Wax On Wax Off! Cutting the Noise on Gelcoat

Photo: Shutterstock / hedgehog94

by Mathew Channer

WHAT IS GELCOAT?

Gelcoat is a resin coating that is applied as a top layer to a fiberglass hull. The gelcoat helps protect the hull from damage and provides a smooth, glossy finish.

It’s time to get your boat back in the water! And that means it’s also time for pre-season maintenance and detailing. But why is yearly vessel detailing important, and what is the best way to go about it? There are as many products out there as there are opinions, and it’s easy to stumble into a detailing pitfall, which could lead to damage to your boat and a big repair bill down the line. To help cut through the noise on vessel detailing, the Canadian Boating team spoke with 3 Canadian experts about the dos and don’ts, what you should and shouldn’t work on yourself, and how to look for signs of damage to your boat’s exterior. Read on to get all these expert tips and get your boat looking sleek and protected for the 2025 boating season!

Ask the Experts

Samantha Corbier—SC Mobile Maintenance

SC Maintenance owner and operator Samantha Corbier, who has spent 23 years working in vessel detailing and 10 years running her mobile business in southern Ontario, says that while it’s always been critical to maintain vessels cosmetically, it’s becoming even more so as UV indexes go up and acid rain increases.

“It’s more important than ever to protect your vessels gelcoat from harmful elements,” she says. “You also need to protect it from potential damage that we may create like chemical spills or docking mishaps.”

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