Boat Detailing in Cornelius, NC

Boat detailing is a deep clean of your boat's interior and exterior (not just a quick wash). We're scrubbing mold out of upholstery and carpets, cleaning vinyl and gelcoat, treating all the plastic and rubber, and finishing with wax or sealant on the hull. Think of it as a full reset before the season or after a summer of Lake Norman use.

Scratch Removal Certified

Paint Correction Certified

Fully Licensed & Insured

All Lake Norman Marina's Certified

What to Expect With Boat Detailing
  • Most boats take 4-8 hours depending on size and how long it's been sitting. A 22-foot bow rider that was detailed last season takes 4-5 hours at your Cornelius or Mooresville dock. A 30-foot cruiser that's been closed up all winter with mold growing in the cabin takes 7-8 hours because we're scrubbing every surface and treating the interior.
  • We're pulling seat cushions, cleaning under storage compartments, and getting into places you probably haven't touched in years. You'll see us working on carpet stains, mold spots on vinyl, water spots on the windshield, oxidation on gelcoat, and grime in cupholders and livewells. We're not just wiping down surfaces (you can do that yourself), we're actually cleaning.
  • Spring pre-season (March and April) books up fast on Lake Norman. Everyone wants their boat detailed before Memorial Day weekend, so if you're calling in late April for a May detail, you're looking at 2-3 week waits. Book early or plan for mid-summer detailing when we're less slammed.
Boat Detailing
Why Boat Detailing Matters
  • Lake Norman humidity creates mold in closed-up boats faster than you think. If your boat sat all winter with cushions inside and hatches closed, you've got mold growing in fabric, carpet, and vinyl by February. That mold spreads, stains permanently if you ignore it, and smells terrible when you open the cabin in spring.
  • Skipping regular detailing costs you in resale value and repair bills. Buyers at Peninsula Yacht Club and Morningstar Marina notice dirty bilges, stained upholstery, and hazy gelcoat immediately. They'll assume you didn't maintain the engine either (even if you did), and they'll lowball you $3,000-$8,000 because the boat looks neglected.
  • Most boat owners try DIY detailing once, realize it takes all weekend, and never touch their boat again. You're spending 10-12 hours doing what we do in 5-6 hours because you don't have commercial extractors, proper compounds, or any idea how to remove mold from marine vinyl. Then your boat sits dirty all season because you're too busy to try again.
Why Boat Detailing Matters
How AJW Detailing Handles Boat Detailing
  • We're fully mobile to your Lake Norman dock so you're not trailering anywhere. Most shops make you drop off your boat for 3-5 days and hope they get to it (meanwhile you're missing weekends on the water). We schedule a specific day, show up at your dock in Cornelius, Mooresville, or Huntersville, and knock it out in one session while your boat stays on the lift.
  • We've detailed thousands of boats in 10 years on Lake Norman and know exactly what breaks down in this climate. Spring mold growth in closed cabins, summer water spotting from hard Lake Norman water, fall pollen and algae buildup, winter UV damage on exposed gelcoat. We're treating these issues before they become permanent damage.
  • We work at Peninsula Yacht Club, Morningstar Marina, LNYC, Charlotte Ski Boats, and private docks throughout the area. No marina is too far (we cover Cornelius to Lake Wylie), and we're set up to detail on lifts, in slips, or at private docks. Most marinas know us and let us work without hassle.
How AJW Detailing Handles Boat Detailing
Common Questions About Boat Detailing
How long does boat detailing take on Lake Norman?
4-8 hours depending on boat size and condition. A 20-foot bow rider that's been maintained takes 4-5 hours. A 28-foot cabin cruiser that hasn't been detailed in 2-3 years takes 7-8 hours because we're dealing with heavy mold, staining, and oxidation. We schedule full-day appointments so we're not rushing.
Do I need to be at my dock while you work?
Nope. Most customers at Peninsula Yacht Club, Morningstar Marina, and LNYC leave keys with the marina office or hide them on the boat. We send progress photos as we work and text when we're done. You're welcome to stop by, but it's not required.
How often should I detail my boat?
2-4 times per year if you use it regularly on Lake Norman. Spring pre-season detail before you launch (removes winter mold and grime), mid-summer detail after July 4th (removes water spots and heavy use buildup), fall detail before winterization, and sometimes a quick winter detail if you stored it dirty. Boats that sit unused can go 6-12 months between details.
Can you detail a boat that's been sitting for years with heavy mold?
Yes, but it takes longer and some stains might be permanent. If your boat sat closed up for 3-4 years, we're looking at 8-10 hours of work and possibly replacing cushions or carpet if the mold penetrated too deep. We'll assess it honestly and tell you if something needs replacement instead of wasting your money trying to clean the impossible.
What if my boat is stored at a Lake Norman marina in a covered slip?
We can work in covered slips as long as we have access to both sides of the boat and decent ventilation. Tight slips at some marinas make it harder (we need room to move around with equipment), but we've worked in slips at Peninsula Yacht Club, LNYC, and most Lake Norman marinas without issue.

