How do I get a cheap sailboat?

I'm doing the lettering on a sailboat, after taking off the old vinyl letters, how do I get rid of the outline?

• Hi, I'm redoing the name on a sailboat, that is made of fiberglass and has a gel coat. After I take off the old letters, there is some residue and you can still see the shadow of the old letters, how can I get rid of that? Someone suggested using compound, but I'm not sure. Thanks!

• Answer:

  The shadow may be caused by the covered gel coat not fading at the same rate as the un-covered surface. There may be some staining associated with the adhesive and vinyl too. Any residue should wipe off with acetone, shellite, metho or turps (depends on the adhesive group, try various until you find the right one). Using a cut and polish is probably about right - just be sure not to get too carried away and cut completely through the gel coat! The only issue with that is if that whole area then begins to look darker or different to the rest of the hull (and that may well be surprisingly different if there is even just minor weathering) you sort of have to continue for the whole boat. Then it becomes a bit of a saga...... Sometimes sticking a background sheet of vinyl on in the area where you want to place your numbers, and then use contrasting colours for the rego no. on that - white numbers on a dark background, or black numbers on a white or light background for example - is a quick and tidy repair. Done right it can look pretty darn professional.