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What's a fair price for an acid wash?

Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2017 12:48 pm
by zoom650
I trailered my Harris Solstice to the dealer for a little warranty work (underwater lights quit). While there, the Verado 150 needed a complete service ( big ouch!).

Using the dealer lift, I had the three toons acid washed so the bottom of the strakes and keel could get some love. The work was jobbed out to some locals.

I see they missed inside the engine well. Barring that, was the $150 I paid a fair price for the acid wash?

The Harris is the first boat I've kept in the water long enough to mess up a aluminum hull with red clay mixed in with normal lake gunk. My Florida fishing boat was kept in a hurricane barn and it always was racked for a wash before it was stacked away. My sloop was berthed at a sail club in a much cleaner lake an hour away from home. It's hull was painted, so it too was easier to clean. Plus, the club had a lift.

Crap, the point is, this toon takes more work work to clean as opposed to the other two boats I've owned. Okay, rant over. Sorry! Whew. I feel better.

Now I should go launch it and see how well she runs!

Re: What's a fair price for an acid wash?

Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2017 8:02 pm
by TDJ2591
Our marina charges $125

Re: What's a fair price for an acid wash?

Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 5:17 am
by teecro
Did the 150 include both time and material? They likely used at least a couple of gallons and several hours time, so in my opinion that's a pretty fair price. I know that when I've acid washed even our little 18 foot pontoon I would spend in the end 6 or more hours doing it my way as well 2 to 4 gallons of acid...

Re: What's a fair price for an acid wash?

Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2017 9:14 am
by zoom650
$150 total, acid and labor. I didn't think it was too bad of a price. Given the marina on Lake Oconee, I'd have bet more.

Last time I cleaned it, the job took 2 gallons of brightener from Bass Pro for $70. The company that did the work probably bough the cleaner by the drum. Their use of a lift had to be easier and gets to the areas that really need work.

It's damn near impossible for my old, fat ass to crawl under the trailer and clean what needed to be cleaned. My head and neck barely fit between the toons, and it puckers you up when you're in the lake under the boat scrubbing away and the boat starts rocking in the waves.