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A friend of mine wants to remove painted stripes on his 35 BERTRAM, I know I did this years ago but forget what I used.I know it required a lot of rubbing but cant remember what product I used.
any help much apprciated

If they're genuine painted on stripes, not just vinyl stripes, the only way out is sanding, priming, and re-paint. I believe that Bertram experimented with actually applying gelcoat stripes, applied in the mold. Same solution as paint.

However, if they're vinyl, use a vinyl eraser...



Removing Old Stripes and Decals
 1. Never use high, concentrated heat to remove stripes and decals. It may quickly damage and age the paint, and melt backside paint and undercoating.

 2. Simply pulling off recently-installed stripes and decals may pull off the paint.

 3. If a just-installed stripe or decal has minor bubbles, they likely will disappear in a few hours or days. But if you have repeatedly applied, then pulled up, and repositioned a stripe or decal, you have likely ruined the adhesive.

 4. 3M “Woodgrain and Stripe Remover #08907” is available from any auto parts store. It is a large spray can. It will immediately remove the vinyl itself, but leaves a gooey mess.

 5. A companion spray can, 3M “Adhesive Remover #08908” helps clean up the adhesive mess. These spray cans cost about $18.00 each.

 6. Both of these chemicals can soften paint. Never use a sharp instrument to scrape goo. Even a plastic squeegee can dig into the paint or clear coat.

 7. Naphtha solvent is excellent for cleaning off any adhesive. Buy a quart can at any hardware store for very little money.
 8. Naphtha will also soften paint.

 9. Use lots of soapy water to clean off adhesive remover. Dawn dishwashing liquid soap works well.

10. Isopropyl rubbing alcohol must be used as a final cleaner. It alone leaves no residue; even water will leave a residue.

11. A stripe and decal “eraser” tool is available. It is powered by a common electric drill. It simply rubs off the vinyl to be removed, and will not harm the paint. But it does not remove all the adhesive. Use chemicals described above for this.

12. If the stripe or decal has been on the car for months or years, there will be a “ghost” visible in the paint, due to it not fading from the sun. Only the sun will fade the ghost.

Pat: If they were painted on gelcoat wouldn't a mild stripper take them off? He might have used a buffing compund if it required lots of rubbing. It might work if they are over gelcoat, but not over paint.

Rawleigh wrote:Pat: If they were painted on gelcoat wouldn't a mild stripper take them off? He might have used a buffing compund if it required lots of rubbing. It might work if they are over gelcoat, but not over paint.

Any way you cut it, it ain't gonna' be easy and it will leave a mark...

LOL! True!!

When we re-did the name on our boat, to remove the painted on name, they used oven cleaner. Probably not the best thing but it cut it right off then we washed it quick and compounded the transome, then replaced it with vinyl.

Our boot stripe at the water line was vnyl from the factory. We re-did it in 92 and now it is long over due to be done again. Following the hull line with the vinyl was a pain in spots.