I broke the Cardinal Rule of Detailing...!

**imported_hooked** · 10-12-2008, 08:50 AM

I agreed to do a boat detailing without inspecting it first!

A friend from work asked me to do it. I should have turned it down for a variety of reasons:

- I had never done a boat detail before and I don`t have a great desire to do boats on a regular basis

- I only have a PC and just do details on the side besides my primary job

- He didn`t want to pay top dollar for the detail...I was giving him the "friends" discount

- I didn`t inspect the boat

My friend kept saying that it was in good shape. He stores the boat outside, but puts a cover on it, but hadn`t waxed it in a couple of years.

Actually, it probably wouldn`t have made a difference since I had never detailed a boat before, and not being a boater, I wouldn`t have really known that the gelcoat was in such bad shape. The boat is an off-white in color and looked okay when I finally saw it on the day of the detail.

However, when I finally got around to applying the polish (PoliSeal on Green Edge Pad with PC), the surface would immediately soak up the polish and then it wouldn` spread properly. I tried going up to a Yellow Pad, but that didn`t make a difference.

I told my friend the boat needed to be compounded to really do the job right. However, I don`t have a rotary/wool pads to do the job. Plus I don`t want to be learning using the rotary on his boat! I went ahead with the polishing just to get some protection for now. What a nightmare. It was definitely the hardest detail I`ve ever done! Cars are so much easier. I was really disappointed that I couldn`t get the boat looking decent, but at least there`s some protection on it.

I did get paid for my time, but I knocked it down a bit because the results were not to my satisfaction.

Now he`s offering to buy me the rotary so that I can finish the job. I think I scared him when I told him what a "Real Professional" would charge for a full detail and he figures if he buys me the equipment he will end up paying less with his "discount."

Now I`m facing another dilemma because of his offer. I really don`t have any interest in doing another boat detail especially if it involves the several steps of compounding and polishing. I see this taking a couple of days. But he is really pressing me to do it and he is sort of my superior at work. I don`t work directly for him, but we do work together.

What did I get myself into? No good deed goes unpunished.

**imported_Danbo56** · 10-12-2008, 09:09 AM

as the expression goes.... "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished"

**imported_hooked** · 10-12-2008, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by Danbo56

as the expression goes.... "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished"

Thanks...fixed...that`s what I meant to say!

**Garry Dean** · 10-12-2008, 12:07 PM

Where are you located? I will do it for him, lol. If there were ever a time to learn to use a rotary, its on an oxidized boat! I do 2 to 3 boats a week as well as autos, I really enjoy detailing boats. If you have any questions just PM me.