Service
Hands On Deck Detailing provides full-service, mobile boat detailing across Cook County and the Chicago lakefront. We wash, polish, wax, and restore gelcoat, brightwork, and interiors at your slip, so the boat never has to be hauled or trailered for routine care.
Updated for the 2026 season.
Boat Detailing is the pillar for everything we do. Below is every service in the lineup, each with its own page covering how it works and what it costs to consider.
Recurring or one-time marine-safe wash-downs that keep your boat sharp between full details.
The delivery model behind everything we do: we bring the full kit to your slip, lift, or trailer.
Hull, topsides, deck, non-skid, stainless, and brightwork washed, corrected, and protected as one job.
Vinyl shampooing, mildew removal, and cabin cleaning for the spaces you actually sit in.
A machine-applied sacrificial layer that seals gelcoat and beads off lake spray.
Machine correction that cuts through oxidation and swirl to restore depth and gloss.
Staged compounding and polishing that brings chalky, faded gelcoat back to life.
Deeper, multi-stage correction for hulls that routine polishing can no longer fix.
A bonded polymer layer that holds gloss and water repellency for a year or more.
Waterline scum, rust runs, and staining lifted from the hull sides without etching the gelcoat.
A two-part clean-and-brighten process that restores weathered teak to its warm honey color.
Staged marine spar varnish application for brightwork that wants the deepest, glossiest look.
Deep cleaning that lifts ground-in dirt from textured decks without sacrificing grip.
Rust spotting and tea-staining removed from rails, cleats, and hardware, then protected.
A methodical, zone-by-zone detail scaled for larger cruisers and motor yachts.
Grease for gears and bearings, light oil for pawls, scheduled around racing or cruising use.
Re-reeving worn halyards, sheets, and control lines through your boat's existing blocks and leads.
Recurring service on a fixed schedule so your boat never falls behind.
Boat detailing goes well beyond a quick wash. A proper detail works the entire vessel from waterline to coachroof:
We finish with the details most crews skip: stainless rails, vinyl, non-skid texture, and the rubrails that frame the whole boat.
Every detail begins with an honest assessment of your gelcoat. A two-year-old wake boat with light water spotting needs a very different approach than a chalky, sun-baked hull that has gone years without protection. We match the cut of the compound and the aggressiveness of the pad to what your finish can take, never removing more gelcoat than necessary to restore depth and gloss.
On the topsides we stage our work: wash, decontaminate, then correct. Oxidation is the dull, dusty layer that forms as UV breaks down the resin in your gelcoat, and reversing it is what gelcoat restoration means in practice. We follow correction with wax or a ceramic coating so the finish you paid for actually lasts through a Lake Michigan season.
Inside the cockpit we shampoo and condition vinyl, clear mildew from seams and stitching, wipe down lockers and compartments, and clean glass and isinglass enclosures with products that will not haze them. Teak and other brightwork are cleaned and brightened so the wood looks intentional rather than neglected.
We are a mobile operation. That means you never haul, trailer or relocate your boat for a detail. We arrive at your slip across Cook County and the lakefront with water, power and everything else the job needs. Most owners book a full detail in spring to start the season strong and again in fall before shrink-wrap and winter storage.
A boat is a significant investment, and gelcoat is the part of it most exposed to the elements. Every season it goes without correction and protection, oxidation digs a little deeper and the eventual restoration gets more expensive. Detailing on a sensible rhythm, and staying on top of it with one of our maintenance plans, keeps the finish in the zone where a light polish and fresh wax are all it ever needs.
There is resale value in it too. A boat with bright, well-kept gelcoat, clean vinyl and tidy brightwork photographs better and shows better at the dock, and buyers read a cared-for finish as a sign the whole vessel was maintained. The detail you invest in each season quietly protects what the boat is worth when you sell it.
It depends on length and condition. A clean 24-foot bowrider may take a few hours, while a heavily oxidized 35-foot cruiser needing multi-stage correction can run a full day or more. We give you a clear time estimate with your quote.
No, not for most of the work. We wash, wax, and detail topsides at your slip throughout Cook County and the Chicago harbors. Machine-buffing the full side hull to a true polish does require the boat to be out of the water, the same as bottom-paint work below the waterline.
A wash removes loose dirt and salt film. Detailing decontaminates the gelcoat, corrects oxidation and swirl with machine polishing, and adds long-term protection. We also spend more time on the smaller details of the cleaning process, cupholders, hardware, and seams included, not just the obvious surfaces.
On Lake Michigan most owners do a full detail in spring and fall, with lighter wash-and-wax visits through the season. A maintenance plan keeps it on schedule automatically.
Ready to book a detail?
Call us at (312) 415-0582 or get a free quote.
Text or call for the fastest response. We service Cook County and the Chicago lakefront harbors, no hauling required.