name will be accepted by the great diety! As far as removal is concerned, if they are vinyl letters (not painted), use a hair dryer to soften them and a knife or razor blade to scrape off - be VERY careful not to gouge the gelcoat. If there's any adhesive left, something like Goo Gone should take it off. Same with the tape but I suppose that depends on the type of tape. You should try Flitz or 3M Marine Metal Cleaner on the "windows." Should take the film right off - seriously! LaDonna
You do know you must give proper homage to Neptune when renaming a boat, don't you? There's a great "ceremony" on 48* North's site (see link) that will ensure that your new name will be accepted by the great diety! As far as removal is concerned, if they are vinyl letters (not painted), use a hair dryer to soften them and a knife or razor blade to scrape off - be VERY careful not to gouge the gelcoat. If there's any adhesive left, something like Goo Gone should take it off. Same with the tape but I suppose that depends on the type of tape. You should try Flitz or 3M Marine Metal Cleaner on the "windows." Should take the film right off - seriously! LaDonna
Couple of methods.
Ron: There are a couple of methods. One of them is a hair drier/heat gun. If you decide to use this method, I'd recommend that you spray the vinyl with Island Girl first and let is soften the lettering first. I tried this method (without the Island Girl) and the stripes did not even budge. The second method is to use an "eraser" on a drill. I have a photo essay in the Photo Forum on the HOW site (dr-stripping made easy). Be sure to wear protective clothing when you do this, someone reported the thing comming apart.
Ron: There are a couple of methods. One of them is a hair drier/heat gun. If you decide to use this method, I'd recommend that you spray the vinyl with Island Girl first and let is soften the lettering first. I tried this method (without the Island Girl) and the stripes did not even budge. The second method is to use an "eraser" on a drill. I have a photo essay in the Photo Forum on the HOW site (dr-stripping made easy). Be sure to wear protective clothing when you do this, someone reported the thing comming apart.
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Pete
If the name is painted on
I have heard that Easy Off oven cleaner works great. Don't let it run down onto any paint you don't want to remove and be sure to wash it off very thoroughly when done. I haven't tried this myself, but have heard from several sources that it works great. Pete
I have heard that Easy Off oven cleaner works great. Don't let it run down onto any paint you don't want to remove and be sure to wash it off very thoroughly when done. I haven't tried this myself, but have heard from several sources that it works great. Pete
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Gary Jensen
name removal
Use a hair dryer when you remove the lettering. REFRAIN from using a heat gun as the temperature can overpower the gel coat and create blisters in it!!!...I had to remove "LADY EV. WRIGHTSVILL BEACH, N.C."----(that was quite a lot). The letters were 9 inches high and it took me about 4 hours. First I used a hair dryer, then I used paint thinner, followed by polishing compound. I then applied my new name and the results have been admired by professionals who do the same work...Good luck...........Gary
Use a hair dryer when you remove the lettering. REFRAIN from using a heat gun as the temperature can overpower the gel coat and create blisters in it!!!...I had to remove "LADY EV. WRIGHTSVILL BEACH, N.C."----(that was quite a lot). The letters were 9 inches high and it took me about 4 hours. First I used a hair dryer, then I used paint thinner, followed by polishing compound. I then applied my new name and the results have been admired by professionals who do the same work...Good luck...........Gary
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LaDonna Bubak - CatalinaOwners
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
I've used EasyOff several times with great success
Here's how: Assemble the following tools: Easy Off, metal kitchen spatula, rubber gloves, fine bronze (NOT steel!) wool, detergent, water hose at the ready, and a couple of old terry towels. Spray only one or two letters at a time. Wait 5 minutes. Scrape with spatula. Spray again (and this time spray the next letter)...wait 5 minutes, scrub with bronze wool...scrape the next letter with spatula, wash with detergent and water...dry with a towel...spray the second letter and the third one...bronze wool off the second, scrape the third...wash, rinse dry...working your way through the name. EasyOff ONLY works on painted names, and should not be used on painted hulls. Vinyl or other decals can be removed with a blow dryer (so can striping). You MUST be patient, 'cuz you only want to soften the adhesive, enough to peel off the name or the striping...you don't want to melt the plastic, and it takes time. Work on small areas--one letter at a time or about a foot of striping at most. Once you've gotten it off, spray the whole area liberally--really saturate it--with WD-40 (the BEST adhesive solvent on the planet)...wait 10-15 minutes, then scrub with fine bronze wool or a plastic scrubber. Wash well with detergent and water to remove the oily residue. If you're left with a "ghost" of the previous name, it will gradually fade if you spray it repeatedly with undiluted bleach (at last, a use for bleach on a boat!) and let the afternoon sun shine directly on it. The more often you can apply bleach, the more direct sunlight that hits it, the faster it will fade.
Here's how: Assemble the following tools: Easy Off, metal kitchen spatula, rubber gloves, fine bronze (NOT steel!) wool, detergent, water hose at the ready, and a couple of old terry towels. Spray only one or two letters at a time. Wait 5 minutes. Scrape with spatula. Spray again (and this time spray the next letter)...wait 5 minutes, scrub with bronze wool...scrape the next letter with spatula, wash with detergent and water...dry with a towel...spray the second letter and the third one...bronze wool off the second, scrape the third...wash, rinse dry...working your way through the name. EasyOff ONLY works on painted names, and should not be used on painted hulls. Vinyl or other decals can be removed with a blow dryer (so can striping). You MUST be patient, 'cuz you only want to soften the adhesive, enough to peel off the name or the striping...you don't want to melt the plastic, and it takes time. Work on small areas--one letter at a time or about a foot of striping at most. Once you've gotten it off, spray the whole area liberally--really saturate it--with WD-40 (the BEST adhesive solvent on the planet)...wait 10-15 minutes, then scrub with fine bronze wool or a plastic scrubber. Wash well with detergent and water to remove the oily residue. If you're left with a "ghost" of the previous name, it will gradually fade if you spray it repeatedly with undiluted bleach (at last, a use for bleach on a boat!) and let the afternoon sun shine directly on it. The more often you can apply bleach, the more direct sunlight that hits it, the faster it will fade.
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Jim
Mineral Oil Works Great
I just recently removed some tpaes and lettering. I used mineral oil (milder than oven cleaner ?) and it worked great. First you soak some rag with the mineral oil then you apply the wet rag to the lettering or tape. Do that a couple of times then let it set for 5 minutes. Use a razor blade to carefully peel off one corner of the lettering. Grip the corner with your fingers and slowly peel it right off.
I just recently removed some tpaes and lettering. I used mineral oil (milder than oven cleaner ?) and it worked great. First you soak some rag with the mineral oil then you apply the wet rag to the lettering or tape. Do that a couple of times then let it set for 5 minutes. Use a razor blade to carefully peel off one corner of the lettering. Grip the corner with your fingers and slowly peel it right off.
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