Repair or replace boot stripe

sb in gp

sb in gp

Active Member
Oct 10, 2006
858
Grosse Pointe, MI
Boat Info
2016 Tiara 50 Coupe
Engines
Volvo D11 IPS
One of my winter projects is to fix the boot stripe on one side of my boat. A portion of it has peeled off below one of the AC drains. Here is a picture:

Bootstripe repair.jpg

I did it on my last boat through a painstaking process of removing the entire stripe and replacing. This may be a dumb question, but the stripe is in pretty good shape on most of the boat. Is there any way to replace only part of the stripe, and have it look good?

Thanks,

Scott
 
Sure. Make a clean, vertical cut with a new razor blade on either side of the boo-boo. Overlap the existing piece by about 6 inches and try to stretch the tape a little bit as you lay it down in one motion. You might find that the new stripe turns out to be slightly thicker than the old one. Because you overlapped, you can cut the thicker section down ever so slightly at a long, shallow angle to blend the new with the old.
 
The patch suggested is likely to work... but another option is to remove your 10 year old stripes on both sides. The process is pretty easy; use a heat gun with two people. One heats up the old stripe while the other person pulls off the tape followed by removing any left over glue with acetone. Tape will come off pretty easy. I did this followed by using new two colored tape on one roll, 1"black and 1/4" tan and on my boat it looks alot better when compared to just black.
 
I plan on having my boot stripe replaced over the winter. MarineMax wants $8.10/ft. For the direct replacement tape (3 3/4" blue and 3/4" silver). The marina wants another $800 to remove the old and install the new tape. I also got a price of $2200 to have the two stripes painted in Imron. Not sure which way I want to go? Any thoughts
 
We recently had our old stripes, which looked tatty, removed and new installed for $310. They look much better now:)
 
bmac said:
I plan on having my boot stripe replaced over the winter. MarineMax wants $8.10/ft. For the direct replacement tape (3 3/4" blue and 3/4" silver). The marina wants another $800 to remove the old and install the new tape. I also got a price of $2200 to have the two stripes painted in Imron. Not sure which way I want to go? Any thoughts
Click to expand...

Contact a local graphics shop that does lettering.
 
pvan said:
The patch suggested is likely to work... but another option is to remove your 10 year old stripes on both sides. The process is pretty easy; use a heat gun with two people. One heats up the old stripe while the other person pulls off the tape followed by removing any left over glue with acetone. Tape will come off pretty easy. I did this followed by using new two colored tape on one roll, 1"black and 1/4" tan and on my boat it looks alot better when compared to just black.
Click to expand...

Pvan-where did you find the 2-colors on one roll?

Thanks,
Bennett
 
If the heat gun process does not work for you...buy some rubber eraser wheels for a cordless drill. Took the old stripes off in twenty minutes per side.
 
Tape is called ProStripe available at my local auto paint store. another reasonable cost option for labor if a guy could not do it himself is to contact a local auto detailer.
 
MancaveII said:
If the heat gun process does not work for you...buy some rubber eraser wheels for a cordless drill. Took the old stripes off in twenty minutes per side.
Click to expand...

I used the wheels on my 260 to removed the tattered stripes last off season. I didn't put any back on and really liked the look. Others had said the boat looked bigger.
 
pvan said:
Tape is called ProStripe available at my local auto paint store. another reasonable cost option for labor if a guy could not do it himself is to contact a local auto detailer.
Click to expand...

Thanks pvan. I will check it out. I replaced mine myself this past summer. They were really hard, for me, to get straight. If the two were on one roll, it would have to be easier. Getting the old ones off was real easy-hair dryer and pull slowly at 90 degrees. Removing the adhesive was a challenge.

Thanks,
Bennett
 
If you struggle to get them straight...use painters tape to lay a line, like a ledge, right below the bottom edge of the old stripe. Sometimes you're better off putting the guide tape down before removing the old stripe. Even if you hit the tape with a rubber wheel or whatever, just put another layer over the existing one to keep a straight edge as a guide.

Lastly, some water with a few squirts of dish washing liquid...spray it on the hull, lay the stripe and slide it into place, remove the excess water with a squeegee...I actually used a credit card with a paper towel over it. I tinted windows for years and striped cars...just watch some videos on youtube and you'll have all kinds of tips to get it done right.
 
JimT said:
Contact a local graphics shop that does lettering.
Click to expand...


+1. I had the fellow who does the lettering on the local police and fire departments do mine. All stripes removed where I could not do it w/o messing up the glass, bootstripes gone and all replaced along with a new name and homeport for under $600.
 
pvan said:
The patch suggested is likely to work... but another option is to remove your 10 year old stripes on both sides. The process is pretty easy; use a heat gun with two people. One heats up the old stripe while the other person pulls off the tape followed by removing any left over glue with acetone. Tape will come off pretty easy. I did this followed by using new two colored tape on one roll, 1"black and 1/4" tan and on my boat it looks alot better when compared to just black.
Click to expand...

I did my stripes on my 320, and it was a PITA. I used a heat gun. I also tried a couple of different solvents that were supposed to help. In the end the heat gun worked best but it came off in very small pieces and was very time consuming. I didn't have a second person, so that might help. I also bought one of the eraser wheels, I may give that a try. Thanks.
 
The heat gun is tricky, but I do like using it. You have to get the stripe warm enough that the glue releases nicely and fully, but not so hot that it gets too soft and just pulls apart. However, if there are ANY imperfections/nicks/cuts in the stripe, as soon as you pull to that spot the stripe will immediately pull apart. This is often the case for older, or UV damaged striping. For this damaged striping, which also seems "dried out", then my next go-to tool is the eraser tool. It works great. Just be be sure to only go in one direction (against the spin), otherwise the tool can unwind itself, unscrew itself, and explode all over the place with the little eraser wheels flying away in all different directions like small UFO's fleeing the scene. But that never happened to me.

Acetone or GooBeGone, etc. to clean up any remaining residue.
 
Removed all pin stripes, including boot stripes. Looks much newer. Lots of compliments.
 
How does one go about sweeping the new Stripe as you move forward to the Bow. I notice on a lot of newer boats the stripe stops short prior to the sweep of chine moving towards the bow. I would like to replace the boot stripe on my 33 Dancer (Stripe follows the chine) but not too sure on how to sweep the strip.

Anyone have any success and can advise on the strategy to sweep the stripe?
 
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