Removing Registration Numbers from Hull

[Toadman]

Hello All,

Recently (a few months ago), I purchased a 2001 RX DI off a friend, and finally got around to standing in line for an hour and a half (another topic) to get my Michigan Hull Numbers. I have to remove the Nevada registration numbers (not a single number letter match , so these stickers have been baking in the Nevada sun for 10 years. Any good way to remove them, without taking off the yellow paint?

Thanks for the help and suggestions.

 

[mikidymac]

Hair dryer some times some heat helps. Also 3M makes a decal remover wheel that attaches to a drill and will remove decals and not the paint.

 

[Strizzo]

heat and careful application of a razor blade, then goo gone or goof off for any adhesive residue. the yellow under the stickers is likely to be less faded than the surrounding area, so you'll want to do a good polish before applying the new numbers and then a good coat of wax.

 

[RFoster130]

heat gun and a plastic scraper. they will come right off. the adhesive may still be left. Use a product called goo gone. spray it on, wait 5 minutes and the glue wipes off. Then finish by cleaning the area with alcohol before you put the new numbers on .

 

[Dr Honda]

I don't like heat. It can discolor the gel coat, and the old vinyl normally softens before the glue. I just use a VERY sharp razor, and you can get under it, like skinning an animal. Then... I use Zippo lighter fluid to remove the left over glue.

 

[Spimothy Leary]

i've used a cheapo harbor freight heat gun about 9 times to remove decals, no ill effects except hot fingers

 

[bigJake]

i just peeled mine off last week. Just used my finger nail, then a little goo gone

 

[Toadman]

Hello All,

Thanks for the quick responses. I did get a chance to remove the old registration tonight and attach the new numbers and letters. It was a hot day here today in SE Michigan, 98, so sitting in the garage, it didn't take much more heat to peal the stickers. Actually the letters and numbers that were on it was almost like an electrical tape and came off easy. The registration tags took a bit more work, but did come off. Some goo gone did the trick of cleaning it up, then used alcohol to finish up without residue.


Before


After it was done.


New hull letters

Thanks guys for the help. That was an easy one, and may the Sea Doo gods have favor on my RXDI.

 

[bigJake]

looks nice but I dont think I would have painted over them with the white paint

 

[Seadoobuddy]

Nice job, when I bought mine the PO had 3 different colors for his numbers black, blue and PINK on a white hull with dark green hood/seats.
I bought metallic green with an outline of black.

 

[bigJake]

Nice job, when I bought mine the PO had 3 different colors for his numbers black, blue and PINK on a white hull with dark green hood/seats.
I bought metallic green with an outline of black.

What a coincidence SDB, I once had a '71 Plymouth Fury with a dark green hood and beige seats

 

[Spimothy Leary]

looks nice but I dont think I would have painted over them with the white paint

hhahhahah that mad me laff ! good one

 

[skewba98z28]

You got lucky. Your numbers didn't stain the gel coat like the ones did on my XP. I had to wet sand to remove the bulk of it and you can still kinda see dark spots in the gel coat where the numbers were.

 

[Dr Honda]

You got lucky. Your numbers didn't stain the gel coat like the ones did on my XP. I had to wet sand to remove the bulk of it and you can still kinda see dark spots in the gel coat where the numbers were.

I know the OP said it baked int he NV sun... but I'm not seeing any fade on that yellow... so I don't know how much "Baking" it did.

I've pulled REAL baked on graphics, and the glue almost always soaks into the gel. Normally, you have to sand it out with 200 wet/dry... and then polish the hull.

 

[Toadman]

Dr. Honda,

Yes, I did luck out. The ski was stored outside in a storage lot, but with a cover on most of the time.
If everything else will work out as well as this I will be ahead of the game. Like most people, I didn't know the history of the RXDI until after the purchase. But atleast I was lucky knowing the whole history of this specific unit from date of purchase until know since I bought it from a good friend that is like a second father to me. 10 years and 32 hours of use, all of it in Lake Mead.