Is this too much for detailing?

[Dr. D]

I contacted a local boast service business for a quote on cleaning and waxing my boat. They call this detailing at $27.80 per foot; total a bit over $1,000.

That is too much. Or am I out of date on these costs?

[Tayana42]

It depends on what they are going to do to your boat and if it is needed. For example, does the quote include compounding or just buff and wax? What treatment if any to exterior wood? What treatment to stainless? The price might not be out of line but check with other boat owners in your area. Also, decide how much if any you are willing to do yourself.

[rwidman]

It really depends on exactly what they are going to do. To me, "detailing" means more than just a wash and wax. Detailing would include polishing the stainless and cleaning and waxing all the cracks and crevices found on a boat. I'm talking about with a toothbrush.


In my area, $20 per foot is about right for compound and wax. No stainless and no really fine painstaking work.

[Dr. D]

Yeah, I should have added more. This is for wash, compound decks, double wax decks and hull, and polish all stainless/chrome.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Dr. D

Yeah, I should have added more. This is for wash, compound decks, double wax decks and hull, and polish all stainless/chrome.

Wow!....really different labor rates.
In Subic, for that work done on my 65ft boat it would cost me about $120 + materials

[Cheechako]

It may not bee too much if they are really hard waxing and doing all that. 20 years ago it used to cost $225-200 for a boat yard to polish just my hull, no deck and they weren't hard waxing either.

[vlathom]

Detailing is very expensive and should be, considering the labor time. I paid about $800 for a 36 ft. trawler three years ago. No wood, but plenty of topside and stainless.

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by Dr. D

I contacted a local boast service business for a quote on cleaning and waxing my boat. They call this detailing at $27.80 per foot; total a bit over $1,000.

That is too much. Or am I out of date on these costs?

Depends on level of oxidation and services.

A badly oxidized vessel may take up to 5 passes:

1. Wet sand
2. Heavy Compound
3. Light Compound
4. Polish
5. Wax

For the non-skid surfaces, deck scrub plus non-skid wax.

All very labour intensive and weather sensitive (except the wet sanding).

We have use an estimator spreadsheet that calculates approximate sq. ft., time per sq ft / pass, and number of passes.

For your size boat, starting from badly oxidized (chalk residue transfer when wiped with a dry cloth), for complete gelcoat restoration of the entire exterior including all smooth and non-skid surfaces, it would be in the area of C$5000 (which would represent about 1/4 the cost of painting or re-gelcoating).

The result would be a brilliant gloss, that would be retained at least 75% after 6 months of Ontario summer sun, with only biweekly washes, with non-wax stripping cleaner.

Annual maintenance, (spring wash and wax all exterior gelcoat), would be about C$1000.

We do not use power washers.

[reed1v]

A local yard wanted to charge $4000.00 for re-varnishing the inside slats on our 23 foot runabout. We passed on that one. At least in Maine, boat care is extremely expensive.

In Hawaii we got a 33' sailboat completely re-varnished--Cheoy Lee no less--for $800. The difference is we went to a boat broker in Hawaii to have the work done.
Probably can just hire one of the boat bums to do it for at least half the price.

[Keysrock]

I pay $1.10 per foot for a really super top of the mast down to the waterline detail here in Ft Myers

[wayne.b]

Originally Posted by Keysrock

I pay $1.10 per foot for a really super top of the mast down to the waterline detail here in Ft Myers

===

Could you tell me how to contact them?

Thanks in advance.

[Phisher]

Originally Posted by Keysrock

I pay $1.10 per foot for a really super top of the mast down to the waterline detail here in Ft Myers

This must be a typo!?!? So $44.00 For a 40 foot boat?

[CaptRory]

4 years ago, I had a guy wet sand (actually he used abrasive pads of various grades) polish and wax, cleaned and polish all the stainless, for $600.

[MIDGET]

Re: Is this too much for detailing?
I pay $1.10 per foot for a really super top of the mast down to the waterline detail here in Ft Myers

Definitely wasn't ripoff artist Olsen Marine on Ft.Myers Bch!!!

[CaptRory]

$1 a foot for buff and wax in St. Pete. Who in Ft Myers does a whole detailing for $1.10?