Ok, I'll bite. I have a 1986 Carver covered with factory decals,
stripes, letters, you name it. They have faded to gray. The local
detailers want almost $5,000 to remove them all. How the hell do I
get them off myself?


Decal removal can be a challenge. There are many variables that can affect it's adhesion including the type of vinyl, it's age and
long-term exposure to the elements. $5000 seems a bit high to me, but since I have not personally evaluated the job I will comment
no further.

I would start by using a heat gun (or hair dryer) and, holding it about 2-3" from the surface, heat the vinyl for approximately 10 -
15 seconds to soften it up. Heat about 12" of vinyl at a time and then peel it off.

Now comes the nasty part. Unless you're incredibly lucky there will be adhesive left over after the vinyl has been peeled off. To
remove the remaining adhesive... use an adhesive remover. You can get this at Lowes, Home Depot, etc. You will probably need several
quarts for the size job you are talking about. Soak a rag with the remover and wipe over the adhesive. Once it starts to "gel" take
a hard plastic scraper (also available at the aforementioned locations) and scrape it off. Wipe off any remaining residue with a
clean rag soaked in adhesive remover. The adhesive will build up on the rag so you will need to flip it often, otherwise you will
just spread the adhesive residue back onto itself. BTW, you are going to use a LOT of rags for this job.

If this method doesn't work then the vinyl has degraded so badly that it will need to be compounded off with a high-speed buffer. I
would recommend a professional for that job but shop around, you may find a lower quote.

I hope this helps.

Cap'n John Grooms
www.boatlettering.net