Replacing hull stripes, anyone done it?

andyd

The blue and gold striping on my '06 is cracked and faded. I just bought a new roll  of the same striping from Great Lakes Skipper to replace it. Does anyone have experience doing this, and specifically should I fully remove the old stripe, or is it OK to put the new on top of the old? Thanks.

Andy

Stodge

I have not done this, but I have to think you'd want the old stripe gone so the new one had a smooth surface to hold onto.  Just my $0.02

summerx

that would be my thoughts as well.  may want to draw a light pencil line along the border of the existing stripe to ensure that the new one runs straight.  just a thought.

frenchship

If your  stripe are long and it has some curve to it, it won't be easy to installed them without creating any bubbles. If you try, do remove the old ones and clean the surface to remove any glue residue (acetone) also get a good squeegee made to installed stripe and a spray bottle of soapy water.
Maybe better to have someone with experience to do it.
Good luck

duane.mosley

go to your local auto parts/paint store and get a roll of 1/4'' striping tape, a can of 3m adhesive remover(aerosol), a  squeegee for working bubbles,and a few orange plastic razor blades. you also need a heat gun or a hair dryer, and few towels.

 use the 1/4'' tape to trace your existing stripes. get a heat gun or hair dryer and heat about 12-20 inches of the old stripe at a time. don't get it too hot or the stripe will keep ripping. a heat gun on low works great. use the plastic razor blade to pull up the stripe and heat as you go. if you pull the stripe at about a 25-30 degree angle as you pull backwards, it is less likely to brake. spray the adhesive remover on a towel to remove any glue residue left behind. wipe in one direction so your not swirling glue and it pulls it off plus you don't run the risk of moving or distorting  your masking line. if you spray it on the boat and then wipe,  your likely to release the glue of the marking tape line you created. if you heat the stripe just right as you pull, you won't have much glue residue left behind.

i would recommend a second set of hands for reapplying the new stripe. have your helper hold the stripe in place at one end, if you don't have help, tape will work.  roll out the new stripe and cut off enough stripe to cover one side of the boat. (put the rest of the roll aside and out of the way!! if you try and work with the whole roll, you run the risk of damaging it by dropping it and stepping on it, trust me!! lol) peel back the paper and start applying, get enough of the stripe applied so that when you pull on it, it won't come loose. have your helper pull back the paper and apply tension to the stripe(pull  at a 45 degree angle from the hull) while you use the squeegee to apply the new stripe. by using the tension and squeegee, the stripe will stay in place on the blade of the squeegee. if you use your fingers, you run the risk of moving the stripe out of place.  go slow and take your time. use the heat gun on low when you go to make the curve of the hull. keep the gun about 12-15'' away from the stripe and it should flow right around the curve. once again, don't over heat the stripe, if you over heat the exposed stripe(no paper backing) you run the risk of distorting or ripping the stripe.

GOOD LUCK!!

andyd

Excellent input everyone, thanks!

Andy

PartsMan

just did mine .. hardest part is getting the old strip off. reapply no problems

Dan4754

Duane,
You provided a thorough method, thanks.
I have placed a few decals and signs on my trucks but not striping on fiberglass. I spray  a not-very- soapy solution on the surface thus allowing me to reposition the sticker if necessary. When in position, I then use a soft plastic putty knife to squeeze out moisture and bubbles.
it is important to remove the bubbles before everything dries.
If a bubble persists after drying or just won't squeegee out, I put a needle hole in it and press an absorbent (paper) towel on it to trap the moisture.

I just had our boat "professionally" polished and detailed and the striping was pretty much ruined . I'll be replacing it the next time she comes out of the water