De-striping - Best method to remove factory painted stripes without damaging gelcoat

BruceK

BruceK

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As the title says. The stripes on my boat are tired and faded. I have thought about repainting but where the lines cross the anti slip areas of the deck any masking would be in vain as the paint will run under the tape.

Any thoughts and advice greatly appreciated.
 
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The grey certainly appears so but the blue and black not. Or at least they have been painted over subsequently with matching colour coats. Unfortunately not very well.
 
Not sure if you are saying that they are painted on or they are tape decals? If they are tape, or paint over tape, then a hairdryer and carefully handled scraper might do it. Scraper/Stanley knife is just to lift the end and the use the hairdryer to warm and tape should peel off. On our last boat this worked but a friend with an older boat had real problems and couldn't shift them
 
Greg2 is correct. Old decals come away easily enough with a bit of heat. Use white spirit to remove any residual glue. There will be a "ghost" line left, which, depending on the age of your boat might cut out with polish.
 
Have removed a few stripes/names over the years, get a piece of Perspex about 30 mm wide x 100mm long and cut end to shape like a chisel, use heat gun and scrape with Perspex scraper and will come off easily, you may need to sharpen on sand paper a couple of times but the idea is that the scraper is softer than gel coat so you won't do any damage
Acetone is then best for removing glue.
 
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