Boats

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kleinr

New member
I am a rook on this forum and I was wondering if anyone had any boat detailing experience. I have detailed cars for a couple years now, kinda under the table, on my own, during the summer. I usually take care of the inside, wash, wax, shine tires, and polish any chrome. I'm 20 year old college student so I can really only detail during the summer, unless I go home and detail over the weekend. This summer, I'm planning on tackling a new challenge at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri detailing boats. I have detailed a 33' boat my bro had a couple times. We cleaned up the inside and washed and waxed the whole thing. I plan on visiting some marinas this week to see how their wages work detailing, but if that doesn't work, then I'll try to get out on my own.

Anyone have any helpful hints or useful secrets that the average detailer is not aware of. I've been hearing most people charge around $10 per foot on a boat. I don't have any buffing experience because I'm afraid I'm going to destroy the paint, but I'd like to learn from someone who knows what they're doing. I was also wondering if anyone had any input on detailing a boat while its on a lift in the water, such as the easiest way to get the hull and underside of the nose. Any input is greatly appreciated.
 
Well the first thing is most boats are not painted in the traditional sense as cars are they have a Gel Coat on the Exterior and then the paint is under the gel coat. You need to make sure you get Boat Specific Products NOT car Care products. Also if you are washing and detailing boats in the water you need to make sure all your products are environmentally safe and bio degradable. Meguiars makes a complete line of boat car products and they work very well i have used them a lot. You can buy them direct or go into a boat shop i am sure most carry there stuff. If you have any specific questions i may be able to answr i have owned a few boats in my time and cared for them. You biggest challeng will most likely be chalky oxidized gel coat and there are some compaounds that can take care of that again the Meguiars line is great. Here is a link to the boat care products.

http://www.autodetailingsolutions.com/Meguiar's%20Marine%20Care.htm

Richard
 
$10 a foot? so you'd do a 34 footer for $340?

Maybe for a wash and wax, but think about it.

you need to wash it, polish it, wax it, detail the Interior while it's out of the water.

Your climbing up and down busting your rear.

I wouldnt charge less than $20 a foot unless it was just a wash and wax.

Most people I've dealt with only want the initial detail done and they maintain it.
 
10$ a foot is a good price for a wash and wax on a boat.

As far as full details go, for an exterior and interior, i charge from 25 to 45 a foot depending on the type of boat and what shape its in.
 
I think the marinas around here do about $10 a foot for a wash and wax and tack on another $6-7 a foot for interior work. Haven't detailed a boat before, and not sure I will in the future either.
 
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