Boats · Restoration · Broward County · 33064 / 33441
Gelcoat Correction in Lighthouse Point
Multi-stage wet compounding and polishing that removes oxidation, haze, and dock rash and brings back the gloss the builder intended.
Zea Detailing provides mobile gelcoat correction & oxidation removal in Lighthouse Point & Deerfield Beach — at Lighthouse Point Marina, Cove Marina, Marina One, and private docks in Venice and Coral Key — for boats from 20 to 100+ feet. Licensed, bonded and insured; based in West Palm Beach; Broward County.
What it is: Gelcoat correction is the machine compounding and polishing of a boat's fiberglass gelcoat to remove the oxidized, chalky top layer and restore true color and gloss. Done properly it makes most faded hulls look new again and avoids the cost of painting.
Gelcoat Correction on Lighthouse Point water and driveways
A center console on a lift in Coral Key gets the same treatment every summer: no canopy, bow pointed at the sun all afternoon, and by September the gelcoat on the topsides has gone from gloss to chalk you can wipe off with a finger. Add the brown mustache that slow water in the deep-water canals leaves along the waterline and you have two separate problems on one hull. We treat them separately. Chalk is dead gelcoat and comes off with compounding. Waterline stain is mineral and organic film that responds to a neutral cleaner, not more abrasive, so we never cut deeper than the oxidation demands.
On a backyard lift we do the hull in the air: raise the boat, tarp the dock, and we reach the topsides and under the chines without a haulout. At Lighthouse Point Marina, Cove Marina, and Marina One we coordinate a slip-side day with the dockmaster and bring our water and power. Every panel gets an inspection-light check after each compounding pass before we polish, so you see the corrected surface before protection goes on. Plan on a full day for a center console, longer for a sportfish with a painted hull, and we start early so compound is not flashing off in afternoon sun before it has done its work.
What Lighthouse Point does to a finish
Waterline scum from canal water
Slow-moving canal water paints a brown mustache on every hull. Our maintenance cadence keeps waterlines clean without harsh acid washes eating your gelcoat.
Full-sun dock exposure
Most Lighthouse Point docks have no cover. UV chalks unprotected gelcoat in a single summer — ceramic coating is the difference-maker here.
Weekend-warrior salt cycles
Out the inlet Saturday, salt crust by Sunday. A standing washdown program resets the clock every week.
Gelcoat Correction at Lighthouse Point marinas
We carry the insurance certificates these facilities require and coordinate directly with the dockmaster or yard.
Full service · Sportfish
Lighthouse Point Marina
Lighthouse Point
Full service · Center consoles
Cove Marina
Deerfield Beach
Dry stack · Center consoles
Marina One
Deerfield Beach
Private club · Sportfish
Lighthouse Point Yacht Club
Lighthouse Point
How gelcoat correction gets done right
- 01
Condition assessment
We evaluate oxidation depth and gelcoat thickness before recommending a cut level.
- 02
Wash & decontamination
Salt, scum, and bonded contamination off first — you can't polish dirt.
- 03
Wet compounding
Heavy-cut stage removes the oxidized layer and deep defects.
- 04
Refinement polish
Progressively finer stages restore clarity, depth, and true color.
- 05
Protection
Sealant or ceramic coating locks in the result — corrected gelcoat left bare re-oxidizes fast.
Gelcoat Correction in Lighthouse Point — FAQ
Good questions
How much does gelcoat correction cost?
$20 per linear foot topsides and $15 per foot hull sides, charged per step. Most boats need two to three steps, so a 42-foot hull runs about $2,940 for two steps and $4,410 for three. We confirm the step count after seeing the hull, and protection is included on the final pass.
My hull is chalky white — is it too far gone?
Usually not. Heavy oxidation looks terminal but most gelcoat has enough depth for a full restoration. We assess first and tell you honestly what the surface will support. The transformations in our gallery started exactly where your boat is now.
Do you come to private docks in Lighthouse Point?
Yes — private backyard docks on the Lighthouse Point canals are the majority of our work here. We bring everything needed; we just need water and access arranged.
Can you maintain a boat kept on a lift?
Absolutely. Lift-kept boats in Venice and Coral Key are ideal candidates — we can work the entire hull including below the waterline, and lift-kept hulls hold coatings beautifully.
Will compounding remove the brown waterline stain the canal leaves on my hull?
Usually not, and it should not have to. Canal mustache is a tannin and mineral film sitting on the gelcoat, so we lift it first with a neutral-pH stain remover, then compound only the oxidation underneath. Cutting through stain with abrasive removes gelcoat you cannot get back. Keeping it off between corrections is a washdown question.
How soon after correction can I run the boat out Hillsboro Inlet?
Next morning is fine for a sealed hull. A ceramic-coated hull we ask you to keep dry on the lift overnight so the coating cures before it sees salt. If the boat lives in the water at Cove Marina or Marina One, tell us your departure and we schedule the protection stage around it.
Gelcoat Correction in Lighthouse Point?
Two minutes to a real quote — condition, photos, location. We handle the rest.
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