A ceramic coating is the closest thing to sunscreen for gelcoat, and in the yachting capital of the world the hulls that stay glossy are wearing it.
Full ceramic coating packages in Fort Lauderdale run $60 to $120 per foot, so a 30 foot center console lands somewhere between $1,800 and $3,600 and a 45 footer between $2,700 and $5,400. Compare that with a wash and wax at $8 to $20 per foot that lasts about three months in Florida sun. Where you fall in the range comes down to condition. A hull that is already polished and protected coats near the bottom of the range, while a chalky, oxidized hull needs correction first and prices near the top.
The bottle of coating is the cheapest part of the job. A proper package starts with a freshwater wash and chemical decontamination, then machine compounding and polishing to remove oxidation and swirl, and only then the coating itself. That correction stage is skilled labor, and it is where the price range comes from. It also decides the result, because ceramic locks in whatever finish sits underneath it. Ask any quote to spell out the prep steps, the brand of coating, and the expected service life, which for quality marine ceramics is one to three years.
Fort Lauderdale boats live hard, between Port Everglades salt, New River current, and 165 miles of canals where hulls sit in full sun on lifts and floating docks. Look for a detailer who already works your kind of storage, ask to see coated hulls that are a year or two old, and get an itemized quote before anyone touches the boat. On ShipShape Pros, rankings are earned from booked jobs, verified reviews, and repeat-hire rates, and they can never be bought, so the pro at the top of the list is there because other owners keep calling them back.
A coating only reaches its one to three year lifespan with regular washing, because salt left to bake will still etch the surface. The good news is that washing a coated hull is faster, which is why many detailers put coated boats on monthly wash routes at $4 to $6 per foot per visit. Run the math on your own boat: if the coating saves you a compound and polish cycle and holds resale gloss, it usually comes out ahead of waxing three or four times a year. Skip it only if the boat lives under a roof or on a trailer.
Full packages run $60 to $120 per foot depending on hull condition, so a 30 foot boat typically lands between $1,800 and $3,600. Oxidized hulls price near the top because correction comes first.
Quality marine ceramics protect gelcoat for one to three years in Florida sun. Regular freshwater washing is what gets you to the long end of that range.
For a boat kept outdoors on a lift or in the water, usually yes. A wax lasts about three months here, while a ceramic coating lasts years and makes every wash afterwards faster.
Tell us what you need. Verified pros reply with real quotes, usually within hours. Free, no obligation, and your info goes only to pros you choose.