My h16 sails have a graphic advertisement from a previous owners business. The graphics appear to be a similar material to the sail #s and are glued on. I have two ?s about removing the graphics. The first questions is if acetone is acceptable for removing the graphics. The second question is considering the graphics have been on the boat for a very long time (86 cat with original sails) will there be fading underneath the decals? Thanks for any advice.
Someone needs to say who has done it, but I think Acetone will be ok on the Dacron, but it's bad stuff for your health, so gloves and ventilation. There are other products like Goof Off that are safer.
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202676194/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
On 86 sails when you remove the decal the area underneath will be like new, the rest of the sail is faded. 🙁
There will not be fading under the decals but the rest of the sail will have faded. I was able to peal off the sail numbers on a white Dacron sail and use some automotive decal remover to clean off the glue that remained. Even on white sails you could still make out the original numbers.
That's what i meant Steve I guess I was thinking backwards when I typed that. Thanks for all the input. I still haven't decided wheteher to remove the graphics or leave them unitl I decide to get new sails. On a side note, When I bought the boat I was told the sails were original (the boat is an 86). After reading about Hobie sail Colors I have learned that the only year they made that color was 1979. So obviously not an original sail. I can't complain because it is in good shape and was kept in doors.
You might remove the graphics and get a couple of boxes of blue dye. Drop the dye in the lake you sail in and capsize the boat.
Edited by skarr1 on May 12, 2011 - 11:09 AM.
The powers that be might take offence to me dumping blue dye into their lake.