Removing decals

What is the best way to remove a decal. The boat is a year old and always covered in the garage when not in use.

I have had great luck with a hair dryer. I would use Goo Gone or WD40 to clean the residue when completed or to help it along if needed.

Use a hair dryer to warm the decal up. 1 year old boat should be easy. In the summer you could let it sit out in the sun, that might be enough.

I removed all of the gravity games decals all over my boat not long ago. What a pain. Best way I found to do it was a hair dryer, plastic puddy knife, and a lot of elbow grease. After the decal is off, I started with Goo Gone to get the adhesive off, but that was too much work so I used acetone and finished up with Goo Gone.

Write a check to someone else & have them do it. Although as Mike said 1yr old MAY not be that bad.

The hair dryer works great, a heat gun if available even better. Just heat it up then peel SLOWLY and yes, alot of elbow grease and patience is needed, but i love taking off and applying decals. I did the ones on my own boat too. I wouldnt use goo gone tho, it may hurt the fiberglass if left on too long. Just use some good 'ol gasoline on a rag from your lawn mower and then make sure you hose it down with water afterwards, works like a charm.

They should come off pretty easily. I removed mine from a 97 model without a hair dryer. Just let it sit in the sun and warm up. You can use a plastic puddy knife or something like a credit card to get it started, then just peel away. I used rubbing alcohol, but gas works to remove the adhesive.

I know this sounds really stupid but we just took off 02 Xstar decals with a plumbers propane torch. We had a heat gun, but it was taking forever. You have to be really careful but we got them off fast. No harm to the boat at all.

This was on a black hull and the decals seemed to be baked on pretty bad. I took off the decals on my Malibu with a blowdryer, no problem.

Thanks for the advice. Once the weather warms up a bit I'll give it a go.

"I removed all of the gravity games decals all over my boat not long ago. What a pain. Best way I found to do it was a hair dryer, plastic puddy knife, and a lot of elbow grease. After the decal is off, I started with Goo Gone to get the adhesive off, but that was too much work so I used acetone and finished up with Goo Gone."


i professionally detailed boats for four years, never , never, never ever ever use acetone/paint/laquer thinner on gel coat surface. its dulls it and takes away the glossy sheen of the the gelcoat. Go to advanced auto parts and buy something called Sticker shock it works well and is gelcoat safe. also plastic putty knife or stiff credit card works well to remove the stickers themselves

You're the only person I've ever heard say that acetone could harm gelcoat and I asked quite a few. Anywho, acetone didn't do any harm to my gel at all. After all the decals were gone, I wetsanded, compounded, and polished the boat. My gelcoat looks like it did the day I brought it home.

Acetone will rust your trailer. If you go that route make sure that you get you wash your trailer very well.

first boat i ever detailed i used acetone on it to remove reg number decals and residue it was a 99 baja , i rubbed it on and the sheen of the gelcoat was gone, i had to use rubbing compund and buff the entire area where the stickers were to bring back the shine, so yes you can use it but not if youre not going to buff when youre done

oh btw thats a sick boat stanfield i love..LOVE that blue on black