- Timeline depends on your boat's current condition. A newer boat in good shape takes 1-2 days at your dock in Cornelius, Mooresville, or Huntersville. An oxidized boat that hasn't been maintained needs 2-3 days because we're wet sanding, compounding, and polishing to get your gelcoat from 30-40 gloss readings up to 90-100+ before we even apply ceramic.
- You'll see us measuring gloss readings at each stage with our laser meter. We start by checking what your boat measures right now (most neglected boats sit at 20-50 gloss), then we correct in stages (wet sanding if you're below 30, heavy compound if you're below 50, then medium compound, light compound, polish) until we hit our minimum 85 gloss before ceramic application.
- Lake Norman's UV exposure destroys unprotected gelcoat faster than you think. We see boats stored at Peninsula Yacht Club, Morningstar Marina, and LNYC that look fine from 20 feet away but measure 35-45 gloss up close (that's oxidized and hazy). Spring and summer dock season accelerates the damage if your boat sits uncovered.

