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Author Topic:   Removing Vinyl Graphics from Hull

thunderpaste posted 01-30-2009 09:43 PM ET (US)
What is the best way to remove vinyl graphics from my Boston Whaler boat's hull?
DeeVee posted 01-30-2009 11:16 PM ET (US)
I used a heat gun, carefully. The lettering was removed easily. A good hair dryer may work.
The harder part was removing the shadow. The gelcoat under the lettering is not as faded as the gelcoat surrounding it. I had to wet sand quite a while for the shadows to blend with the surrounding gelcoat.
Doug
thunderpaste posted 01-31-2009 12:18 AM ET (US)
Yeah, I can still see the shadow from the graphics that were there before the present graphics.
Casco Bay Outrage posted 01-31-2009 10:18 AM ET (US)
I prefer a hair dryer on medium heat and a plastic putty knife . Take your time and let the heat work. Once you have the letters off, clean off the glue with goo gone. Rinse.
If you buff out the hull with Meguiers #44, the shadow will blend in a bit better. Follow it up with some 3M Finess-it and then wax.

TommyC posted 02-02-2009 07:42 PM ET (US)
I've used a product called "Goof-off" that works very well.
It seems to dissolve the adhesive and allow the vinyl to be removed easily.
thunderpaste posted 02-02-2009 08:19 PM ET (US)
TommyC, when you used goof off did you have any problems with it dissolving the gelcoat? That stuff is powerful.
You are right, it works on adhesives like nobody's business.
TommyC posted 02-03-2009 04:10 PM ET (US)
It did not dissolve or discolor the gelcoat in any way.
Good luck!
-Tommy
Tom W Clark posted 02-03-2009 04:33 PM ET (US)
A heat gun or hair dryer will allow the decals to be peeled right off.
To clean the residual adhesive off the hull I recommend acetone.
whaleofatale posted 02-04-2009 12:19 AM ET (US)
I have used goof-off and it works great.
The area under the sticker will be like new and you will be able to see where it was if the boat has been in the weather.
Tohsgib posted 02-04-2009 02:21 PM ET (US)
Acetone WILL remove the Gel. Don't belive me, use a dark rag and see the white on it. Now I of course use acetone to remove the goo and am not worried about .000001mm of gel being removed but I also find that straight gas does the trick w/o harming the gel.
Tom W Clark posted 02-04-2009 02:34 PM ET (US)
Acetone will NOT remove gel coat from a classic Whaler. I have used acetone extensivly for years as a degreaser, cleaner and solvent on the nine Whalers I have owned, all manufacturered in the 1970s and 1980s. You scrub as hard as you like, the gel coat is not dissolved by the acetone.
I do not know about the post 1990 Whalers or the gel coat used in their production.
thunderpaste posted 02-07-2009 10:15 AM ET (US)
I ended up applying some heat from a torch from about 12" away and it peeled right off. I am sure a hair dryer would work well too.
mvsalvagesolution posted 02-08-2009 03:59 AM ET (US)
To get rid of sticker shadow use 3M-PERFECT IT 2 [possibly means 3M™ Finesse-it™ Marine Paste Compound] with a wool buff pad on the sides to take off the oxidation, then a good cleaner wax to get the shine back. [Boston Whaler] uses good gel coat so it will come out to "like new." Good luck!

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Author	Topic: Removing Vinyl Graphics from Hull
thunderpaste	posted 01-30-2009 09:43 PM ET (US) What is the best way to remove vinyl graphics from my Boston Whaler boat's hull?
DeeVee	posted 01-30-2009 11:16 PM ET (US) I used a heat gun, carefully. The lettering was removed easily. A good hair dryer may work. The harder part was removing the shadow. The gelcoat under the lettering is not as faded as the gelcoat surrounding it. I had to wet sand quite a while for the shadows to blend with the surrounding gelcoat. Doug
thunderpaste	posted 01-31-2009 12:18 AM ET (US) Yeah, I can still see the shadow from the graphics that were there before the present graphics.
Casco Bay Outrage	posted 01-31-2009 10:18 AM ET (US) I prefer a hair dryer on medium heat and a plastic putty knife . Take your time and let the heat work. Once you have the letters off, clean off the glue with goo gone. Rinse. If you buff out the hull with Meguiers #44, the shadow will blend in a bit better. Follow it up with some 3M Finess-it and then wax.
TommyC	posted 02-02-2009 07:42 PM ET (US) I've used a product called "Goof-off" that works very well. It seems to dissolve the adhesive and allow the vinyl to be removed easily.
thunderpaste	posted 02-02-2009 08:19 PM ET (US) TommyC, when you used goof off did you have any problems with it dissolving the gelcoat? That stuff is powerful. You are right, it works on adhesives like nobody's business.
TommyC	posted 02-03-2009 04:10 PM ET (US) It did not dissolve or discolor the gelcoat in any way. Good luck! -Tommy
Tom W Clark	posted 02-03-2009 04:33 PM ET (US) A heat gun or hair dryer will allow the decals to be peeled right off. To clean the residual adhesive off the hull I recommend acetone.
whaleofatale	posted 02-04-2009 12:19 AM ET (US) I have used goof-off and it works great. The area under the sticker will be like new and you will be able to see where it was if the boat has been in the weather.
Tohsgib	posted 02-04-2009 02:21 PM ET (US) Acetone WILL remove the Gel. Don't belive me, use a dark rag and see the white on it. Now I of course use acetone to remove the goo and am not worried about .000001mm of gel being removed but I also find that straight gas does the trick w/o harming the gel.
Tom W Clark	posted 02-04-2009 02:34 PM ET (US) Acetone will NOT remove gel coat from a classic Whaler. I have used acetone extensivly for years as a degreaser, cleaner and solvent on the nine Whalers I have owned, all manufacturered in the 1970s and 1980s. You scrub as hard as you like, the gel coat is not dissolved by the acetone. I do not know about the post 1990 Whalers or the gel coat used in their production.
thunderpaste	posted 02-07-2009 10:15 AM ET (US) I ended up applying some heat from a torch from about 12" away and it peeled right off. I am sure a hair dryer would work well too.
mvsalvagesolution	posted 02-08-2009 03:59 AM ET (US) To get rid of sticker shadow use 3M-PERFECT IT 2 [possibly means 3M™ Finesse-it™ Marine Paste Compound] with a wool buff pad on the sides to take off the oxidation, then a good cleaner wax to get the shine back. [Boston Whaler] uses good gel coat so it will come out to "like new." Good luck!