Service
Hull cleaning lifts waterline scum, mineral staining, and rust runs from the hull sides above the waterline using marine-safe cleaners matched to the type of buildup. We work dockside at your slip across the Chicago harbors, keeping the topsides bright without etching or dulling the gelcoat.
Updated for the 2026 season.
Nothing dates a boat at the dock like a dirty waterline. The band where the hull meets the water collects scum, algae film, mineral staining and the brown rust runs that bleed from fittings, and on Lake Michigan it builds steadily through the season. Hull cleaning focuses on that hardest-working stretch of the topsides, bringing the hull sides back to a clean, even color from bow to transom.
We use marine-safe hull cleaners matched to the type of staining. Mineral and scum deposits respond to different treatments than organic film, and using the wrong approach, or an over-aggressive acid, can dull or etch the gelcoat. We clean effectively without sacrificing the finish.
To be clear, this is topside hull cleaning: the hull sides above the waterline, done with the boat in the water at your slip. It is not bottom cleaning or anti-fouling work below the waterline, which requires a haul-out. What we address is everything visible at the dock: the scum line, staining, dock rash grime and general film on the hull sides.
Once the hull is clean, a coat of wax or sealant on the waterline area slows how fast the scum returns by giving it less to cling to. Owners who keep the hull protected find the next cleaning far easier, and the staining never gets the chance to embed into bare gelcoat.
Hull cleaning is offered on its own for boats that just need the waterline addressed, and it is built into every full exterior detail. If the gelcoat under the staining is also oxidized, we will flag it: cleaning brightens the surface, but only polishing restores lost gloss, or oxidation removal if it has gone further than that.
The waterline sits in the most active zone on the whole hull. It is constantly wetted, it collects everything floating at the surface, and on Lake Michigan the mineral content of the water leaves deposits as it evaporates and re-wets through the day. Iron in the water and runoff from deck fittings add the rust streaking. That combination is why the band darkens far faster than the rest of the topsides.
Staying ahead of it is mostly about frequency and protection. A hull cleaned regularly and kept waxed at the waterline never lets the staining embed, so each cleaning is quick. Let it go for a season and the same band needs real effort, and sometimes light correction, to bring back.
No. This is topside hull cleaning above the waterline, done in the water. Bottom and anti-fouling work below the waterline needs a haul-out and is separate.
Yes. Those rust runs and mineral scum stains respond to marine-safe hull cleaners matched to the staining type, lifting them without etching the gelcoat.
Cleaning removes staining and film to brighten the surface. If the gelcoat underneath is oxidized and dull, it needs polishing as well. We'll tell you if that's the case.
Protecting the hull with wax or sealant gives scum less to cling to, so it returns more slowly and the next cleaning is much easier.
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.