Boat Registration Decal "Ghosting"-- Way to Remove?

[Dave-in-RI]

Hi. This isn't Sun Cat specific, so I'd love any suggestions from any CP'ers. I've just removed the prior owner's boat registration numbers from the white hull (heat gun & plastic scraper, then some goo-gone type stuff), and the boat beneath them is clearly "whiter" than the rest of the hull which has sliiiiightly yellowed some. The hull itself was recently cleaned/buffed, but now that the decals are gone is there a way to make the ghosting go away (can still see them, only now in whiter hull color)? Also, should I be cleaning or waxing apart from "it's clean" before putting the new registration decals on? Thank you!

[bruce]

White pigments (titanium white, zinc white, etc.) are pretty colorfast, but vinyl ester can yellow some in UV, but much less than epoxy, for example. I'm guessing you have some yellowing and likely some accumulated boat grime. You might be able to lighten the yellowing with moderate abrasion and rubbing out the surface, but some may still remain. Next time you're cleaning work some grime into the area.

If you can cover the area with your new registration numbers that could help, some are even printed pre-spaced on a neutral background. Previously protected areas that are now exposed to UV will likely yellow similarly in time.

I would think a clean but not waxed surface would be best.

[Dave-in-RI]

Thanks. I'll try buffing it out, though i suspect it's just yellowing rather than grime as it had been buff-cleaned & waxed. I need to learn how to do all this stuff now, and how often etc..

[bruce]

Yeah, buffing is easy to try but for this to work you'll probably have to remove more material, i.e. wet sand. Maybe coarse ScotchBrite pads will do, or an aggressive rubbing compound. Remember that the gelcoat can be very thin, like a business card or eggshell. If you sand through, you'll have to apply more gelcoat or paint. Good luck matching the yellowed gelcoat, and your new gelcoat will likely yellow differently in time.

There are lots of chemical cleaners that you can try, some are acid-based. Oxalic acid is very effective on rust stains, but that doesn't sound like the case here.

Since you don't have unlimited time, I wouldn't worry about the ghosting right now. Cover them up or distract with a bright new set of numbers, and let the UV do its thing. If it still bothers you in a year or two, decide then how much time it's worth.

[Dave-in-RI]

Words of wisdom. Several years ago I learned the hard way how thin the veneer can be on plywood while sanding that laaaast little scuff out. I'll leave the ghosting 

[Bob23]

I had this same problem 16 years ago when I changed the name of my 1985 23 from "September's Love" (yuk) to her present "Koinonia". I did a light wet sand with very fine paper, it helped a tiny bit so I left well enough alone and applied the new lettering. I think it eventually caught up with itself or went away or maybe I just have other things to concentrate on. All looks fine now.
Bob23

[Dave-in-RI]

Light tragic irony: Just got my new boat stickers. The Ri-DEM guy said the old ones were available if I wanted to keep them— adding this way I don't need to take the old ones off. I never even considered that as an option! He pointed out RI uses the same format as NY where it came from, I'd just have to change the state abbreviation. So, I got the same ones rather than pick my own (another nice/tempting option from the surprisingly human registration employee), so now the game is finding the exact size and font as the ones I took off to cover the ghosting! That must've been how there was only one set of ghosting— second owner (seller to me) must've kept the original call sign. So, lesson to fellow newbies on the forum, get the new numbers first before taking the old ones off— you might not need to!