Premium Detailed 1996 Cobalt 22ft boat!

Garry Dean

Garry Dean Quality!
Some of you may remember this boat from the meet I hosted at my shop a few weeks ago. I got started on this boat and then it started raining cats and dogs for several days so I got behind. I had this boat for 10 days. Over the 10 days I put 20 hours into this detail. This was the worst boat I have done in a while.

I received a call from a gentleman from Jacksonville, FL (3 hours north of me) who saw some of my work and posts on Autopia.org. He told me that he was impressed by my work. He also said that for the life of him he couldn’t find a detailer on my level in his area (what an ego stroke, lol). He told me that the boat was bought new by his brother in 1996 who then moved to Georgia and let it sit. He recently purchased the boat from his brother and decided to restore it. In the month before driving the boat down to my shop to drop it off he had the 7.4L big block 454 rebuilt and all new interior installed. As you will see in the pictures this boat was severely oxidized. The boat was actually red, white gel coat over a red gel coat base coat. This detail was supposed to only take 3 days, but it turned into 10 because of the rain.

The process:

* Washed boat with Dawn.
* Clay bar with Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay.
* Wet sanded entire boat with Meguiars 1000, 2000, and 3000 Unigrit sand paper.
* All compounding was done with Makita 9227C rotary and LC backing plates.
* Compounded all red gel coat with Four Star Medium Cut Compound (OEM Line) and Four Star 7.5” Aggressor and Avenger wool pads.
* Meguiars M105 and 4” LC Purple Foamed Wool on all white gel coat areas.
* Meguiars Last Touch detail spray was used to help remove the polish residue.

NOTE: I tried about 5 different polishes to do the finishing work, but I settled on Meguiars Ultimate Compound, believe it or not, because it finished the best while giving a little more much needed cut.

* Finish polishing was done with a Meguiars G110 and 4” and 5.5” LC Orange CCS pads.
* The gel coat was sealed with the first coat of Four Star Ultimate Paint Protection.
* The boat was left for 24 hours so that the FS UPP could cure properly before a second coat.
* Final wash was done with Optimum Car Wash soap (this stuff smells amazing and works very well).
* Dried with The Absorber.
* Second coat of FS UPP.
* Finished with Meguiars Ultimate Quik Wax.

Now for some pictures! Here are the befores!

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You can see my test/teaser spot I did when the owner dropped it off.

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I didn’t do much to the interior as it was brand new, but here is a pic from the bow.

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So now the fun begins!

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Taped up for a 50/50

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Compound applied

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After compounding

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Some during shots

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50/50 shots!

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Super thick and gross as the rain drops begin to fall.

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Removal of steps

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It took 3 compounding trys to get the transom back to clarity

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RAIN!!!!

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After some pouring rain!

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Can you see a difference yet?

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Another 50/50

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More progress

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Yup, more rain, lol

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I finish polished with Meguiars Ultimate Compound and orange LC CCS pads

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Trying to get some work done between the rain

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Finially, some clarity!

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This out drive area was extremely tough area to make look like this

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Final wash before the client showed up.

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Are you ready for some afters?

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Interior all cleaned up

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A shot of the interior from the stern

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This got polished too

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And a happy client picking the boat up for the 3 hour drive back to Jacksonville

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Thanks for looking!!
 
Gerry, the boat looks great. I was wondering if you finished it yet. I bet the owner was thrilled. Great work, way to go.
 
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I saw this boat when Garry was half way thru it... and I must say it was nasty!! You did a great job on it, very impressive!
 
That's the way to do a boat. Trailered and working on it in chunks at a time. I think I hate boats so much because I normally would have to show up and buff that whole thing from start to finish which is too much work for my tired old back. BUT if I did one like this where you could break it up and not do the whole thing at once I would probably enjoy it (somewhat:redface:)

Very nice work Garry.:bigups

PS. I was hoping for a few more pictures.:crazy2:
 
Thanks for the compliments!

Troy, I tried to slim the pics down. I started with over 300 and ended up with 100, lol. I felt they were all necessary.
 
That was ugly as a floating log until you got hold of it.....beautiful, just beautiful.
What a shame that a boat as expensive as a Cobalt was let go like that.
 
Beautiful work and new found shine Garry. Like Meghan, I remember seeing that at your get together and, like Troy, was kinda glad I wasn't doing it. Came out incredible. Be proud my man!
 
Nice job :bigups

The boat looks new again, wow paint looks so much brighter. Nice work I am sure the customer was very happy...:yay
 
Yeah, it was trashed, but then I snapped my fingers and it was done. yeah right!

The owner said he brother paid 56k for it new.
 
Garry Dean --

Wow what a turn around !!!!! That beautiful Cobalt was dead in the water ugly!!!!

The Cobalt Dealer around here lives in my neighborhood - I see these go by all the time, and now I am glad that they just keep going by! :) I dont want to ever do one of those! ) I let my good friend awesome boat detailer with a crew of 5 do those dogs. :)
Hope you wore a mask the whole time you were grinding down that gelcoat !

Tell that Client that in order to make this easier on his boat he needs to bring it by every year. There is really no other way.

Absolutely, beautiful, detailed, work - it looks brand new !!!
Thanks for sharing !
Dan F
 
Wow, someone here bought a camera! LOL nice work. yeah that Ultimate Compound from Meguires is some good stuff, I've been using it a lot lately and it's nicely priced. Just stay away from the Ultimate polish, it is a pain in the a$$ to buff off!
 
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