Why I Needed Fiberglass Cleaning

My neighbor's dumb cat jumped on my boat cover last week and tore it up real bad. Went outside on Tuesday morning and saw rain pooled on the fiberglass deck. Little moss patches starting to grow too. Figured it was time to get it cleaned before it got worse.

Starting the Search

Grabbed my phone and just typed "fiberglass cleaning near me" like everyone does. Saw five local companies pop up right away. Clicked those map listings to check their websites. Half didn’t even show prices upfront - annoying as hell. One place had pics of cleaned bathtubs, but my boat’s way bigger than that.

Making Calls & Price Shock

Called the first place Wednesday morning. Guy sounded half asleep when I described my 18-foot boat. After I stopped him from confusing it with a car windshield (seriously?), he mumbled "probably $300 minimum" but wouldn't commit. Second company straight up told me they don't do boats at all.

The third place actually sent a dude over same day. He poked at the stains and measured everything with this broken tape measure. Then dropped the bomb: $450 to $750 depending on how deep the grime went! Almost choked on my coffee. He rattled off why it costs so damn much:

• Special chemicals that won’t eat the fiberglass
• Waste disposal fees (apparently dirty water’s toxic?)
• Labor for hand-scrubbing corners

Playing Detective

Got skeptical and asked around at the marina on Friday. Old guy Pete said he paid $200 last season for his smaller boat. Realized location matters big time - places farther from the water charged way more for "travel time". Found out some companies sneak in "hazard fees" if there’s mold or bird crap without even telling you.

Final Deal & Outcome

Went back to the $450 guy and haggled like crazy after finding a Groupon he forgot he listed. Got him down to $380 cash by promising before/after pics for his website. They showed up Sunday with buckets and scrubbers looking like ghostbusters. Took three hours but damn, that fiberglass shone like new money afterward. Totally worth skipping two bar tabs for this.