Our Simple Step by Step Process

  1. Basic Information 👤

  1. Detail Information 🧽

Country

3. Vehicle Details 🚗

3. Boat Details: 🚤

3. Other (Motorcycle / RV / Trailer) Details 🛻

4. Car Detail Goals 🎯

4. Boat Detail Goals 🎯

5. Car Condition 🚨

  1. Boat Condition 🚨

  1. Water & Power Access ⚡

To perform our services on-site, we require access to a standard garden hose (water) and a grounded electrical outlet.

  1. Timing & Contact 🕒

Reliable Mobile Detailing handled start to finish.

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Where We Provide

Boat Detailing

  • Cornelius, NC

  • Huntersville, NC

  • Mayhew, NC

  • Bells Cross Roads, NC

  • Denver, NC

  • Davidson, NC

  • Mooresville, NC

  • Terrell, NC

  • Sherrills Ford, NC

  • Westport, NC

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Other Services We Provide

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other services we offer for Mobile Detailing.

What We Can Help You With.

Our Services

Boat Detailing

Boat detailing is a deep clean of your boat's interior and exterior (not just a quick wash). We're scrubbing mold out of upholstery and carpets, cleaning vinyl and gelcoat, treating all the plastic and rubber, and finishing with wax or sealant on the hull. Think of it as a full reset before the season or after a summer of Lake Norman use.

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Car Detailing

Car detailing is a deep clean of your vehicle's interior and exterior (not just a quick car wash). We're extracting carpet and upholstery stains, cleaning leather or vinyl, scrubbing door jambs and vents, washing and claying the exterior paint, and finishing with wax or sealant. Think of it as a full reset that removes months or years of buildup that regular washing doesn't touch.

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Boat Ceramic Coating

Boat ceramic coating is a permanent protective layer applied to your boat's gelcoat that shields it from Lake Norman's UV damage, oxidation, and water spotting for years. We use Glidecoat Pro ceramic coating with a laser gloss meter to measure your boat's surface (aiming for 90-100+ gloss readings, higher than the 70 gloss your boat came with from the factory).

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Car Ceramic Coating

Car ceramic coating is a permanent protective layer applied to your car's paint that shields it from UV damage, swirl marks, water spotting, and road contaminants for years. We use Glidecoat Pro ceramic coating with a laser gloss meter to measure your paint's surface (aiming for 90-100+ gloss readings, higher than most factory paint which sits around 75-85 gloss when new).

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RV/Camper Detailing

RV and camper detailing is a deep clean of your motorhome or travel trailer's exterior and interior (not just a quick rinse at the RV wash station). We're removing black streaks, oxidation, and road grime from fiberglass or aluminum sidewalls, treating the rubber roof, cleaning awning fabric, scrubbing the interior, and sealing surfaces to protect against North Carolina UV damage and humidity.

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Fleet Washing

Fleet washing is scheduled maintenance cleaning for businesses with multiple vehicles (work trucks, vans, trailers, boats, service vehicles). We come to your location in the Lake Norman area on a recurring schedule (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly) and wash your entire fleet so your vehicles stay presentable without your team spending time on it.

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Oxidation Removal

Oxidation removal is the process of eliminating the chalky, hazy layer that forms on your boat's gelcoat or car's paint when UV exposure breaks down the surface over time. We use a laser gloss meter to measure how severe the oxidation is (most oxidized boats on Lake Norman measure 20-40 gloss when they should be 70+ from the factory), then we wet sand or compound in stages to remove the damaged layer and restore the high-gloss finish underneath.

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Paint Correction

Paint correction is the multi-stage process of removing defects from your car's clear coat (swirl marks, scratches, oxidation, water spots, holograms) using progressively finer compounds and polishes until the paint is mirror-finish. We use a laser gloss meter to measure your paint at each correction stage (targeting 90-100+ gloss readings, compared to most factory paint which sits around 75-85 gloss when new).

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Scratch Removal

Scratch removal is the process of eliminating surface scratches from your boat's gelcoat or car's paint by leveling the surrounding material down to the depth of the scratch using wet sanding, compound, and polish. We use a laser gloss meter to measure the area before and after correction (targeting 85+ gloss minimum after we're done), and we can only remove scratches that haven't penetrated completely through the gelcoat or clear coat layer.

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Interior Stain Removal

Interior stain removal is the process of extracting deep-set stains from carpet, upholstery, vinyl, and fabric in your boat or car using commercial-grade equipment and specialty cleaners. We're treating everything from mold and mildew stains (common in Lake Norman boats that sit closed up) to food and drink spills, sunscreen residue, fuel stains, and mystery marks that have been sitting for months or years.

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Wheel & Rim Restoration

Wheel and rim restoration is the process of removing brake dust buildup, curb rash, oxidation, and clear coat failure from your wheels to restore them to like-new condition. We're polishing out scratches, repairing minor damage, cleaning embedded contaminants, and sealing the surface so brake dust doesn't bond as aggressively (which is a constant problem in North Carolina humidity and road salt).

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Water Spot Removal

Water spot removal is the process of eliminating mineral deposits etched into your boat's gelcoat or car's paint from hard water evaporation. Lake Norman's hard water leaves calcium and magnesium deposits that bond to surfaces when water dries (those white circles and spots you see everywhere), and we use acid-based cleaners, compounds, and polish to remove them before they etch permanently into the clear coat or gelcoat.

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