Example of Perfect thread: Removing Registration Numbers

Kris Styes

New Member
Hello All:

I purchased a Laser from outside Kansas and must remove the old registration stickers and numbers to reflect KS registration and numbers. The registration #'s have been on the Laser for 10 years!

My question:

What is the best way to get the old stickers and numbers off without harming the fiberglass?

Thanks in advance for your ideas.

Someone suggested 'goo gone'

Kris (Hutchinson, KS)
 
Re: Removing Registration and Numbers

I second the goo-gone. Alternatives are bug/tar remover for cars or wd-40

If you have a hair dryer, heat the numbers/stickers up before pulling them off - that will soften the glue - or- use a single edge razor and take your time scraping them off.
 
Re: Removing Registration and Numbers

I used a hairdryer on my boat to remove some old sponsorship stickers that were on there. You do not need to heat them very much at all. if you do they go too soft and will not come off easily. If you get it right you can peel them off in 1 piece.

We used to do this for signwritten vans too to remove the vinyls on those.
 
Re: Removing Registration and Numbers

This thread should be stickied for 3 reasons:

1. perfect example of how to ask a question

2. two perfect examples of how to answer a question

3. two perfect acknowledgements for answers and also feedback on the method used
 
Re: Example of "Perfect thread"

The hair dryer works only when the weather is warm. Considering how cold it is in kansas right now, I suggest you use a heat lamp to warm the decal plastic and glue beneath it.

You will not harm the fiberglass unless you use a blow torch.


You will not hurt the resin holding the fiberglass together unless you make the boat so hot you cannot touch it without "ouch" blasting out of your mouth

Note: Actually most of us sailors use a different word but too many of my posts seem to be meeting the wrong side of the editors' slashing vermin lately... (Mice...vermin...get it...sheesh its a joke...well it was until I had to explain it))
You will probably not be able to harm the Gelcoat with a hair dryer but if you use a putty knife and scrape too ahrd on vedry warm gelcoat it is easiy to scratch it.

As for the old number shadows?? Those will be there forever and ever. In fact, if you sand the boat and paint in ten years, it is likely the old numbers will eventually become visible through that new paint.

We just painted an Ensign whose name we took off its gelcoat before we first painted it with Imron. in 1983. We painted the boat a second time with Interthane Plus in the early 1990s.

Last week we sanded and repainted the boat with Awlgrip. Our shop lighting is fabulously bright and shows every imperfection but the fact is.... You can clearly see the outline of that original name which was only on the boat from 1965 until 1983.
 
Re: Example of "Perfect thread"

gouvernail:

Thanks! I am lucky to have a heated garage and my Laser (although 10 years old) was sailed few times, and stored out of sunlight all of it's 10 years. Only yesterday did I flip it over to examine the hull closely. I found 3-4 light scratches, ones that were easily buffed out by hand with a little 'elbow grease'.

Best to all,

Kris
 
Be carefull with the hair dryer... if you hold it directly onto one spot for a long enough period of time you can cause discoloration to the fiberclass. Although I have found the hairdryer, an old credit card and good old wd40 or mineral spirits works great.

Good luck.
 
kwilson

Thanks for the post. Your post is simple and straight forward. Yes, I agree with using any heating element near fiberglass. I have been around fiberglass starting in the late 50's. I haven't discolored any fiberglass, but I have seen it.

When I stripped my numbers/stickers off I put my index finger where I was aiming the hair dryer. If my finger got hot, I backed off the distance between the hair dryer and our Laser.


Old fart, old trick!

Thanks again,

Kris
 
Hi Kris!

This was excellent information. Tonight a life-long dream became reality: We brought home a Laser. It's vintage, but a Laser just the same and we will soon face the same challenge you did in removing numbers. To make a long story somewhat shorter, I grew up with my grandparents on a lake and always wanted to sail. They didn't approve with the neighboring young men who did sail, so therefore I was never allowed to crew or take part. At one point in my mid-thirties I did become the proud owner of a Minifish, but after a difficult divorce and a subsequent move to another state, that prized boat found another home. Now with my own Laser in the driveway, I'm excited but apprehensive. If I still lived in the midwest - no problem - dumping is half the fun. Unfortunately now I live at 9,255 feet above sea level. Our lake is a reservoir fed by high mountain streams. The water temp is about 42 degrees year-round. Think we're talking wetsuits which is fine, we already use them on our kayaks. Anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself and sincerely hope I don't become a pest in the months to come looking for insights and information.

Thanks for all of the information and insights that you share!

Laurie Button
Estes Park, Colorado
 
Pumpkin

Thanks for the kind words and ‘welcome’ to the Forum.

Estes Park, whoa, know the area well. Cold water sailing! You may have to go down the mountain to warm up!

I recently resolved the issue of putting new numbers on my Laser. You may want to take a look at this post. Finished it yesterday, no issues.

Again, thanks, and welcome.

Kris
 
One more thought: I've peeled a lot of vinyl race numbers off motorcycles with fiberglass bodywork, and use the stuff in my work too so I have a lot of practice. I like to warm the digit up with a hairdryer, slip a razor blade under an edge and then see how much I can pull off in one piece. Each time you slide the razor blade in there you separate the vinyl from the adhesive, so the adhesive stays on the boat. It's much easier if the adhesive comes off with the vinyl. After peeling all the vinyl, get some tape. Anything will do, I use packing tape or masking tape, what ever is handy. You can also use the sticky side of the digit you just removed. Stick the tape onto the adhesive residue and jerk it straight off. Usually this will take a lot of repeated dab/stick/pull motions, but the adhesive on the tape will grab the left over residue on the boat and pull it cleanly off. Last, if needed, use Goo Gone. Goo Gone makes a hell of a mess if there's any substantial adhesive left for it to dissolve and smear around, I prefer to get as much off with the tape as possible first.
 

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