Deep cleaned boat exteriors and interiors are as important as your boat’s appearance while on the water. A pristine boat finish will make her run much more efficiently. If you’ve ever moored through St. Petersburg, Florida, you know that fresh-from-the-trenches boat detailing can be some of the best money you spend. When you visit a professional boat wash in St. Petersburg, you’ll find that most companies have at least a basic ship detailing package. Here’s how to save money on your next boat detail.
Most boat detailing prices start at around two hundred dollars. “Deep-cleaning” is the term used for a thorough washing that removes surface contaminants like sand, oil and grime so that the entire boat’s hull, transom, decks, fittings and outboard motor looks new. Most boat owners do not want to pay this much for the job. They want a “wash and clear” experience with minimal interruption to their regular activities. But when you’re paying two hundred dollars for a job that may only take a few minutes of your time, you may as well go all out and hire the biggest, best-looking boat wash in town.
While professional boat detailing in St. Petersburg offers everything from clear waxing to deep-cleaning and hull resurfacing, you’ll probably want to save some cash for other services. Most people think they need a clear coat of paint to protect the new look of their boat. However, applying paint can be dangerous, and can even cause damage to the metal. A clear coat of urethane also protects the structure of your boat from rusting, but again, applying it yourself is tricky and should only be done under the expert guidance of a professional.
A good boat detailing service in St. Petersburg will not only remove boat dirt and debris from the hull, but will also perform preventive boat cleaning. Boat cleaning in St. Petersburg starts with the removal of standing water, which is often caused by floating objects such as leaves and tree limbs. The next step is to remove debris with brushes, including broken seats, caps and nails. In St. Petersburg, boaters often find that using a water-based boat cleaning solution reduces the amount of detergent used, which is helpful because detergent tends to build up and make a boat cleaner than water alone. Also, soap-free cleaners may help reduce the build-up of limescale on the exterior of the hull.
Once all the debris has been removed, the next step in boat detailing in St. Petersburg includes removing dirt, grease and grime from the interior of the boats. Experts recommend using a combination of soft and dry brushing techniques when removing dirt and grime from boats. Soft brushing techniques, which use soft bristles and minimal pressure, are especially useful for removing dirt from the sides, bottoms and decks of boats. Dry brushing techniques, which employ high pressure air blowers and scrubbing brushes, are preferred by most boat owners for removing dirt and grease from the entire body of a boat. Experts advise that after a boat detailing procedure, it should be left overnight to dry, so that it will not get damaged during transport.
Finally, after the boat has dried, most detailing companies will detail the port, starboard or console side of a boat. They will then apply one of several recommended coatings, waxes or clear coats, to give each side of the boat its own unique look. The unique coating process can add or subtract years from the time it takes to ship a boat from place to place, depending on the destination. While detailing the exterior of a boat, experts recommend adding a clear coat to the hull before applying a wax or other finish. This helps prevent the growth of mold and mildew on the newly applied finish.