Detail Cost

mbnarney

My 270 needs to be detailed badly. I am getting a quote of $1600 to wet sand buff and polish exterior and buff and polish the seating area. Does this sound reasonable?

aero3113

I think that sounds reasonable. Just make sure the guy knows what he’s doing.

mbnarney

I don't even know how you do that. South Fla is full of scammers. He seems to be experienced and has an Instagram page with boats he claims too have done. He did a test area for me that looked great. So far I have been like the canary in the mine.

LaRea

For that same service, I paid $1200 here in the DC area for my 40-foot hardtop.  So you're paying $57/foot, and I paid $30/foot.  They also cleaned the canvas and polished the eisenglass.  

YYZRC

Wow that’s a deal @LaRea !! 

@mbnarney what color is your hull?

mbnarney

@YYZRC white and heavily oxidized 

mattie

@mbnarney

Can you make an attempt at it yourself?
Start with some 3M HeavyCut compound & a 7" wool pad & buffer. See how you make out.
Wet sanding works - but kind of extreme.
You can buy all the equipment & product with lots left over for $1600

Pat310

Check this guy on YouTube. He has tons of videos on removing heavy oxidation with just a buffer. This is just one. Plenty more on his channel 

https://youtu.be/oPgIk2IyCYw

mbnarney

Frankly I would much rather do it myself but I hurt my back a couple years ago and my family is not having any part of me up on a ladder with a buffer.  Whenever you have to count on someone else it's a crap shoot. 

LaRea

I'm not saying $1600 is a bad price, but I'd get a second quote.  I'm like  you -- would rather DIY.  For a full wet sand, sometimes it's better to pay.  

LaRea

And if you've spent years doing the dance of compound-wax-oxidize, wet sanding will reignite your love with the boat.  

rasbury

Now, here is a subject near and dear as I'm doing mine right now...well, in a couple of hours. Having an older makes it a tuffer job and PO dis not appear to have done much for it.

I had no previous "rescue the finish" experience prior, never held a buffer or God forbid go at a finish I was not trying to remove with sandpaper.

Is there a one size fits all cost? 1200 sounds awesome to me- but if your having that done yearly your getting maintenance on the esthetics and not hard buffing or sanding right? To compare, I would want to know more how much time and materials is in the job- and he has overhead as well. 

I'm spending a lot more time on mine buffing with 3M for heavy oxidation cleaner wax. It's probably been 3 years since anything other than a wash and I'm paying for it. It has a light compound and you end up with a good finish pretty quick. Not great, but good. I am going to put another coat of wax on it which I have not done in the past, again, paying for it

I did sparingly wet sand when I brought it home. .it was not horrible but was not "good" I figure the finish has so many wet sands. Also, to hand the boat over to a "pro", they are going to do it as quick as they can and probably involves a lot of sand paper so I do the best I can! I have a tan two tone which really makes you want to grab the paper.

YYZRC

I will tackle almost any boat job and usually enjoy it but polishing - I will pay double market rate to not have to do it. 

rasbury

I kind of like doing it- anything I can fix myself I'll take a stab at it- and I know they will just sand the crap out of it...seems like most of the time I spend with the boat is working on it anyway..

Spyderweb

I kinda enjoy the buffing/polishing. It’s something you can do yourself that shows a huge improvement.  There’s lots of other boat maintenance jobs that, while necessary, (like fluid changes) don’t give you that same sense of accomplishment.  Having said that, buffing/polishing is very physical work.  In my case, with the boat being 100 miles away, when I drive up there to buff, I have to make a day of it.  Would much prefer to do just an hour at a time.  Not sure how much longer I can keep this up, but will as long as I can.

rasbury

I'm able to bring mine home-parled in the street though..

Liberty44140

I pay $1700 plus tax for our boat the be detailed. That is outside of the boat only, not cockpit. It is a 3 step deal, cleaner coat, then compound, then polish shine wax. Includes all smooth gel coat trim around the bow and sides, transom and hard top. Boat looks unbelievable when they are done and lasts all summer.

Spyderweb

@Liberty44140 that seems pretty good for that size boat.  What’s meant by the 1st step “cleaner coat”?  Is that using Collinite 920?

Liberty44140

No idea spyder, that’s just what they told me. 3 step process. Could be windex and a rag for all I know 

Dream_Inn

I just waxed/buffed mine this past Friday and winterized on Sunday (after one more anchoring out for Saturday night).  I'd have a hard time letting someone else wax and clean her up, knowing it wouldn't be to my standards.  She is now covered up.

Spyderweb

“Could be windex and a rag…”.  LOL

mbnarney

Thanks folks, I agree DIY is always better. I can probably keep up with it once there is shine on it. Guys got to know his limitations and right now I cant spend hours on the ladder trying to get that shine nor 30 minutes curled up in the fetal position in the bilge. Most everything else I will tackle myself.