Best way to remove vinyl lettering from boat hull?

[Chris Green]

I need to remove some old lettering from our boat's hull as I have changed its country of registration and need to remove the old numbers and (possibly) add some new.

It's a painted steel hull and the numbers/letters appear to be stick on vinyl, they've been there for 6 years (since it was last repainted) so they're pretty hard and stuck on.

What's the best way to set about removing them? I've done some searching and most recommendations seem to be to heat with a hair dryer (or heat gun on low setting) and then ease off. Will that work so well on a boat hull though (mostly they're about removing from car bodywork)?

White spirit seems to have no effect at all on the vinyl, acetone makes it soft and it can then be scraped off but doesn't let it peel in a piece which would be easier.

Any experience and recommendations would be very welcome.

[Andy Burns]

A "caramel wheel"?

[Colin Bignell]

They are both painted steel, so I wouldn't expect there to be any practical difference.

I've seen the hot air system used on a van and the vinyl stickers came off easily. However, it was being done by an expert and I don't know how much practice it took to make it look easy. :-)

[williamwright]

I had to remove all the vinyl from a Snap On Tools van. There was a hell of a lot of it. The best way was to point an electric fire at the inside of the van wall so the heat soaked through. Then it was easy. I realise that the steel of a boat will be thicker than the steel of a Merc.

Bill

[Andrew]

Stobart tractor units are unwrapped before they they sell them on, and there is a lot to remove from those, so there must be a proper way to do it.

[Thomas Prufer]

+1

Thomas Prufer

[Chris Green]

Yes, it's mostly around 6mm or even more in places. It's also inaccessible from the other side in most places where I want to remove stickers.

I've just tried my hot air gun on a low setting and it works reasonably well, one just has to take things slowly.

[alan_m]

From what I've seen there is an optimum temperature where it peals in one go. Too hot and it fragments, too cold and it still sticks.

[The Natural Philosopher]

^^^^^^^^ Ding Dong!

[rick]

hot air gun

[Theo]

Parking it in the sunshine helps:

10min and 15min in

[misterroy]

Power washer instantly took the letters off my admittedly plastic Pioner.

[rick]

Hot air gun played gently on stickers will allow them to peel off.