How to remove ghosting image on Fiberglass left from old decal removal?

Skipper December 14, 2020 Ask The Skipper

Simon asked:

I removed an old rego decal but you can still see the outline of the old decal how do I remove it pls

Answer:

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Hi Simon,

The fact that the ghosting is flush indicates that these letters were not on the boat when new and were probably added in the last 5 to 10 years. The white color, underneath the old decals was close to the original color of the boat. The darker hull color, surrounding the decals, is the result of aging, UV and the use of Carnauba based boat wax. In other words, the discoloration is not from under the decals but the rest of the hull. You need to restore and deep clean the rest of the hull to minimize the ghosting effect of the decals and even then, although you can minimize the appearance, there is no guarantee that it will ever be completely removed and at the proper angle, you will still see the faint ghosting.

The best solution to restoring the hull is to use the EZ Buff Kit. During the cleaning process, go over the decal and surrounding areas several times with the Boat Scrub and Marine Power Mitt. Boat Scrub has Hypexine, which is a leaching agent and will help draw out deep stains. The EZ Buff will ensure that you have a deep durable shine and continued use of the Premium Boat Shine will maintain the shine for many years. The EZ Buff System was designed for Do It Yourselfers so you can get a professional shine, without swirl marks or burn through the very first time. Here’s a link to the How To Buff Your Boat and restore the shine. The shine on the red and white boat lasted 5 years before requiring a quick re-touch.

Thanks for your question,

Captain Aurora
Richard Kittar