Removing 2006 Super Air Nautique hul decals

[sjames]

I am upgrading the old decals that are faded and torn to the new Griffin decals. Has anyone tried removing the metallic tribal swirl decal? I heard maybe a hairdryer and plastic putty knife would work?

[G-man]

use the hairdryer without the use of the plastic putty knife on a warm day. 3M makes a spray glue remover solution that works well also. Take your time and you'll do fine.

[KenG]

I am upgrading the old decals that are faded and torn to the new Griffin decals. Has anyone tried removing the metallic tribal swirl decal? I heard maybe a hairdryer and plastic putty knife would work?

Its very slow with a hair dryer, for about $30 you can buy a cheap heat gun at Lowes etc. You will know quickly how much heat to use based on ease of removal. Any left over adhesive can be removed with a product made by Zep called Big Orange, available at Lowes or Home Depot. This is citrus based, we use it all the time and works well. Tape off under the graphic to keep cleaner and adhesive from sagging below the work area. It will leave a film that must be removed before new graphics are installed. Alcohol will remove.

[steve-o]

I use a blade to remove decals on paint or on gelcoat. If you take your time, you will not scratch the finish. If the blade starts to get adhesive on it, be sure to clean it so it will not scratch. Goes really quick once you get a little but started. I use a heat gun if the adhesive is more like the types on the back of double sided tape. Vinyl comes off pretty easy.

[sjames]

Old off new kinda on

So the old ones came off in the warm sun and a little help from a hair dryer very simple. The new 5 piece!!!! stickers are not going so well so I've stopped.

Can I use soapy water under the decal to float it like window tint? If not I am not sure I can get the bubble out!!!!

Not going well........................$$$$$

[janswake]

The guys at the factory told me that was the only reasonable way to do it.Putting the soap and water under the decal should let you push out the bubbles.I am about to partake on the same mission as you please let me know how it goes.and if you can post some pics.

[sjames]

Will do but maybe no close ups ;-)

[steve-o]

I used to install vinyl stickers years ago.

A couple drops of dishwashing liquid in a squirt bottle of water will give you 10 minutes of working time or so. Spray the surface liberally and the back of the sticker. Make reference lines on the surface so you can line it up quicker. Use a bondo/bodyfiller squigee and work from the center to the edges of the sticker.

[sharp]

I peeled my 2006 graphics off last week too and plan on installing the Crest decal this weekend. I used a hairdryer also on a warm day and the graphics came off clean and easy.

That sucks your install isn't going well. Did you start doing a dry application or wet? It sounds like you may have tried dry first. Talk to your Nautique dealer about how they install. They may be bummed you aren't paying them to do it but they still want your business for maintenance and parts so I bet they will walk you through it. Mine gave me a quick run-down and they use a wet application with soap and water. Steve-O is right about making reference marks with masking tape before you start so you can line up the decal quick.

This article seemed reasonable but not specific to boat decals.
http://www.signspecialist.com/instructions.html

So the old ones came off in the warm sun and a little help from a hair dryer very simple. The new 5 piece!!!! stickers are not going so well so I've stopped.

Can I use soapy water under the decal to float it like window tint? If not I am not sure I can get the bubble out!!!!

Not going well........................$$$$$

[sharp]

Also my dealer said they use denatured alcohol to prep the surface. I would avoid things like 409 and cleaners since they will leave some invisible layer of themselves behind.

[sjames]

I stopped for a business trip. My local dealer is not that great so I didn't ask them. I am going to switch to the wet app when I get back.
I also noticed the crest decal were probably designed to be put on before the rub rail , the ballast drain ring and the side cleats. These are also a challenge to work around.

Good luck and send some pics.

[sharp]

I finished mine yesterday. It turned out great aside from a few bubbles (that hopefully dry out) and two wrinkles. For anyone who doesn't know, the graphics are sandwiched between two layers of film. The bottom layer is like on all stickers and protects the sticky adhesive on the graphic. The top layer holds the graphic together once the other layer is peeled and protects the graphic from your squeegee and also makes the graphic more rigid during application. The biggest recommendation I have is to leave the top layer of backing on for a day at least (in warm weather) until you know you have a complete bond from the graphic to the paint. A few days or even a week wouldn’t hurt. It’s tempting to take it off to see what the finished product will look like. Removing that after only a few hours on one decal is what caused one of my wrinkles. After I saw that I decided to wait a little longer before removing the rest. The wrinkle is not longer than my finger is but I'm pissed at myself for loosing patience. Also, my dealer said not to put the boat in the water for a couple weeks after decals. The process isn’t rocket science but it does require planning and patience. If I could do it again I could do it wrinkle free. I think a few bubbles are unavoidable even by the pros. I used a 32oz bottle of water with 4 drops of regular dishsoap. If anyone wants me to do theirs in Dallas I would for a fee. Good luck and if you have questions let me know.

