how often to get boat detailed....

J

jw_dogfish74

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I recently boat a Grady White Seafarer in Marina del Ray, Los Angeles and am wondering if I should get it detailed once or twice a year. I already have it cleaned every two weeks but I've heard detailing is a good thing to do every so often. Any suggestions in how often?

Thanks.
 
DB said:
did you buy a Grady or boat a Grady :hmm
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Pardon me. Bought, obviously. It must me nice to have never made a typing error.....kudos to you. So now that that's cleared up....does anyone have any comments?
 
Well, "normal" is once a year up in my neck of woods, but i do it twice per season. I know guys in sunny Florida they do it every couple of months, so it really depends of where you boat, but of of course the more, the better for the boat.
 
Well you don't want to over clean it, it's a pleasurable boat, it looks better when it shows a little use. I clean my boat when it looks very bad, but if you wash and wax it good at the beginning of the season, a good wax coat lasts about 3 months for me, so that’s 2 waxing per season. But it’s your boat, if you want to have it done once a week ,it will take a few years to rub thought the gel coat, but it shouldn’t need it, Grady’s have a good finish that washes up well, and only need minimal care. Don’t over think it, enjoy your Grady, take it out and catch some fish. :D
 
You should do a good complete detail at least once a year. That is to include polishing and buffing out any scratches, oxidation etc.

You should put a good paste wax like Collinite Fleetwax at least every six months. Even better if you do it every 4 months. Remember with wax the more you use it the longer your boat will keep that nice shine. Wax is the only thing that protects the boats finish.

This protection should also extend to your polished aluminum on the boat as that will pit and look horrible if not cared for on a regular basis.
 
If your going to keep it outside and/or in the water where it's exposed 24/7 I would wax it once a month.
I keep mine in the water July thru Sept. and wax it once every 3 weeks. Looks really good, no fading or oxidization.

I'm pretty obsessive/complusive so this might be more commitment than you want to make. I have found that the more you wax it and keep it clean, the newer it looks over the years. Let it go and the deterioration will sneak in the back door on you.
 
magicalbill said:
If your going to keep it outside and/or in the water where it's exposed 24/7 I would wax it once a month.
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Yikes! My 30 Marlin is docked up behind the house down here in sunny Ft Lauderdale and there's no way that I could afford the $350 to have it waxed and detailed (rub rail up) every month!!

I have used about 5 different professional companies to do the work over the years and the only guy that did a really nice job no longer does "small boats". :( I'll try yet another guy next time.......

I usually get it detailed/waxed in April/May to look good over in the Bahamas for the summer and that's it. Otherwise, it's just lots and lots of soap and water. BTW, I've sold my previous two Gradys to the very first people that looked at them.
 
Hey Gary M.
I understand.Your Marlin is a bit bigger than my Gulfstream.
Question..Do you experience any fading/discoloration/chalking of your gel with the wax schedule your doing now?

For most people's practical, real-life scenarios, I'm probably over doing it. Here's the thing; The more layers of wax I apply, I notice the shine gets better and it almost feels "wet" to the touch as I run my fingers over it. The water just rolls off the boat as I douse it with the hose.
Those multiple layers of wax I'm sure help protect the gel, but I'm always interested in hearing others methods. I did a thread awhile back about leaving them outdoors and how much to wax, as I changed my situation last year. Mine now gets slipped for July,August and Sept.
If your Marlin doesn't fade in Lauderdale under that sun, maybe I can back off a little and hit mine 3 times a summer.
 
Once a year for me just before it goes in. I use a good cleaner and two coats of wax. When it is in the water, it is time for fishing and fun. I do general clean up here and there, but I'm not wasting cash nor my time during the season. I think some of you are waaay over doing it or need to find a hobby or something :P
 
I wax both of mine once in the spring and once in the fall. The 225 stays on a lift from Feb to Nov and the Lindell is in the water 12 months per year. I always clean them or get the salt off after every use. My 38' looks very good 10 years later and the Grady still looks like new. I use 3m cleaner wax.
 
I agree with Fishtales. I detail and wax in the spring before I put it in the water. This is in early April and from then to late November it hangs from a lift in the sun. I give it a good washing each time I use it and when I take it down in November. From December to April, I try to keep it in a warehouse.

I use a automotive soap I buy from Walmart that claims to have a wax in it that "protects from the elements". Whether this is true or the best thing to be using, I don't know. Maybe someone will enlighten me.

I've sold two Grady's and got decent prices for both, considering they were 13 and 14 years old. They still looked to be in good shape with a decent shine.

I did not buy a boat to spend a lot of time maintaining it. I bought it to run before daylight, get bloody and come in when I think I have had enough.

Maybe when I retire completely I will have time to wax it two or three times a year. Or maybe I'll just fish more.
 
Waxing and cleaning IS part of the fun for me. I don't fish and sometimes I spend a couple days in the slip onboard without casting off. It's easy to clean things during that time. Boat looks great and I satisfy my OCD tendencies.
Getting up at 5:00 AM and going offshore all day seems like a lot more work to me than waxing.
We all dance to different drums. Makes the world and this website go 'round.
 
We all dance to different drums. Makes the world and this website go 'round.[/quote]

You got that right, it seems that no matter what your preferences are, Grady has something that will satisfy you.

BobP, I got your message and thanks for the information.
 
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