New Toy/Removing painted on boat name....

[Whaler1777]

Needed a second boat to the 31 to get around the bay so I bought this baby (on eBay) 250 original hours on the engine and hull, trailered and garaged since new, cant get over the shape of this boat, gelcoat has a new shine and I didnt even wax it yet, got home 10:45 last night after driving her 2600, yes 2600 miles from Nevada back to NY pretty smooth trip, got pulled over in TX by some trooper who thought I was smuggling drugs back to NY haha.. Biggest headaches were in NY (go figure) All I need to do now is get that name off, its painted on I have heard several ways of removing boat names in the past but was wondering what you guys think... Dont know if acetone or similar will do more than just smear the paint all over the hull.... Any help is greatly appreciated....
-John

[In Memory Walter K]

A lot of people have used oven cleaner which bubbles the paint off. I'm pretty sure you'll hear from a few of the guys that have done it. I think Harv has. Walter

[Harv]

Yes indeed.
EasyOff, ruber gloves, a sponge, soft teflon scouring pad, and lots of water. First apply a layer of water, then spray the EasyOff on the soft scouring pad, once you have gotten the bulk of the paint removed, switch to a sponge as the EasyOff will also remove the gelcoat if not watched carefully. Constantly spray a light mist of water as you are working. It is best to have a second person, working the water hose at the same time you work the EasyOff.

Make sure to wear rubber gloves, unless you plan on committing some crime.....EasyOff will remove the fingerprints from your fingers.

[IRGuy]

Just a safety FYI...

Easy Off and most other oven cleaners are based on solutions of caustic soda or other similar chemicals. These materials have several interesting properties, one of which is they dissolve Aluminum.. and in doing so they release flammable hydrogen gas.

Second.. they can dissolve protein. So don't get them on leather shoes, leather gloves, or YOU. It is a good idea before you start working with these solutions to have a spray bottle of about a 5 to one mixture of vinegar handy. This mild acid will neutralize any caustic you spill or get on yourself.

I spent about 15 years of my career dealing with 40% solutions of caustic soda in railcar and tanktruck quantities. I have a very interesting story about some Georgia good old boys who loaded an aluminum tank trailer with 40,000 pounds of caustic solution!

[Rawleigh]

It depends on the paint used. I have had good luck with most sign painters enamel using straight acetone. Any gel type paint stripper would be good.

[mike ohlstein]

And DO NOT breathe the fumes.

Ask me how I know that.............

[Dug]

John,

Oven Cleaner will work. It will probably wreck the factory trim color below the name too... Be very careful...

Dug

[Whaler1777]

Thanks for the advice guys,,, prob gonna give the oven cleaner a shot... Ill let ya know!
-John

[Ironman]

Try some 1000 grit or 1200... wet sand.. Those gradys have thick gelcoat
Wayne