Before:


After:

[sjames]

SWEET!!!!

So here's where I got stuck

Did you remove the cleat and the rub rail and the ballast tank rings?

For the Rub rail: If not did you trim the graphic to match up as if the part behind where the rub rail would be were missing? Mine looks like it is offset and does not line up perfectly.

Did you start at the window and go down or at the bottom and go up?

I may just need to buy the Starboard side and do it over.....

[sharp]

I hope that helps and again I have only done this once so I’m not a professional. You may still want to get some advice from your dealer as they have done this hundreds of times and may have a better way.

1. Do all the graphics wet. You can cut the backing sometimes where there isn't any graphic under it to help relieve stress in the graphic when it doesn't want to lay flat or wants to wrinkle. I wouldn't slice trough any part of the graphic though since it will show later. When you have a section complete leave the backing on even as tempting as it is to peel away and see the finished product. Wait for a day or more before removing. Prep your surface with denatured alcohol. I wish I had pictures as I installed mine but I don't.

2. Do the window piece first. Its easy. Center and apply.

3. Do the graphic above the rub rail now. Butt the bottom of this graphic up to the top of the rubrail and line it up with the window graphic left and right. Use masking tape at the bottom once you have it lined up. Use the masking tape like a hinge at the bottom to move the graphic out of the way and spray the boat completely wet where the entire graphic will contact. Now remove the adhesive backing and spray the adhesive with water also. Flip the graphic up onto the paint and make sure you have it in place loosely where you want it before squeegeeing any water out. Squeegee from the bottom going up to the cleat. I used an exacto to cut around the cleat as I got the graphic tight at the bottom. Use your squeegee to protect your graphic as you cut at the base of the cleat. Once the bottom half of the cleat is cut away it will relieve the graphic so you can get it flush at the top. Once you have relieved the graphic and cut all the way around the cleat you can continue squeegeeing upward. You could probably get better results if you removed the cleat but I wouldn't mess with removing the rubrail. If I were to do this again I would have taken pictures along the way because it’s hard to explain in text.

4. You need 2 people for the bottom two big graphics. A third person is nice but not necessary. The first graphic below the rubrail has excess waste graphic at the top that you will have to trim away. It’s pretty easy and you will need to focus on getting the bottom of this graphic lined up with the contour line in the fiberglass. You want the bottom edge of this graphic to wrap around the top edge of the contour line in the boat and go right into the corner under that edge. Use masking tape to get this lined up at the bottom. Again drop the graphic down using the tape as a hinge and spray spray spray. Get it wet because you need time with this one. Start at the bottom and work your way up on this one up to the ballast holes and trim around them with exacto knife starting at the bottom and working your way up and around the holes. Use the knife and squeegee together. Once the graphic is relieved around the holes continue your way up to the rub rail. My rail had a small gap under it where I could tuck the graphic under it with the squeegee. Be careful that you don’t push to hard and tear the graphics. Use your exacto knife and squeegee together to cut under the rub rail. The squeegee helps as a knife guide and to protect the good part of the graphic from the knife. The paint will have to be dry at the contour line at the bottom of this graphic to get it to stick and wrap around the corner. After you have squeegeed all the water out of the whole graphic, use a hair dryer on low heat to dry this lip at the bottom out or you can wait until it dries on its own. Make sure no dirt or debris can blow on this exposed adhesive while the water under it is drying. Once dry, you should be able to get the graphic to stick and wrap around the little contour edge.

5. The very bottom graphic doesn't have anything to trim away and that makes it a little easier. Tape it at bottom or the top with the top edge of the graphic butted up against the previous graphic just under that contour line in the fiberglass. The contour line in the boat will help hide any little gaps between this graphic and the previous one. Spray Spray Spray. While it is still loose on the boat you can move it and make sure it butts clean up to the graphic above it. Squeegee away.

6. You will have to do the lettering after you remove the backing from the bottom graphic so plan on doing this on another day after the main graphics have stuck well enough to pull off the backing. Line up the lettering using the dots and tape it at the top. The tape acts as a hinge as you remove the backing and then flip the letters back into place. I did these as a dry application.

7. You can squeegee softly once the backing is removed but you may not have success and don’t try too hard as the graphic will tear.

[sharp]

Be prepared to make some mistakes your first time. It sucks knowing that once you finish you will know how to do it again almost perfectly. I saved at least $300 doing it myself so I just think of my two small wrinkles and a few bubbles as money saved. If you aren't willing to put a lot attention and time into the detail of this kind of job I wouldn't do it.