The boat name that won't disappear

[tbrantigan]

I am changing the name on a 1 year old sail boat. Once the old graphic was removed, I could still see the name in the finish, i.e. it was whiter where the graphic used to be. Which of your products should I use to eliminate this, i.e. the Premium Wax or the Cleaner Wax or....? If I use the Premium Wax, will this make the new name difficult to stick?

[TxRado]

Re: The boat name that won't disappear

Pictures?

Can you provide a link to the boat make/model? This may help to identify the exterior paint.

[tbrantigan]

Re: The boat name that won't disappear

http://www.catalinayachts.com/yachts.cfm?act=model&id=50

It is a Catalina 387, 2006, white fiberglass exterior.

[Murr1525]

Re: The boat name that won't disappear

The problem is not the letters.... it is likely that where the letters were is the clean "original color" of the boat.

While not familiar with all of the Marine Line, you would want to give the boat a good washing, then look at either a paint cleaner or cleaner/wax to go over everything with. Using a dedicated cleaner then a wax would likely give best results.

And yes, you may not want to wax where the new letters will be.

[TxRado]

Re: The boat name that won't disappear

http://www.catalinayachts.com/yachts...ct=model&id=50

It is a Catalina 387, 2006, white fiberglass exterior.

Beautiful boat by the way.

[VonLego]

Re: The boat name that won't disappear

I'd clay before you put new letters down. It will perfectly prep the surface, or as close as you can get. It will also pull up any wax that might end up there.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: The boat name that won't disappear

I am changing the name on a 1 year old sail boat. Once the old graphic was removed, I could still see the name in the finish, i.e. it was whiter where the graphic used to be. Which of your products should I use to eliminate this, i.e. the Premium Wax or the Cleaner Wax or....? If I use the Premium Wax, will this make the new name difficult to stick?

Here's the boat...





It's likely the problem is the Fiberglas around where the sticker or decal was is stained, dirty and/or oxidized.

You need to clean these areas until they match what was hidden and protected.

Cleaner/Wax might not be strong enough you can try as that would be the least aggressive approach.

If that doesn't work then you'll likely need to use one of these products, M49 Oxidation Remover or even the M67 One-Step Compound.

These will remove some of the stained gel-coat to reveal a fresh, clean whiter surface.

Afterwards you should polish and wax using M45 Boat Polish and then a wax of your choice.

Check this website out for information on more Marine products.

Meguiar's Marine & RV Website

[Michael Stoops]

Re: The boat name that won't disappear

Even though the boat is just a year old you're likely seeing some typical oxidation of the gel coat around the old lettering, and decidedly less oxidation under where that lettering had been, hence the ghost image. What you need to do is remove the oxidation from the surrounding area, but a wax itself won't accomplish that task for you.

We would recommend using M44 Color Restorer from our Marine/RV line. This is a pretty gentle cleaner that should remove the oxidation, or at least minimize the appearance significantly. It is designed for gel coated surfaces. You should be able to pick this up at West Marine stores or other boating supply stores. Have a look at www.meguiars.com/dealerlocator for a retailer in your area - just type in your zip code and select "Meguiar's Marine Products" from the choices on the right before submitting. Don't apply a wax until after you've applied the new graphics. Worst case scenario is you don't 100% eliminate the oxidation that's causing the appearance of the ghost image, but in pretty short order any remaining minor ghosting will fade away from natural exposure.

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: The boat name that won't disappear

Great looking boat. Good luck.

[tbrantigan]

Re: The boat name that won't disappear

Thanks, everyone. I'll try it. Thanks also for the compliments on the boat. My wife is already feeling jealous and neglected but I'm working on rectifying that situation. I need her for crew!