Chalky gelcoat is not dead, it is just starving for labor. What bringing the shine back costs on the Lake Worth Lagoon.
Oxidation removal in West Palm Beach runs $20 to $45 per foot depending on how far gone the gelcoat is, so restoring a 30 foot hull typically costs $600 to $1,350. That sits well above a wash and wax at $8 to $20 per foot because this is machine work, not soap work. Light chalk that still shines when wet prices near the bottom of the range. Heavy oxidation that needs wet sanding before compounding prices at the top, and on badly neglected hulls some pros will quote by the hour instead.
Real restoration moves through stages. First a wash and chemical decontamination, then compounding with a machine and an aggressive pad to cut away the dead, chalky layer of gelcoat, then a finer polish to bring up gloss, and finally protection, either a wax that lasts about three months or a ceramic coating at $60 to $120 per foot that lasts one to three years. If a quote skips the protection step, keep asking questions, because bare compounded gelcoat starts oxidizing again immediately in Florida sun. An itemized quote should name each stage and the products used.
The West Palm waterfront, from the Lake Worth Lagoon to Peanut Island and out the Palm Beach Inlet, keeps boats in open sun and salt with very little shade. Dark hulls suffer worst, because color pigments fade unevenly and show chalk sooner. If your boat sits on a lift or a floating dock in the lagoon, expect to need compounding sooner than a boat kept under a roof, and consider a monthly wash program at $4 to $6 per foot per visit afterward, because clean gelcoat oxidizes far slower than salt-crusted gelcoat.
Ask three questions before you book. What stages will the hull get and with what products? Can you see photos of a similar hull they restored, ideally a dark one? And how will they protect the finish once the cutting is done? Then compare itemized quotes for the same scope, not just bottom-line numbers. On ShipShape Pros, rankings are earned from booked jobs, verified reviews, and repeat-hire rates, and they can never be bought, so a detailer at the top of the West Palm Beach list got there by making hulls like yours shine.
Expect $20 to $45 per foot depending on severity, so a 30 foot hull typically runs $600 to $1,350. Heavy oxidation that needs wet sanding prices at the top of the range.
Usually, yes. Gelcoat is thick, and a skilled compounder can cut back years of chalk. If the gelcoat is worn through or badly crazed, you are into gelcoat repair territory instead.
Protect the fresh finish with wax two to three times a year or a ceramic coating, and keep salt off with regular freshwater washes. Clean, protected gelcoat oxidizes far slower.
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