Removing Sticky Stuff from Race Labels

[PurpleKate]

Has anyone any good ideas on how to remove the leftover goo from race labels. I thought I had polished out the remains of the Round the Island race sticker from last year - having spent a good hour with gel coat restorer. Over the winter it seems it has reappeared and now I have 2x grey rectangles on the bow.
Someone mentioned "Sticky stuff remover" but I'm a bit worried on how solvents will react on the gel coat
Thanks a lot

 

[mickywillis]

Whereabouts are you?
If you are anywhere near Langstone, I could get you some of this:

http://www.prochem-uk.com/product.php?xProd=97&xSec=19

You would need to collect from me, but this stuff works, I know 'cos I work for the company!

 

[VicS]

Has anyone any good ideas on how to remove the leftover goo from race labels. I thought I had polished out the remains of the Round the Island race sticker from last year - having spent a good hour with gel coat restorer. Over the winter it seems it has reappeared and now I have 2x grey rectangles on the bow.
Someone mentioned "Sticky stuff remover" but I'm a bit worried on how solvents will react on the gel coat
Thanks a lot

Desolvit Sticky stuff remover http://www.diy.com/nav/rooms/cleani...y-Stuff-Remover-250ml-10287730?skuId=10718436

Available from all good hardware stores and DIY sheds. No home should be without a bottle

 

[Sans Bateau]

It's going to be a solvent based glue, so I'd try white spirits first.

 

[Fantasie 19]

It's going to be a solvent based glue, so I'd try white spirits first.

...with perhaps gentle use of a hair dryer just to soften it up...

 

[Vanilla]

I had no luck with sticky stuff remover and white spirits were only a bit better despite a huge amount of rubbing and effort. I will ensure that I only partially stick race stickers on the hull next time. If only I could buy such sticky glue when i actually WANT something to stick forever....!

 

[charles_reed]

I had no luck with sticky stuff remover and white spirits were only a bit better despite a huge amount of rubbing and effort. I will ensure that I only partially stick race stickers on the hull next time. If only I could buy such sticky glue when i actually WANT something to stick forever....!

I'd guess acetone or xylol (if you can get it) would do a better job.

 

[Cantata]

If you have some good old-fashioned pink Windolene, that does the job.

 

[Sans Bateau]

I had no luck with sticky stuff remover and white spirits were only a bit better despite a huge amount of rubbing and effort. I will ensure that I only partially stick race stickers on the hull next time. If only I could buy such sticky glue when i actually WANT something to stick forever....!

The white spirit will need to soften the glue, dabbing the area with a rag soaked in WS will help, then when the glue has softend try scraping the glue off first with an old credit card. Finally 'wash' the area with a rag very wet with white spirit.

 

[Nico]

WD40

 

[A1Sailor]

Methylated Spirit rather than White Spirit?

 

[Yacht Yogi]

"De-Solv-It" sticky goo remover from ScrewFix p/n20534 at £5.49/500ml spray. Specifically intended for this job and works really well. Gets off old masking tape, duct tape, 10-year old IRC stickers and is really quick and easy especially while you're hanging upside down over the side of the boat.

 

[PurpleKate]

Thanks everyone for some great suggestions. I will report back with what works.

 

[Martin_J]

Thanks.. please do... I still have two very large oval stickers on the boat from last August

 

[rotrax]

When preparing used motorcycles and scooters for resale we had this same problem with the stickers that had found their way on to these-usually on the tanks and legshields.

We tried most of the products mentioned, but none worked as well as a bit of old toweling dipped in petrol.

Good gloves were a requirement for this, of course, now that petrol has changed its composition.

Our biggest problem was the areas under the stickers were unaffected by UV and were a different colour. Bumma!

 

[chewi]

Has anyone any good ideas on how to remove the leftover goo from race labels. I thought I had polished out the remains of the Round the Island race sticker from last year - having spent a good hour with gel coat restorer. Over the winter it seems it has reappeared and now I have 2x grey rectangles on the bow.
Someone mentioned "Sticky stuff remover" but I'm a bit worried on how solvents will react on the gel coat
Thanks a lot

I don't apply mine, so I dont have to remove them. there's no requirement to do so.

Has the experience left you with a positive image of JP Morgan Asset Management?

 

[ChiPete]

I don't apply mine, so I dont have to remove them. there's no requirement to do so.

Has the experience left you with a positive image of JP Morgan Asset Management?

+1 - had the same problem last year as the OP so have decided not to be a billboard for JPMAM from now on.

+1 for WD40

 

[Martin_J]

I don't apply mine, so I dont have to remove them. there's no requirement to do so.

Maybe not a requirement in the JPMAM RTIR... but in some races it is a requirement and also a requirement to stick them on in a way to ensure that should still be on at the end of the race.

 

[Plevier]

I haven't tried this yet, but I was told by a vinyl signfitter (no pedants please!) that if you smear the surface they are to be stuck on with Vaseline then wipe off all but the faintest hint of it, they will stick well for a week or two but peel off easily with no adhesive left behind. Of course he was more used to signboards and vehicles that don't get waves washing over them. I intend to try it at RTIR time. (I wondered about wax polish wiped on and not polished off as an alternative, like a mould release.)

Also, when you're fitting a big sign, much easier to avoid wrinkles if you spray the substrate with water and a drop of detergent. You'll then be able to slide and lift and reposition the vinyls. When happy squeegee outwards from the centre and any air bubbles will come out along with almost all the water. Within a day it will have stuck properly. Shield from rain/spray while drying.

 

[flaming]

Been there done that, got the T-Shirt when it comes to race decals......

The 1st thing to say is that the RTI ones shouldn't be a problem, they're not on for long enough. Put them on just before you leave the dock on the Saturday morning, peel them off after the race. The glue will never have properly gone off so they should just peel off perfectly. Quick wipe with a J-cloth and all evidence removed.

We have some events that require stickers to be on for several months - as it's racing every weekend for 8 weeks or so. These are much more difficult, and can be a right royal PITA. White spirit can work, but I once had to spend about an hour per side meticulously scraping the old glue off with a credit card before wiping the last bit of residue off with white spirit. We did joke that it would have been a better use of the credit card to just pay the yard to do it... But since it was my credit card scraping was about all it was good for.

Those events have largely now swapped to backstay flags, which is good from that point of view, but definitely less impactful for the sponsor.