Does Your Bottom Need Painting? Bring it by. - Need your boat bottom painted for the first time? Or.... maybe your boat's bottom needs to be cleaned and a new fresh coat of bottom paint. We'll take care of it for you!

Why pay boat yard prices? - Let us give your boat the personal attention it needs for much less than you would pay in a boat yard.

We have the experience - We do the job right and we'll have it done and you back on the water before you know it. See our "3 Step Process" below and give us a call at 305-853-BOAT (2628) and ....

Bring your boat by - The bottom of your boat will be carefully inspected to determine the best preparation process. We'll be looking for any blister damage that will need to be repaired and old bottom paint that will need to be removed. We'll carefully determine whether the blisters are paint blisters or deeper problems that penetrate the gelcoat. We'll recommend the appropriate step-by-step preparation process for your boat along with a quotation for the job.

Step 1 - Preparation & Sanding

Your boat will be carefully removed from your trailer and blocked. The waterline all around the boat will be identified and marked. All areas below the waterline are then pressure washed to remove any growth.

Sanding requires careful work with soft pad sanders and abrasives. The difference between removing the paint and cutting through the gelcoat can be a mere few thousandths of an inch. Our staff is very familiar with the idiosyncrasies of a high speed disk and orbital sanders and chemical strippers. Powder residue from antifouling paint contains some nasty chemicals. We protect ourselves with masks, eye protection, and specific clothing from these chemicals.

All bottom areas are carefully sanded up to the waterline. Special attention is given to your trim tabs and any other items during the preparation process. And of course, we reposition the blocking (stands & pads) to make sure all areas are prepared.

We wash the bottom one or more times with water to make sure all chemical residue is removed. We allow the hull to dry thoroughly and test the hull for moisture prior to the barrier coat application to prevent any moisture from being trapped.

Step 2 - Two Barrier Coats

We tape the boot stripe or waterline, all around, with a 3M long-term tape. If your boat is new or the gelcoat on your older boat is in good condition, barrier coats may not be necessary. We will discuss those recommendations during our inspection and prior to starting the job.

Assuming barrier coats are required, we then apply two (2) coats of white Barrier Coat Primer, using a solvent resistant roller and a good quality natural bristle brush. A key issue in the barrier coat process is building up an adequate barrier thickness through two coats of paint. We refer to the manufacturer's guidelines to determine how long a window of time is available for direct overcoating without having to resand the surface. This is key to a successful barrier coat application. Again, careful attention is paid to the waterline, trim tabs and other items in the under-water area.

Step 3 - Two Bottom Paint Coats

Using the same application technique as the barrier coats, we apply two (2) coats of antifouling paint. Notice the brown bottom paint on the portside of this hull. We don't skimp on the amount or the quality of bottom paint, especially because of the warm saltwater estuaries and bays in South Florida. Top-of-the- line bottom paints show their value with less need for bottom cleaning during the season and much less prep work when it comes time to repaint. This can be a real value for displacement hull or non-planning powerboats. Faster boats tend to keep slime and soft growth from accumulating. We recommend a multi-year, relaunchable, no build up, copolymer ablative anti-fouling paint. We'll make our recommendations after the inspection process.

Again, we're careful to apply bottom paint over and around trim tabs and any other items. We then remove the waterline or boot stripe masking tape and let it cure (dry). We'll have you back in the water before you know it.

Does Your Bottom Need Painting?   Bring it by!

Also, see our Boat Detailing Services