Why You Want to Have Your Boat Detailed Before You Sell

Wet-Sanding

The act of wetsanding and or polishing the finish on your boat, to then add a beautiful protective layer of wax or coating is magical. Those of us who are OCD love the process as much as the final result. Here’s why it is important to do a seasonal or at least annual detail of your boat. 

Why Wet-Sand?

By removing contaminants and making the surface smooth and ready for a protective sacrificial layer, you accomplish a few things. Your paint or gelcoat will be more UV resistant. UV inhibitors in high quality waxes and ceramic coatings help protect the finish and make the finish more resilient to fading. I always joke that to ensure your boat stays mint condition, just keep it out of the water and out of the sun. That is challenging for boaters, to say the least. A well detailed and waxed finish is easier to clean, defends against sun damage and fading. A slight protection against minor scratches is provided too. 

Polishing

The act of preparing the surface is key though. By removing contaminants, old waxes and scratches, you get to thoroughly inspect you boat. Any deep scratches or cracks can be addressed before you finish. With a wet sand or heavy duty polish, it is often amazing how much one can improve the color and shine of the surface. Once faded, scratched and dull surface can become mirror like in short order. Gelcoat notoriously fades easily but gel is also usually quite a bit thicker than paint. Gelcoat can be polished quite aggressively, bring back the color. Careful not to take it too far, and ensure you use a high quality protecting wax or ceramic coat after. Once you start losing the color in gelcoat, you can eventually over polish it, or lose the color if left to fade too long. 

Conclusion

I have seen boats that look really far gone, faded, rough and chalky, made to look incredible after. You can absolutely do this yourself with the right equipment. Don’t hesitate to consult a professional. If you don’t have any materials and don’t have the time, a professional detailer will get outstanding results that are well worth the money. You can increase the value of your boat for sure.