Tier 1 · Maintain
Wash & Wax
Finish is glossy and clean-ish. Regular washes keep it that way.
Routine Maintenance · Dock, Lift or Trailer
Boat Wash & Wax in the Florida Keys
The cheapest insurance your hull will ever get. Hand wash, chamois dry and wax or sealant — at your dock, on your lift, or on the trailer — every 2–3 weeks, so salt film and oxidation never get a foothold.
3–4 hour typical visit Service updates when useful Seven days a week
Why every 2–3 weeks
Salt film is slow damage.
Every day a boat sits unwashed in the Keys, a thin film of salt, humidity and airborne grime settles into the gelcoat's pores. It doesn't look like much for a few weeks — then one morning the hull looks dull no matter how hard you rinse.
That dullness is early oxidation, and it's the reason boats end up needing gelcoat restoration instead of a simple wash. Regular washdowns remove salt film before it bonds. Quarterly wax or sealant keeps UV from chewing the finish between washes.
The habit that saves hulls: a standing wash day every two to three weeks prevents the correction job entirely — and keeps the gelcoat you already have instead of removing microns of it.
Every Visit
What's included in a wash & wax.
- Fresh-water rinse and hand wash, top to waterline, with marine-safe soap
- Detail work: scuppers, rod holders, rails, hatches, non-skid and transom
- Chamois and microfiber dry — no air-dry water spots in Keys sun
- Wax or polymer sealant application on quarterly rotation (plans) or per visit
- Vinyl and upholstery wipe-down with UV protectant on plan visits
- Completion photos plus notes on anything we spot — rust weep, chafe, oxidation starting
Add-Ons
Scoped when you need them.
- Waterline & hull staining — see hull & waterline cleaning
- Oxidized or chalky gelcoat — see gelcoat restoration
- Cabin, teak, canvas, isinglass — see brightwork, teak & interior
- Engine cowling polish — outboards and stern drives, scoped per visit
- Trailer frame wash — for trailered boats, added on request
We'll flag any of these in your completion notes before doing work you didn't ask for. No surprise line items, ever.
The Visit
How a wash day goes.
Confirm access
Slip number, gate code, marina water — confirmed the day before. You don't need to be there.
Rinse and wash top-down
Fresh rinse first to lift loose salt, then hand wash from hardtop down so dirt never drags across clean panels.
Detail the hardware
Scuppers, hinges, rod holders, rail bases and non-skid get brushed and flushed — the spots rinse-only washes miss.
Chamois dry
Full hand dry. Air-drying in Keys sun leaves mineral spots that look like oxidation by season's end.
Protect
Wax or polymer sealant applied on your rotation schedule — quarterly on plans, per-visit on one-offs.
Photograph and note
Completion photos to your phone, plus a short note on anything we saw: starting oxidation, rust weep, chafe, a loose hatch gasket.
Where We Work
In the water, on the lift, on the trailer.
On the lift
Canal-front homes and boat lifts — hull sides and bottom flash cleaned while she hangs.
In the slip
Marina slips and private docks, worked around your marina's vendor rules and water access.
On the trailer
Trailered boats at homes, ramps and yard slots — including trailer frame rinse on request.
When a wash isn't enough
We'll tell you honestly which tier your hull needs.
Tier 2 · Correct
Gelcoat Restoration
Chalk on a white cloth test, dull color, light scratches. Compounding brings it back before protecting.
Tier 3 · Protect long-term
Ceramic Coating
Corrected hull plus 2–5 years of UV and salt resistance — washes get faster and the gloss holds.
Send a daylight photo of your hull and we'll place it in a tier before you spend a dollar.
Coverage
Recurring wash routes across the Upper Keys.
Plan routes run weekly through Key Largo, Islamorada and Tavernier — which is why plan members get a standing dock day instead of a scheduling call.
Key Largo
Marinas, waterfront homes and private slips — including Bluefin Rock Harbor and Marina del Mar areas.
View Key Largo coverageIslamorada
Our home base — Islamorada Yacht Village, Whale Harbor, Church Key and canal-front lifts.
View Islamorada coverageTavernier
Tavernier and Plantation Key, including Mangrove Marina slips and yard slots.
View Tavernier coverageFAQ
Wash & wax questions, answered.
How often should a boat be washed in the Keys?
Boats kept outdoors or in the water full time benefit from a wash every 2–3 weeks. Salt film left on gelcoat accelerates oxidation in Keys sun. Wax or sealant refreshes every 3–4 months on top of regular washes.
How do I get a quote for a wash and wax?
Send a daylight photo of the boat plus your length and where she's kept — slip, lift or trailer — and you get a firm written quote. Soiling level and access set the scope.
Do I need to be at the boat?
No. Once dock access, the correct slip and any gate code are confirmed, most wash visits happen while owners are away. Service notes are available after a visit when useful.
Do you need water or power at my dock?
Most marinas and private docks provide water we can use. If yours doesn't, tell us when booking and we'll plan around it.
What if it rains on my wash day?
Light rain rarely stops a wash, and we always confirm before heading out. If conditions mean we can't finish properly — especially wax application — we reschedule at no cost.
Do you wash boats on trailers?
Yes. Trailered boats at homes, ramps and yard slots throughout the Keys — hull sides, transom, cowling and trailer frame rinse on request.
Wax or sealant — which do you apply?
Depends on exposure and schedule. Carnauba-rich marine wax gives deep gloss for quarterly rotations; polymer sealants last longer between applications in full sun. We recommend based on where the boat lives and your wash frequency.
Get started
Book a wash visit or start a plan.
Wash & Wax is already selected below. Tell us your length and where she lives — we'll confirm a standing day.
Make it a plan.
A monthly plan includes quarterly wax and a consistent dock day.
Phone: 305-396-1787
Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–4:30 PM · Sat–Sun 8 AM–1 PM
Location: Islamorada, the Keys, MM 80 area