BOAT DETAILING SERVICES - FAQs
We receive a lot of questions from boat owners looking for a new detailer and from online search queries. We thought we'd answer the most common questions here in case others have the same.
Q: What is the best boat detailing company near me?
A: The best boat detailing company near you is the one that returns your call or email in a timely manner, has great customer service, is knowledgeable about boat detailing and has a well-trained crew who is careful and takes pride in their work.
At Deckhand Detailing, we spend a lot of time training all new crew members and continue to check on them and their work and provide additional training as needed. Our dedicated office manager handles all of our scheduling and customer communication, so there is always someone there to respond to you during office hours.
Q: How much does professional boat detailing usually cost in the Seattle area?
A: The rates for boat detailing can vary quite a bit from one detailing company to the next, as there are many factors to consider, such as the service packages they offer and how they charge based on the condition of the boat. For example, a first-time detailed exterior wash could take all day if the boat is very dirty or has a lot of mildew in the non-skid and canvas.
This service could cost around $500 or more. However, after that initial wash, if the boat is now on a recurring wash program where it's washed every few weeks year-round to keep it clean and ready for cruising, the recurring wash price will be much less, maybe between $150 and $200 per recurring wash for an average size boat (around 45 ft).
Boat buffing and waxing rates typically start around $50/ft for a boat that has only light oxidation, with those rates increasing based on the level of oxidation and the size of the boat.
Hourly rates for boat detailing services are typically around $60 to $85 per hour depending on the service.
Q: What’s included in a typical boat detailing package?
A: A typical detailed exterior wash includes washing the whole exterior of the boat from the waterline up, scrubbing non-skid, lifting hatches to clean around the gutter track and edges, washing windows and stainless and cleaning in the enclosed cockpit or fly bridge area (if the boat has an enclosure). Add-on's typically include cleaning the canvas, washing or detailing the dinghy and cleaning plastic windows.
A typical buff and wax boat detailing package includes buffing the boat with compound using a buffer to remove oxidation and then applying wax or polish to protect the gel coat from UV damage.
Anytime you contact a boat detailing company, always ask what their packages or services include and what are extras or add-on's that they offer.
Q: Are there mobile boat detailing services that come to my location in Seattle?
A: Yes! Most boat detailing companies in Seattle are mobile and will go to your boat to do the work. Deckhand Detailing is completely mobile and always goes to the boat where it is moored or stored to do our detailing work.
Q: What size of boats do your work on?
A: We clean and detail all sizes of boats, from ski boats to large yachts. That includes boats from around 20 feet long to 200 feet long. Our crew is very experienced detailing large yachts and they're familiar with safety protocols when working on larger boats.
Q: Which products are safe to use for cleaning boat surfaces?
A: Although it's tempting to use products that you already have on hand for your household cleaning or auto detailing chores, it's best to use products on your boat that are specifically formulated for gel coat and other boat-specific materials and surfaces.
Never use bleach products to clean the sink or toilet in your boat. Bleach will degrade the plastic tanks and tubes over time. Don't use ammonia-based spray cleaners on plastic windows, as it will cause hazing. Don't use dish soap to wash your boat with. It can dry out the gel coat and paint. It's best to use cleaning products and soaps that are meant for boat surfaces.
Q: How often should I get my boat professionally detailed?
A: We suggest having your boat waxed every 6 to 9 months if you live in a sunny location (Florida or California) or every 9 to 12 months if you live in the Seattle area since we don't get as much sun year-round. We recommend washing your boat (or having it washed) at least once a month year-round whether you're using it or not. This will keep dirt, dust, soot salt spray and bird droppings from setting into your gel coat, making it harder to remove those stains the longer they sit on your gel coat.
Q: Can boat detailing help prevent gel coat issues?
A: Yes, detailing your boat can definitely help prevent gel coat issues down the road. Gel coat is a porous material, which can collect dirt, salt spray and soot into its microscopic holes. Once this dirt starts to set in, it can cause the gel coat to degrade over time, requiring expensive services such as buffing and wax, gel coat repair or repainting, in order to get your boat's finish looking good again.
Q: Are there eco-friendly boat detailing options available?
A: Yes, there are products you can use on your boat that are less harmful to the environment and the person using them. Look for boat soap that is both biodegradable and phosphate-free, like our very own Deckhand Detailing boat soap that uses only EPA-approved ingredients. Instead of using black streak remover spray, use a cleaning wax or polish instead to remove grey streaks and other stains that don't come off with soap and water.
Any product that stays on the gel coat instead of being rinsed into the water is considered eco-friendly. Any wax or polish, such as our One-Step Polish, stays on the gel coat and offers long-lasting protection from damaging UV rays.
Q: How do I find reliable boat detailers with good reviews nearby?
A: You can look at the review sites, such as Yelp and Google reviews, but the best way to find reliable boat detailers in your area is to ask your boating friends and dock neighbors or your nearest yacht brokerage to find out who they use. Word of mouth referrals bring us a lot of business, which we are very thankful for. It's why we strive so hard to make our customers happy and their boats clean and glossy!
Q: What’s the difference between boat cleaning and boat detailing?
A: The term "detailing" in general is quite vague and is usually used as an umbrella term that includes cleaning, washing, waxing and other types of services that improve the finish of a boat or vehicle. Boat cleaning and detailing are somewhat similar in that they both make the boat look cleaner. However, boat cleaning is the first step in making a boat look better and boat detailing is the more advanced final step.
If you have a dirty boat, you'll need to clean it before you can detail it. In this case, cleaning the boat would mean washing it to remove dirt, dust, soot and salt spray. Once the boat is clean, then it can be detailed. This means using a compound to remove oxidation and then using wax or polish to add UV protection to the finish.
