Removing boat stripes?

[tank1949]

My 27' boat's 2" accent stripes are looking shabby. They may be 30+ years old. Boat has been Aw-griped but I still need stripes replaced. Any quick and easy way w/o destroying paint?

 

[alldodge]

Most the strips are just tape, and if it is tape, then a heat gun or hair drier will allow them to be peeled off

 

[Scott Danforth]

or just apply a new stripe over the old.

 

[crazy charlie]

So I am assuming you had the boat painted and used the old stripe as the tape off point?? Take a heat gun or good hair dryer and heat up an edge and try to get it lifting in one piece.If it lifts uniformly keep the heat just in front of the next area to be lifted and continuously pull the stripes as you heat in front of it.If it is in too poor condition to lift off you will need a rubber wheel on a drill which works best on a crappy old stripe.Post results..Charlie

 

[BRICH1260]

I`ve never used one but a lot of guys use the 3M eraser wheel in a drill.

 

[southkogs]

Some soapy water, a heat gun should get you mostly on your way. May need to use some goo-gone of some kind and something to scrub (not scratch) after you take the surface layer off.

The more slowly and evenly you can peel, the better off you are in getting the tape off. Try to pull at almost 180 degrees from the way the tape lays on the surface - if you see what I mean, don't pull 90 degrees away from the boat hull. Try to pull the opposite direction along the hull so the tape is folding back over itself. Make sense?

 

[Scott Danforth]

30 year old vinyl wont pull off..... its coming off in chunks, mostly with a razorblade

best bet would be 3M vinyl and wood grain remover followed by the 3M vinyl and wood grain adhesive remover. not sure what it will do to the Awl-grip

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company...d-Stripe-Remover/?N=5002385+3291076163&rt=rud

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company...Adhesive-Remover/?N=5002385+3293194059&rt=rud

or as stated prior, simply put a new stripe over it, especially if you used the stripe as a tape edge for the awl-grip.

 

[ahicks]

You would have to be pretty careful with that 3m eraser wheel. It's effective on those old decals that want to come off in tiny bits, but it does create heat. Be a shame to ruin a paint job. Maybe try it under the swim platform or other inconspicuous place?

 

[tank1949]

Thanks to all. Tape is crappy in a few but not all areas. I am hoping that I can just tape over it because it provides a straight line to afix new tape to. I believe its was taped after painted. A couple of thru hulls have paint on them. Boat may have been wrecked in over 30+ years of use but I have not found any FG repairs.