Detailing/Paint Protection

[DJMattyT]

Does anybody use sealant/coating for their boats? I have always polished/waxed my previous boats but I really want to protect and keep my black gelcoat looking fresh. What are you guys using for detailing products?

 

[dadofral]

I've been to the local boat shows and the big push seems to be in the new ceramic coating protection now, someone had a display and he was professionally trained to apply the coating on all interior and exterior surfaces for $1200.00...it was guaranteed to hold up for 2-3 years or something like that....but I am going to look into this closer and see what do it yourself products like this are out there:

Ceramic Pro Marine

This even states it is permanent protection.

 

[Dan_NC]

I stick to Starbrite Premium Cleaner Wax and Premium Marine Polish. Buy a decent 7" polisher/sander (I got mine from Harbor Freight for under $40), decent buffer pads, and use two coats of the Polish each year. You wont have any UV issues or oxidation. No, I don't own stock in Starbrite, but I've replaced all of my automotive protectants with marine protectants.

My only other recommendations are to get the 303 Aerospace protectant for your upholstery and always keep some Salt Away handy (Salt Away outperforms other brands, I used to use). I'm still trying to find the perfect boat wash, but the ones I've listed above will keep your boat (and cars) looking brand new every season.

 

[swatski]

I've been to the local boat shows and the big push seems to be in the new ceramic coating protection now, someone had a display and he was professionally trained to apply the coating on all interior and exterior surfaces for $1200.00...it was guaranteed to hold up for 2-3 years or something like that....but I am going to look into this closer and see what do it yourself products like this are out there:

Ceramic Pro Marine

This even states it is permanent protection.

I wonder how is it different from something like the Rejex? I have an order of Rejex coming - itching to try it.

As far as wax, I found Klasse All in one hard to beat.

I’ll second the 303 AP recommendation! (I buy it by a gallon) and Salt away.

—

 

[DJMattyT]

I've been to the local boat shows and the big push seems to be in the new ceramic coating protection now, someone had a display and he was professionally trained to apply the coating on all interior and exterior surfaces for $1200.00...it was guaranteed to hold up for 2-3 years or something like that....but I am going to look into this closer and see what do it yourself products like this are out there:

Ceramic Pro Marine

This even states it is permanent protection.

Ceramic pro is great. I ceramic coated my motorcycle. Just wasn’t sure about the marine application yet

 

[CraigAR]

Had ceramic pro (marine) installed on my boat 2 years ago as soon as I pulled it out of the dealers lot. I'm a big fan. The only thing I do after out in the salt is take it to the car wash for a quick rinse down and of course flushing the motors when I get home. The guy I had do it was also certified and I was his first customer so he gave me a deal. I paid $800. He did the tower, above and below the rub rail and the bottom of the boat. I want to get the entire boat covered including the interior now but it is expensive. I believe it is $100 per foot or maybe more. They need to first clean everything then polish the boat before they apply the ceramic coating. There are deferent tiers in pricing. Make sure the detailer has his own shop where you can get the boat out of the elements. I'll be shopping around soon to have mine redone. It still looks amazing today.

 

[DJMattyT]

Had ceramic pro (marine) installed on my boat 2 years ago as soon as I pulled it out of the dealers lot. I'm a big fan. The only thing I do after out in the salt is take it to the car wash for a quick rinse down and of course flushing the motors when I get home. The guy I had do it was also certified and I was his first customer so he gave me a deal. I paid $800. He did the tower, above and below the rub rail and the bottom of the boat. I want to get the entire boat covered including the interior now but it is expensive. I believe it is $100 per foot or maybe more. They need to first clean everything then polish the boat before they apply the ceramic coating. There are deferent tiers in pricing. Make sure the detailer has his own shop where you can get the boat out of the elements. I'll be shopping around soon to have mine redone. It still looks amazing today.

Yeah it’s $2400-$3000 by me

 

[Dan_NC]

I will wash and double coat your boat with polish for $100 per foot. Heck, I will throw in tools for you to keep and I will travel to you.

