2 Day Boat Detailing Class with Mike Phillips & Nick Rutter - Dates Available in June & October 2023

***UPCOMING CLASS DATES:***

June 10th & 11th

October 14th & 15th

Each student will receive a $100 merchandise credit towards ANY purchase at Autoforge.net after completing the class!  

This is a 100% on-your-feet, hands-on boat detailing class. Historically these are the most hands-on boat detailing classes on planet Earth.  We bring in the WORSE condition, dark colored gelcoat boats that have turned white with oxidation because these types of boats provide the most and best learning advantages.

Start time - Class starts at 7:30am SHARP and goes until approximately 5:30pm on Saturday and approximately 4:00pm on Sunday.  Each student will fully restore and detail one boat.

Overview - This class covers how to take the worst condition boats and restore them to factory new condition and actually better than factory new condition. Most boats brand new from the factory come with holograms already in the gelcoat finish. By using neglected gelcoat boats, we are able to teach you every aspect of boat detailing. After taking the class you’ll be able to inspect a boat, determine which steps are needed to remove the oxidation and restore a show car finish to a boat.

Day 1 – Extreme Boat Prep Washing and Interior Detailing

 The first day goes over all the best tools, products and techniques to get a neglected boat spic-n-span clean!  The foundation for the final results is a super clean boat to start with and then each step on the second day builds on this foundation

• Boat washing inside and outside using foam guns, foam cannons and pressure washers.
• Canvas and Sunbrella cleaning and protecting (if applicable to the boat)
• How to machine clean non-skid surfaces to remove mold, mildew and oxidation.
• How to machine clean vinyl seats and other vinyl surfaces while safely removing mold and mildew.
• Metal polishing to remove oxidation and sealing.
• Machine polishing plexiglass, isinglass, and plastic windows to remove swirls, scratches and oxidation.

Two approaches for top cap detailing,

1. One-Step machine polishing to remove oxidation while sealing at the same time using a ceramic AIO.

2. Multiple-Step machine polishing using dedicated compounds, polishes and ceramic coatings.

Day 2 – Extreme Boat Gelcoat Correction & Ceramic Coating

We bring in extremely neglected boats with deep gelcoat oxidation for a very important reason.  A boat with severe oxidation enables us to teach you the most boat gelcoat restoration techniques so you have ALL the skills and knowledge to tackle ANY boat that comes your way.

This incudes,

• Machine sanding to remove deep oxidation.
• How to correctly use a rotary polisher to remove 100% of the sanding marks.
• How to use an orbital polisher to remove 100% of the holograms while creating a perfectly smooth surface, (vitally important for longevity reasons), and also maximizing depth of color, gloss and shine.
• How to use a gelcoat panel wipe to prep the gelcoat for a ceramic coating.
• How to install 3 layers of a marine grade gelcoat ceramic coating.

Finishing touches

• Engine detailing.
• Propeller detailing.
• Trailer detailing.

Certificate Award Ceremony

Upon successful completion of the class, each person that has attended the full class will be awarded their Certificate of Completion.

Additional Class Information

Address – AutoForge Training Center – 7744 SW Jack James Drive – Stuart, FL 34997

Start time – Saturday class starts at 7:30am and goes until all topics are covered for that day, usually around 5:30pm.  The Sunday class starts at 8:30am and goes to approximately 4:00pm.

Coffee & Donuts - Please arrive by 7:00am.  Find a place to park your car, get your name tag, use the facilities, and then enjoy some hot coffee and fresh donuts while you meet your classmates for the day.

Dress Code - Flip-flops and high heel shoes are not allowed. This is a fast-paced, high intensity hands-on class. It is recommended to wear work shoes, jeans, and t-shirts.  On Saturday, there’s a good chance you will get wet, plan your clothing choices appropriately.  We will be washing boats outside so remember to bring sunblock, hats, sunglasses, etc.

Cell Phones, Tablets and Note Pads – Students are strongly encouraged to take notes for their personal use via cell phones, tablets or old school via paper notepads.

Lunch - Lunch will be provided each day along with a selection of cold drinks including bottled water and soda pop. Should you require any special dietary provisions, please plan to bring it with you. There is a refrigerator available for cold storage and a microwave oven available to heating.

Meet ‘N Greet - There will be an informal Meet ‘N Greet at a local establishment to be announced depending upon location.

Products – We only use professional grade products throughout our classes for all topics.  All products used in our classes are available at AutoForge.net

Tools - The primary tools we use are FLEX tools and the Porter Cable 7424XP.  With great training, you can accomplish anything faster while turning out consistent pro-grade results.

Pads - All fiber and foam pads are matched to the tools and products used for any given process.

For questions or more information, contact,