Case Study
The Stunning Shine That Sold This Hurricane
Glidecoat Marine Ceramic Coating Restores Boat to Better-Than-New Shine

Overview
1

Nautical Ventures reached out to us to restore a used 26′ Hurricane boat located in Dania Beach, FL. This 26' Hurricane was one of Nautical Ventures consignment boats that had been sitting on their lot for over a year. Due to a lackluster appearance, this boat was not selling. A few short weeks after the completion of the Glidecoat Top Coating Kit application, this boat finally sold! Undoubtedly it was due to the greatly improved gloss and shine provided by Glidecoat's ceramic coating.

Goals

  • Restore showroom finish on the boat (remove oxidation, surface scratches and apply Glidecoat Top Coating Kit to prolong the showroom finish)
  • Enhance the appearance of the boat to help Nautical Ventures sell to potential boat buyer
  • Record the process of applying Glidecoat (before and after, record the steps, show gloss meter readings and address commonly asked questions)
Boat Type:
2011 Hurricane 26'
Gloss Meter Reading Before:
33.3
Gloss Meter Reading After Glidecoat Application:
83.8
Challenge
2

Selling a used boat can be a tough task, especially when the boat is not in good shape. Both the owner of the boat and Nautical Ventures were motivated to sell this 26' Hurricane, and that's where Glidecoat comes in! The challenge was to take this 2011 Hurricane and restore showroom finish with glossy finish.

The Process
3

In the video below, Eric Brandon, Sales Executive at Nautical Ventures and co-host of the The Weekly Fisherman Show interviews Christian Westhorpe, lead technician at Glidecoat on the process of applying the Top Coating Kit as they covered the following topics;

  • Demonstrate the entire process of preparing and applying the Top Coating Kit
  • The products included in the Top Coating Kit
  • Address commonly asked questions about Glidecoat and the application process (hint: Why the level of preparation?)
  • Why we use a gloss meter to measure the before and after on a boat
33.3 gloss meter reading before boat detailing restoration process
Gloss meter reading before the Glidecoat Application process.
83.8 gloss meter reading
Gloss meter reading after applying Glidecoat ceramic coating! Improving the gloss on 15 year gel coat by over 60%.
The Result
4

Glidecoat is designed to serve a dual purpose for boat owners by enabling used boats to be restored to their original shine and luster. And, ideal for brand new boats looking for a preventative solution from oxidization and salt damage to their new purchase.

1) Restore showroom finish
With proper preparation and applying the Top Coating Kit, your boat can be restored back to showroom finish. As Christian illustrated with the Gloss Meter Reading, the black stripe increased from 29.6 to 93.9 after the process. As a point of reference, brand new gel coat readings can render between 82-88.

2) Fill in the pores of the gel coat to provide a protective barrier
This is a significant difference between Glidecoat and your traditional boat wax. When first applying the product, you will notice you are applying a liquid onto the surface that within a matter of seconds will start to make the surface appear like it is sweating.

What is happening, is the product is filling in all of the pores of the gel coat and creating a protective barrier. As a result, this eliminates the ability for salt, acid, fish blood, etc to seep into the pores of the gel coat. Whereas, with traditional wax, the wax is just sitting on top of the surface and over time with wash away.

3) Last up to 18 months here in South Florida and longer up north
As I am sure you have experienced yourself, wax doesn’t last long here in South Florida. If you are lucky, maybe 6 months. Furthermore, it doesn’t provide any protection for your boat from sun damage and salt. Our coating will last up to 18 months here in South Florida and typically two seasons up north.

You may wonder why your wax doesn’t last long here in South Florida. Wax typically begins to evaporate at 110 degrees. For boat owners with their boat exposed to the hot South Florida sun all day, you can imagine the surface of your boat gets hotter than 110 during the day. Whereas, the lab testing of our product indicates it can sustain heat as high as 1,112 degrees (Yep, no typo – 1,112 degrees).

Boat maintenance and pride in ownership varies from boat owner to owner. If you take great pride in the appearance of your boat. Then, it is time to consider the significant advantages of ceramic coatings compared to traditional wax.

Port side of 2011 Hurricane boat to restore showroom finish

The boat looked so good after the Glidecoat application, the boat sold shortly after!

Starboard side of 2011 Hurricane boat sitting in a yard

Glidecoat creates a hydrophobic surface making maintenance a breeze!

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