Sailboat Detailing.
Sailboat hull, deck, and interior detailing for mast-down or trailered boats — Catalina, Beneteau, Hunter, Hobie.
We service sailboats mast-down on a trailer, on a yard cradle during haul-out, or at the slip with limited rig access. Daysailers to coastal cruisers.
Service specs
Why sailboats is different.
Sailboats are different. They have rigging that wraps around the boat in ways powerboats don't. They have hatches with acrylic covers that craze if you wipe them wrong. Older boats have teak decks that need oil, not polish. Standing rigging is stainless wire under tension — clean it carefully and check the swages while you're there. Boats hauled for annual yard work get a full bottom inspection while they're out of the water. We don't climb masts and we don't service step-up keels — but everything from the deck down to the bottom paint, plus the cabin interior, we handle with the same respect we'd give a high-performance aircraft.
Sailboat hatches are mostly acrylic (plexiglass) — and acrylic is one of the most cleaner-sensitive surfaces in the marine world. Standard glass cleaners (Windex) and ammonia-based products craze acrylic on contact. We use Plexus or PlastX exclusively. Standing rigging stainless gets surface oxidation around swages that's worth catching early. Teak decks need teak oil applied properly — never over an unclean deck. Bottom paint flaking we'll flag for the owner but won't repaint without explicit yard coordination. Hull gelcoat polish is the same DA-polisher work as a powerboat with one caveat: many older sailboats have gelcoat that's wafer-thin and won't tolerate aggressive compounding.
Texas reality check. Lake Travis (Lakeway, Hurst Harbor, CCYC), Lake Texoma, Galveston Bay, and a small but committed fleet at Canyon Lake. Annual haul-out at the yard is the natural time for a full sailboat detail — bottom paint inspection, hull polish, teak refresh, cabin deep clean. We coordinate with the yard schedule. For trailerable sailboats (MacGregor, Catalina 22, Hobie), we work in your driveway.
The sailboats protocol.
Pre-detail discussion with the owner about scope, rig items to avoid, hatch condition, teak condition, and bottom-paint status.
Pressure rinse the hull, deck, cockpit, and rigging from a safe distance — avoiding direct spray on any electronics, instruments, or owner-flagged areas.
Hand-wash hull and topsides with non-stripping marine soap; gelcoat polish above the waterline with a DA polisher.
Hatches and side ports cleaned with Plexus or PlastX only — never glass cleaner. Acrylic crazing inspected and flagged.
Standing rigging: stainless wire and swages wiped down with stainless polish. Any corrosion at swages flagged for the owner's rigger.
Teak deck (if present): cleaning with two-part teak cleaner if needed, followed by teak oil. We never oil a deck without proper cleaning first.
Cabin: vacuum, headliner spot clean, teak interior conditioner, cushion fabric clean, head deep clean and deodorize.
Galley interior, fridge, sink drains, countertops, and storage hatches wiped and sanitized.
Bilge wash, standing water dry, leak source notes for owner. Lifelines and stanchion bases polished.
If hauled out: bottom-paint inspection, zinc check, prop and shaft polish, rudder and keel survey notes.
What's included.
Every item on this list runs on every sailboats job. No upsells at the door.
Common add-ons for sailboats
- Teak deck full refinish (multi-step, multi-visit)
- Cabin ozone deodorization
- Acrylic hatch polish (removes light crazing)
- Standing rigging swage tape and inspection coordination
- Bottom paint touch-up and zinc replacement (yard haul-out)
Models we see most.
Coastal and lake cruisers
Catalina 22 / 25 / 27 / 30 / 36 / 320 / 350 / 380 / 400, Hunter 31 / 33 / 36 / 41, Beneteau Oceanis 31 / 35 / 38 / 41 / 45, Jeanneau Sun Odyssey, Hanse 315 / 348 / 388.
Daysailers and small sailboats
Hobie 16 / Hobie 18, Sunfish, Catalina 14 / 16, RS Quest, Laser, MacGregor 26, West Wight Potter, Compac 16 / 19, Beneteau First 18.
Performance racers and trailerable
J/24 / J/27 / J/30 / J/35, Catalina 22 trailerable, Santana 22, MacGregor 26X (water-ballasted), Melges 24, Olson 30. Trailered to the yard or driveway for full detail.
What owners always ask.
No. We work the hull, deck, hatches, standing rigging from the deck level, and the entire interior — but we don't go up the mast. Anything above the spreaders is a rigger's job. We'll coordinate with your rigger if there's adjacent work to be done.
Sailboat hatches are mostly acrylic (sometimes Lexan/polycarbonate). Standard glass cleaners — Windex, Glass Plus, anything with ammonia — craze the surface on contact, creating tiny cracks that catch sunlight. We use Plexus or PlastX exclusively, which is what aircraft manufacturers recommend for similar plastics.
Yes. We use a two-part teak cleaner first to remove old oil and gray weathering, then apply Semco or equivalent teak finish. We never oil a deck without cleaning it first — that just locks the gray in. Full deck refinish can take 2-3 visits depending on condition.
Yes — yard haul-out is one of the best times for a full sailboat detail. We coordinate with the yard schedule, work around their painting or surveying, and finish before the boat goes back in. Bottom paint inspection, hull polish, prop and shaft polish, zinc check all happen during the haul.
Yes — both, every time. Marine heads need a pump-out coordination and a full deep clean with marine-safe sanitizer. Galleys (fridge, sink, microwave, countertops) get a complete food-safe sanitization. We've cleaned 30-year-old heads back to fresh.
A Catalina 22 trailerable detail starts at $400. A 30-35 ft slip-kept cruiser with cabin runs $700-1,100. A 40+ ft Beneteau or Hunter with full interior, teak refresh, and haul-out work can run $1,200-1,500. Quote after walk-through.
Park it. We'll handle it.
We come to your driveway, dock, RV park, or hangar. Same care, every job.