 

[Dan_NC]

Don't get me wrong, I would absolutely try it out if given the opportunity. I will even accept that it is a better protection than wax or polish. I just can't stomach the price tag

 

[dadofral]

Don't get me wrong, I would absolutely try it out if given the opportunity. I will even accept that it is a better protection than wax or polish. I just can't stomach the price tag

I'm with you, until the price comes down I'm not willing to pay that much for the coating....as good as it is there are other things I would rather get for my boat first. $1000.00 buys a lot of good wax and cleaners, plus I can have my kids go to work on applying....neat stuff, but not in the budget for me.

 

[Elliott]

Ceramic Coatings are an expensive way to save yourself a little time. They do not last more than a couple of years, unless you are refreshing them (usually an additional expense), and it is recommended that you use special soaps to maintain them as well. The coating will not prevent water spots, one of the most common problems. Additionally if the coating fails prematurely, the best you get is another application of the same thing. If you do the coating yourself, you will need to be capable of polishing the boat's surface prior to applying the coating, and it will maybe last up to two years. You can buy apply-it-yourself kits for $60-200.

Below is my previous post about polishing/waxing my boat at the one year mark. The sealant/synthetic wax/polish cost less than $6 to do the boat. I hand applied Griot's Poly Wax (same as One-Step without the polish) to the tower and interior surfaces - not including the non-skid. So, I spent $8 for everything. If you have to buy the buffer and pad, you would have to spend an additional $170, but then you would have the buffer for your boat and cars. For me, I would rather spend a little time (a few hours) once or even twice a year applying a synthetic wax or synthetic wax/polish versus spending a lot of money for something that may or may not even last a couple of years.

Prior Post

It has been over year with no problems/issues with the FSH 190 Sport in salt water. Water was still beading well on the hull, but there was a build up of water spots and a general dullness. To most people it still looked very good, but it was time to polish and wax the hull. I chose to use Griot's Garage One-Step Sealant; it is a fine polish and synthetic wax. I have used on autos to remove etched water spots and other minor paint blemishes with impressive results. I applied it to the boat with a Griot's 6 inch Random Orbital buffer (8 mm throw) using an orange correcting pad. You spread the product on speed 2, and then you buff it on speed 5. After two quick passes, I moved to the next area. The product hazes in 15-30 minutes, and it wipes off with almost no residue or dust. I wiped off the boat with three Griot's PFM microfiber wax removal cloths - each about the size of a pot holder. The cloths were relatively clean after the removing the One-Step. The entire process took less than 2.5 hours, including set-up and tear-down.

The results are in the photo; you can see the horizon in the blue stripe. It is the brightest boat at the marina. The One-step should last about a year; it has done that for me on daily driven cars.

** One-Step would not be appropriate for oxidized gel coat. You would need a more aggressive compound/possibly wet sand paper/more aggressive pad

and a longer throw buffer (15-21 mm).

 

[Dennis P]

I go with two passes of the 3M Cleaner & Wax then a coat of Starbrite Cleaner Wax with PTEF,descent result for a 2008

 

[Hike]

Does anybody bother to jack their boat off the trailer to detail the hull over the bunks?

 

[Chaunceybland]

I'm wondering the same thing myself...

 

[FX195]

My boat is a little bit over 2 years old now, I've used Poorboys SSR2 cleaner/polish one time and use Turtle Wax Hybrid Ceramic Wet Wax after every wash. Works great, glossy, hydrophobic and easy to apply, about $12 a bottle. Never accumulate any water spots even with salt water. Once every couple of months I take care of the bottom side of the hull with the same product.

 

[Jane305]

I use Star Brite premium polish, satisfied with this product. I do my own waxing/detailing because it puts me up front and personal, so I can spot loose screws, bolts, and other issues early, before something major can happen. I have been using this for over 10 years on my 22 footer and it is simply awesome. I love the surprised looks on faces when they find the boat is 11 years old. Once in the spring, once in the fall (truthfully, I think once in the spring would be enough) and the finish is mirror-like.