A: The best boat detailing company near you is the one that returns your call or email in a timely manner, has great customer service, is knowledgeable about boat detailing and has a well-trained crew who is careful and takes pride in their work.
At Deckhand Detailing, we spend a lot of time training all new crew members and continue to check on them and their work and provide additional training as needed. Our dedicated office manager handles all of our scheduling and customer communication, so there is always someone there to respond to you during office hours.
Q: How much does professional boat detailing usually cost in the Seattle area?
A: The rates for boat detailing can vary quite a bit from one detailing company to the next, as there are many factors to consider, such as the service packages they offer and how they charge based on the condition of the boat. For example, a first-time detailed exterior wash could take all day if the boat is very dirty or has a lot of mildew in the non-skid and canvas.
This service could cost around $500 or more. However, after that initial wash, if the boat is now on a recurring wash program where it's washed every few weeks year-round to keep it clean and ready for cruising, the recurring wash price will be much less, maybe between $150 and $200 per recurring wash for an average size boat (around 45 ft).
Boat buffing and waxing rates typically start around $50/ft for a boat that has only light oxidation, with those rates increasing based on the level of oxidation and the size of the boat.
Hourly rates for boat detailing services are typically around $60 to $85 per hour depending on the service.
Q: What’s included in a typical boat detailing package?
A: A typical detailed exterior wash includes washing the whole exterior of the boat from the waterline up, scrubbing non-skid, lifting hatches to clean around the gutter track and edges, washing windows and stainless and cleaning in the enclosed cockpit or fly bridge area (if the boat has an enclosure). Add-on's typically include cleaning the canvas, washing or detailing the dinghy and cleaning plastic windows.
A typical buff and wax boat detailing package includes buffing the boat with compound using a buffer to remove oxidation and then applying wax or polish to protect the gel coat from UV damage.
Anytime you contact a boat detailing company, always ask what their packages or services include and what are extras or add-on's that they offer.
Q: Are there mobile boat detailing services that come to my location in Seattle?
A: Yes! Most boat detailing companies in Seattle are mobile and will go to your boat to do the work. Deckhand Detailing is completely mobile and always goes to the boat where it is moored or stored to do our detailing work.
Q: What size of boats do your work on?
A: We clean and detail all sizes of boats, from ski boats to large yachts. That includes boats from around 20 feet long to 200 feet long. Our crew is very experienced detailing large yachts and they're familiar with safety protocols when working on larger boats.
Q: Which products are safe to use for cleaning boat surfaces?
A: Although it's tempting to use products that you already have on hand for your household cleaning or auto detailing chores, it's best to use products on your boat that are specifically formulated for gel coat and other boat-specific materials and surfaces.
Never use bleach products to clean the sink or toilet in your boat. Bleach will degrade the plastic tanks and tubes over time. Don't use ammonia-based spray cleaners on plastic windows, as it will cause hazing. Don't use dish soap to wash your boat with. It can dry out the gel coat and paint. It's best to use cleaning products and soaps that are meant for boat surfaces.
Q: How often should I get my boat professionally detailed?
A: We suggest having your boat waxed every 6 to 9 months if you live in a sunny location (Florida or California) or every 9 to 12 months if you live in the Seattle area since we don't get as much sun year-round. We recommend washing your boat (or having it washed) at least once a month year-round whether you're using it or not. This will keep dirt, dust, soot salt spray and bird droppings from setting into your gel coat, making it harder to remove those stains the longer they sit on your gel coat.
Q: Can boat detailing help prevent gel coat issues?
A: Yes, detailing your boat can definitely help prevent gel coat issues down the road. Gel coat is a porous material, which can collect dirt, salt spray and soot into its microscopic holes. Once this dirt starts to set in, it can cause the gel coat to degrade over time, requiring expensive services such as buffing and wax, gel coat repair or repainting, in order to get your boat's finish looking good again.
Q: Are there eco-friendly boat detailing options available?
A: Yes, there are products you can use on your boat that are less harmful to the environment and the person using them. Look for boat soap that is both biodegradable and phosphate-free, like our very own Deckhand Detailing boat soap that uses only EPA-approved ingredients. Instead of using black streak remover spray, use a cleaning wax or polish instead to remove grey streaks and other stains that don't come off with soap and water.
Any product that stays on the gel coat instead of being rinsed into the water is considered eco-friendly. Any wax or polish, such as our One-Step Polish, stays on the gel coat and offers long-lasting protection from damaging UV rays.
Q: How do I find reliable boat detailers with good reviews nearby?
A: You can look at the review sites, such as Yelp and Google reviews, but the best way to find reliable boat detailers in your area is to ask your boating friends and dock neighbors or your nearest yacht brokerage to find out who they use. Word of mouth referrals bring us a lot of business, which we are very thankful for. It's why we strive so hard to make our customers happy and their boats clean and glossy!
Q: What’s the difference between boat cleaning and boat detailing?
A: The term "detailing" in general is quite vague and is usually used as an umbrella term that includes cleaning, washing, waxing and other types of services that improve the finish of a boat or vehicle. Boat cleaning and detailing are somewhat similar in that they both make the boat look cleaner. However, boat cleaning is the first step in making a boat look better and boat detailing is the more advanced final step.
If you have a dirty boat, you'll need to clean it before you can detail it. In this case, cleaning the boat would mean washing it to remove dirt, dust, soot and salt spray. Once the boat is clean, then it can be detailed. This means using a compound to remove oxidation and then using wax or polish to add UV protection to the finish.
