[bigeasy1]

I've removed quite a few old names off of boats that I've owned,and always used a heat gun with no problems.Naturally you don't want to hold it in the same spot too long.The secret is to get the decal soft enough so that you can start picking one edge free from the hull.
As you start peeling it off,keep the heat gun moving slowly ahead of your hand.It also helps a bit to peel it off at an angle.

One time we were fishing out of a boat that i bought from a previous owner.Two days passed,and we caught zilch.I came to the conclusion that it was from the stupid name that was still on the boat.
I was so sure of it. that i actually used a propane torch(all that i had at the time)to remove the vinyl lettering.It worked fine,and yes the next day we started catching fish.

Good luck.