Removal of Transom Lettering

[martin]

Hi

After a few years off, I recently dived back into the boating world and am now the proud owner of a 2009 princess 50. This will be boat number 10 for me and hopefully, I will keep her for many years to come.
This time around I have decided to do more jobs myself as I can not say I have been impressed with any of the marine services companies I have used in this country over the years..Don't get me started !!

SO. The first job is to remove the old name and replace it with the new one. She currently has the usual plastic stickers which I plan on replacing with stainless steel lettering.
Has anyone got any tips on removing the old name ?

 

[lanerboy]

hairdryer and nice and slow then polish like mad as you always seem to be able to see the old name in the sun light

 

[alteredoutlook]

remove by heating with a hair dryer, hot air gun or even a fan heater.

any residue can be removed by petrol or even better, lighter refill fluid.

 

[maverickofpoole]

Lightly warm with a hot air gun or hair dryer. You will be left with a gluey sticky residue which should come off with white spirit or acetone then cut and polish the gel to get it all back to the same colour

Martin

 

[oldgit]

After warming and with careful use of stanley knife blade to lift corners of lettering (keep flat to avoid scratching gel coat) to start peeling off process, use paint thinners to clean off adhesive.
That adhesive is pretty amazing stuff, still spotting bits of sticky goo from Essex Boatyards for sale stickers after 5 years.

 

[henryf]

To save damage I would suggest you don't use a Stanley knife blade. Just pick the corner of the letters with your finger nail.

Similarly I would avoid the use of a hot air gun. These are designed to heat paint until it burns and you can scrape it off. Use a hair dryer. These are specifically designed not to burn whilst still heating.

There is specific glue and tar remover available which doesn't evaporate like acetone etc. If you happen to be anywhere near Uxbridge I can let you have some as a new boat present.

Otherwise the general gist of the advice is correct.

Fine choice of boat by the way. Clearly a man of considerable taste.

Henry

 

[martin]

Why.. Thank You All and espesh Henryf, I couldn't agree more...

I will launch first attack with Hairdryer and finger nails and see how I get on ... Will hopefully be in St Katharine Docks by Friday. If anyone around, please feel free to stop by and say Hi

I will be the one with the sore and no doubt blooded fingers ..no job ever gets done on a boat without a cut, bruise or blood sacrifice of some sorts..

 

[dingdongs]

removal of name ceremony and renaming ceremony with a good bottle of champagne to keep the gods happy and your boat safe on the seas just to finish off.
Lovely boat and hope many years of enjoyment follow.

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Congrats Martin, very nice boat. You'll be needing a new cardigan

On the name removal front, when I got my T40, she was four years old and the garage door (where the previous vinyl name lettering had been installed) had weathered slightly around the lettering - so even with the old lettering completely removed, you could still see the old name because the gelcoat where the old lettering had been was slightly shinier than the rest of the garage door. Only solution was to compound the whole area back before applying the new name. Worked perfectly.

 

[rafiki_]

Why.. Thank You All and espesh Henryf, I couldn't agree more...

I will launch first attack with Hairdryer and finger nails and see how I get on ... Will hopefully be in St Katharine Docks by Friday. If anyone around, please feel free to stop by and say Hi

I will be the one with the sore and no doubt blooded fingers ..no job ever gets done on a boat without a cut, bruise or blood sacrifice of some sorts..

As others have said, the lettering will come away surprisingly easily using a hairdryer. No bloodied fingers on this one, as the lettering will lift up without much force. As Jimmy says, compound the area, and stick yer new stainless letters on. We did this on Rafiki last year, and they look great imo.
A gift to the sea gods is appropriate, and I dont mean spanners or screwdrivers, as they have enough of mine, but a glug of something light and sparkly ususally works

 

[Fantasie 19]

remove by heating with a hair dryer, hot air gun or even a fan heater.

any residue can be removed by petrol or even better, lighter refill fluid.

+1

I also used a blunt chisel just to lift the edges of the letters...

Depending on how long they've been on, you may also need to rub down with a v fine grit wet&dry...

 

[martin]

Congrats Martin, very nice boat. You'll be needing a new cardigan

Don't worry Jimmy I have the med move planned for a few years time and will be leaving the cardigan crowd and joining the budgie smuggler boys

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Don't worry Jimmy I have the med move planned for a few years time and will be leaving the cardigan crowd and joining the budgie smuggler boys

Come on down!

 

[rafiki_]

Come on down!

Jimmy, this needed the NSFW prefix