SEALED FOR LIFE

A new type of ultra-tough ceramic coating claims to protect your boat against everything from salt and sunlight to bird poo and red wine. Hugo Andreae puts it to the test

- Hugo Andreae

Some people actively enjoy polishing their boat day in, day out. I’m not one of them. Life is too short and I’d rather spend the time using my boat rather than cleaning it. The fact that it sits on a swing mooring all summer without access to a freshwater hose doesn’t help either, so other than a quick slosh down with a bucket of seawater at both ends of the day, that’s as good as it gets.

To be fair, my poor little Karnic 2250 has coped remarkably well with my shameful regime of neglect. It’s over 14 years old now but thanks to a vinyl wrap in 2014 and reupholstered cockpit seating in 2016 it could pass for a boat half its age. It’s only when you look closer that it’s true years start to show. The white gelcoat on the foredeck and cockpit coaming has lost its shine and now has a slightly porous matt finish that feels almost chalky to the touch. The stainless steel guardrails are scratched and lightly pitted with brown rust stains around the stanchion bases. And all along the waterline, especially on the twin bathing platforms, constant immersion in the sea has left a brown scum line that no amount of Y10 gel seems to remove. Even the Suzuki DF200’s engine casing has lost its sparkle, although the internals seem as robust and reliable as ever. So when Chris Dell from Ceramic Pro UK offered to show off the company’s range of ceramic-based nano coatings that claim to protect every inch of the boat’s exterior for up to three years and drastically reduce cleaning times, I didn’t have far to look to find a suitable demo boat.