 

[suke]

This is a crazy old thread, BUT the reason ceramic coatings cost so much is largely due to the prep. The gelcoat/paint needs to be corrected prior to coating installation. There are some hacks that skip this step and STILL charge a lot. However, it's generally due to the labor for correction. As with most things prep is key. For a 21 ft boat you're looking at anywhere from 20-40 hours worth of correction. How much do you make in a week? That doesn't cover supplies, either. Ceramic coatings are more expensive to purchase, even for the pros. Not to mention certification for those that want to sell coatings with a warranty. I get this sticker shock all the time whenever I do details. Paint correction takes a lot of time and skill and most people don't have a clue just how much labor/work is involved.

This is my 2020 212x. I've been the only one to touch it and it still took me over 20 hours worth of correction work prior to me installing a ceramic coating. They're definitely not for everyone and I normally try and talk people out of them as most aren't willing to take care of them properly. Then they come and bitch that their coating failed. I'd rather not deal with that headache. I've been in the detailing game on the side for over 20 years. I don't do it as a job full time as the profit margins are garbage. This way I get to take on what I want and decline what I don't want.

 

[traderfjp]

This is a crazy old thread, BUT the reason ceramic coatings cost so much is largely due to the prep. The gelcoat/paint needs to be corrected prior to coating installation. There are some hacks that skip this step and STILL charge a lot. However, it's generally due to the labor for correction. As with most things prep is key. For a 21 ft boat you're looking at anywhere from 20-40 hours worth of correction. How much do you make in a week? That doesn't cover supplies, either. Ceramic coatings are more expensive to purchase, even for the pros. Not to mention certification for those that want to sell coatings with a warranty. I get this sticker shock all the time whenever I do details. Paint correction takes a lot of time and skill and most people don't have a clue just how much labor/work is involved.

Your boat looks amazing. There is always people willing to pay and those of us who want to save. Detailing takes time and lots of physical effort. I use to sell used cars and detailed them myself so I know that it takes time and effort. I'm new to ceramic coating. I was wondering how effective the DIY ceramic coatings are that you can buy from 40.00 to 150.00. Do pros use a special formula not available to the general public? Is it really used on the seats too?

 

[suke]

Your boat looks amazing. There is always people willing to pay and those of us who want to save. Detailing takes time and lots of physical effort. I use to sell used cars and detailed them myself so I know that it takes time and effort. I'm new to ceramic coating. I was wondering how effective the DIY ceramic coatings are that you can buy from 40.00 to 150.00. Do pros use a special formula not available to the general public? Is it really used on teh seats too?

I install a consumer based coatings on all of my vehicles and several people that want them installed. Solid brands are actually REALLY good coatings. I use carpro cquartz UK V3 on everything paint wise. I haven't ventured into any of the leather or fabric ceramic coatings. Gyeon I hear is decent, shine supply marine ceramic is what I used on my boat. The professional versions tend to be a slightly different chemical configuration. Some have more concentrated Si02, or other tweaks here or there. Generically speaking though it's really just to make sure the installer installs it correctly as has shown they can pass the certification to be able to provide a warranty. Things like ceramic pro is stupid easy to get certified and therefor would personally never recommend anyone to get that installed. Product may be good, but installers can be suspect unless you vet them out. I have all consumer based coatings on everything I own and I've been able to get 2+ years out of them and not needed to replace them. I generally do at that age just because I want to polish back out any defects that may be there.

 

[PEARCE]

I used to use the StarBrite premium wax with the PTF or something in it and I really liked it. It worked well and held up for a season usually. I've done the claybar thing too to really clean the shiny surfaces good and with a cleaner wax following that as directed. I was pleased with those results too. I then discovered Topcoat F11. Holy cow that was a game changer! The boat stays so much cleaner and just radiates a deep gloss shine. I use it on all surfaces except the carpet and Seadek. I even do the trailer! I buy it by the gallon at a $100. It's only available on their website. I use it on all our vehicles with the same results as on the boat so it's worth it. I wipe the boat down with a shammy each time it comes out of the water and the hull is so slick the water just slides off without any streaks. We store our boat in our garage at home so it only sees the sun when we use it. It certainly doesn't look 14 years old.