Registration numbering Painted on

I heard oven cleaner works. I purchased some and plan to give it a try soon as I have to do the same thing. If oven cleaner works, I imagine paint stripper will also work. The gelcoat is not paint (much harder and catalyzed polyester based), so the stripper should not hurt it, but test in a hidden area first as I am not 100% confident in this statement.

http://www.jasco-help.com/products/prod_rem.htm    I should have searched google more... found this stuff and some other at West Marine. I'm going to swing by the West Marine store tonight and pick something up to see if it works better. I have a feeling the stuff I tried is not the best to use. I'll let ya know.

Ok, finally an answer to my own question. It took me a little time and finally got my letters off.

Don't use Laquer Thinner.. I tried it one letter and didnt like what I saw.. not sure i was seeing things or what.. but it didnt look right.... so i quit and went to West Marine.   Bought some $30 bottle of stuff that said SAFE for fiberglass.   But I remember reading that Oven Cleaner. Someone at West Marine said to use that also...     So I had two people saying try it. So I did.

Bought a $4.00 can of Oven cleaner, some rubber gloves and masking tape. Used the masking tape to tape off the pin striping, sprayed on the oven cleaner... I let it soak into the painted letters and numbers. In about 5 minutes, I started to wipe it right off.   I had to repeat this a couple times to penetrate all the paint. But it worked like a champ.   Makes my boat looks like it came from the factory!   Hate to put new numbers on her!

questions, let me know.

But think your trailer is probably powder coated... so if you took oven cleaner to a powder coated trailer, I think it would take the paint off or "dull" it.   Gelcoat is what it is. A protective sealer for the fiber. If your trailer had some type of clear coat (like your car) sealer over the paint, the oven may have worked fine.

Depends also on your boats finish. On my 84 Nautique, the paint was not in the clear coat and you would clearly take it off, even just by rubbing it to hard with wax it would come off. I think oxidation plays a big role in the type of surface that you can do this trick with.

Oven cleaner works like a charm. I learned that it is very important to have a warm bucket of 'iron out' and sponge ready to immediately remove any excess oven cleaner. If you leave the oven cleaner on too long it will turn the hull yellow.   

Echo what Dave F said..The oven cleaner won't work on your trailer. Just a suggestion...you might want to get one of those wire brush bits for your cordless drill. It will blast the paint right off...of course that leads to re-painting issues.

Check out white lake marine...they've got some great 'old school' nauti stickers that might cover up the two-toned area.