How to best remove old boat numbers

[fish24365]

Does anyone know an easy way to remove old registration numbers from the hull of a fiberglass boat? I am fearful of using a razorblade which might scratch the finish.

[Lazy Ike]

Try a hair dryer for the adhesive stick on type

[phowler]

Originally Posted by Lazy Ike

Try a hair dryer for the adhesive stick on type

Good Advice; I worked in the servce dept. of a car dealership for 7 years and removed hundreds of adhesive type stickers with a heat gun and my fingers. Don't get it too hot and pull off slowly.

Good luck.

[bluegill 1]

Gather up a hair dryer, a plastic putty knife, that orange "Goof Off ' stuff, and some rags.
I cant remember exactly, but I believe I heated them up, peeled them off using the plastic putty knife, then used the Goof Off to take off the gluey filmy stuff that was left behind. Once you get the hang of it it's not that bad.

[rebs]

does this work well for the registration sticker as well ?

[dane56]

I tried to take off some old numbers with a heat gun from a boat I just bought. Unfortunately, there is pinstriping under the numbers and it took that off too. I guess I will just try to put the new numbers on over the old.

Originally Posted by fish24365

Does anyone know an easy way to remove old registration numbers from the hull of a fiberglass boat? I am fearful of using a razorblade which might scratch the finish.

Use a heat gun and a plastic putty knife if needed. I just did this last weekend and the heat gun worked great. If you do not have a heat gun, try the hair dryer. You should not have to scrape that much. In fact you should be able to do it with your fingernail. If the hair dryer does not make the decal soft, go with the heat gun.

[bluegill 1]

I've never used a "heat gun" for this but I have for other things and let me tell ya, be careful, the one I used got pretty darn hot, like really hot, burn yourself hot. So.....be careful.

[ffishman]

Once the numbers are off, if some adhesive is left, use WD-40

Originally Posted by rebs

does this work well for the registration sticker as well ?

Yes. Just did it the other day. Even took the sticker off that was on top of the boat decals. Just go slow,heat it up just enough to lift the sticker you want to take off. GO SLOW!! NOT TOO MUCH HEAT!!