Boat Keeper

Hey guys got a question. I currently work as a boat detailer at a marina on the Illinois River. On the side i detail cars, trucks, s.u.v's for extra money. My question is do people usually hire or would they hire, somebody to keep up their boat " washing, waxing" that sort of thing. So when they go to use it again it would be clean. Im going to be buying a bowrider in march and could bring my cleaning supplies and go marina to marina. Use the marinas hose hookups and do them right there.

justinclay said:

Hey guys got a question. I currently work as a boat detailer at a marina on the Illinois River. On the side i detail cars, trucks, s.u.v's for extra money. My question is do people usually hire or would they hire, somebody to keep up their boat " washing, waxing" that sort of thing. So when they go to use it again it would be clean. Im going to be buying a bowrider in march and could bring my cleaning supplies and go marina to marina. Use the marinas hose hookups and do them right there.

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Yup, its a regular service that is in demand. You will want to make sure that you have proper insurance for your marine related business, as many docks won't allow you to work on their premises without liability coverage, if not also Ship Repairers Legal Liability (SRLL) coverage.

Just as important, your will want coverage should you cause damage to a client's boat (burn thru paint or gelcoat, etc).

Im currently licensed and insured for my auto work, but will definitely look into anything legally marine wise id need. Good to know its in demand. Havent burned through gel yet, seems to be a lot harder to do then clear lol.

We have a guy who does this at our marina. He had to hire a couple of assistants. He charges quite a steep fee, and seems to have plenty of work.

Yes. Have been on the fence lately about hiring a detailer for my boat. As has already been mentioned insurance is important not only for you but to your clients. I'll demand to know my detailer is insured.

Very popular in the Chicago marinas. Important issue is boat security. There have been a number of break ins traced back to the assistants hired by the boat keeper. Given your location and the word of mouth that can get the information from Chicago to wherever you are on the river you should be prepared for this concern.

Marty
Chief boat keeper, engineer and humble servant to the Admiral.

There is an out fit in Seattle that not only does upkeep on exterior but also does interior. Change sheets on Monday, clean out ice box, empty garbage, service head. They do boat shows also. 90 % girls from UW. Great out fit. You can take it as far as your area will support.

Just going off on a tangent (but hopefully not too far!) when we were riding out the hurricane season in Lake Isabel (Guatemala) along with a lot of other boats, a guy came over in his dinghy (these were all sailboats, by the way) and said that he was a diesel mechanic and looking for work if we had any engine problems. Well, since we had a new Yanmar installed before beginning the cruise, we did not. But I think that a lot of the other cruisers did (judging by his visiting different boats with his tool box and being on them for a while). So I couldn't help but think that here was a young guy (relatively speaking), making a good living, and being able to enjoy the cruising life at the same time. There was also a lady veterinarian doing the same thing.

John

Yes, it's a regular service here in Florida. In Miami, a guy that is good at what he does is a rarity and will never run out of clientele. Here on the Gulf Coast, there is more equal competition and the prices are lower for the same service. In Ft. Lauderdale and Stuart, a rich guy could contract you to a single huge yacht, putting all your eggs in one basket. We've got one overall guy that actually moves with the Krogen fleet during the seasons. He's that good and that much in demand.

Get my boat compounded and waxed before every season to maintain the Awlgrip paint. It costs, but definitely cheaper than repainting. You absolutely need to know what products to use on what paints. Products for Awlgrip paint are definitely different than what you would use on Gelcoat.

Ted

I just got a quote of $2,200 to buff and wax my 40 mainship from the gunnels up, not including the fly bridge or the cockpit roof underside. I passed but it goes to show there is $ in it.

(Justin-- Sent PM with example of a great local detailer.)

Thank you guys. Sounds like something im def going to look into. Thanks for the imfo Marin