Ceramic Pro Review: How It Has Held Up On My Boat

Earlier this year I had my new boat coated inside and out with ceramic. I already gave you my first impressions, here’s my opinion three months later.

Ceramic coatings are a new wave in boat care and maintenance, typically seen on larger and more expensive boats, the kind me or you will probably never own.

So, seeing that I fished out of a cruddy, 20 year-old aluminum boat, affectionately referred to as “Gnartooth”, I never saw the need to invest in something to keep her clean.

And I loved that, because I ran a bay boat back in the day and I h-a-t-e-d cleaning it!

White gelcoat is the bane of my existence! In this pic I had spent all day getting the boat clean and shiny, complete with a wax job.

The next morning, on my way to Breton Sound Marina, a pig jumped in front of the truck and was immediately blasted into a thousand pieces by its steel bumper.

The wax job was ruined! Scraping the pig off the hull was a nightmare, and I believe a ceramic coat would’ve held up and made clean up much easier.

Six Years Later

When I bought a 40th Anniversary Tracker Pro Team 195 TXW earlier this year I knew I couldn’t treat her like I did Gnartooth, and I knew I wouldn’t enjoy cleaning her as I did the bay boat.

Yes, I know. I realize I’m fishing a bass boat, that was my intention the entire time.

When you look at the boat’s specifications and performance envelope, it’s obvious the Tracker beats the bricks off bay boats in the same class.

If you still think I’m crazy, you should read “Why the heck did a buy a bass boat?!”

Anyways, being familiar with my previous review on ceramic coatings, I contacted Dipnotiq Detail & Surface Concepts, located in New Orleans.

It Made Sense

I knew my boat would be in a lot of pictures and video, so it needs to look good.

Now, it doesn’t have to be perfect on every single fishing trip, but it cannot look like a pigpen either.

That and my time is valuable. I’ve waited years to be growing a business like the one I have now.

Time spent cleaning the boat is time spent not serving inshore anglers and certainly not fishing, my least favorite time category.

Initial Impressions

I already wrote about this and you can read about my initial impression here.

But, for the sake of brevity, here is a picture of the boat’s side after the ceramic coat was done.

I’m not kidding when I say this boat looked better than the showroom model when I picked it up!

Solid Field Testing

Since the boat has been coated I have fished inshore destinations from Slidell, to Bayou Bienvenue, Delacroix, Pointe a la Hache, you get the picture.

And in those places the ceramic coating endured trout slime, marsh mud, grass, fish blood and more!

But, even worse than the marsh, believe it or not, is a freshwater lake.

Scumlines are notorious within freshwater lakes and it literally only requires one day of fishing to get a big brown stain along the side of your boat.

So I took the boat to Lake Conroe in Texas, Toledo Bend here in Louisiana, Lake Okhissa in Mississippi and Lake Guntersville in Alabama.

I’d say that’s a good freshwater test!

How did the ceramic coating hold up?

Beautifully. Pun intended.

After all this crap she’s been through (literally), the ceramic coat was always there keeping her shiny.

Best of all, said crap comes right off! A trip to the carwash is all she needs.

However, I’ve discovered the hardest thing to get off were the freshwater scum stains and dried marsh mud. Not big caked up marsh mud, but the fine, sticky stuff.

At that point in time you gotta put down the pressure washer and wipe it off with a wet terry cloth.

No special cleaning stuff, no elbow grease, just wipe it off.

Would I get it again?

Yes.

Because, for what I do, having Dipnotiq apply a ceramic coating saves me time, effort and money.

It’s worth my investment, so when I get a new truck (and another boat) you can bet I’ll be taking it to Dipnotiq.

Are ceramic coats a force field like what I see in Star Trek?

No.

There are some things ceramic coatings cannot protect against, like running over derelict crab traps and oilfield trash.

Those things will not only scratch your hull, but probably remove some gelcoat or paint, with the ceramic coat on top of it.

You can contact Dipnotiq to get a quote at (504) 650-1386 or visit their Facebook page to see more pictures of their work or private message for a quote.

Mention this review by using code LAFB to get 10% off on any Gold or Silver Package from Dipnotiq.

You should consider going to Dipnotiq if you:

• Like getting compliments on your boat
• Want a warranty to go with your coating (mine is three years)
• Like having a clean, good looking boat
• thumbs-o-upWant to preserve the value of your boat
• thumbs-o-upHate tedious cleaning or don’t have the time
• thumbs-o-upHave any reason to protect your baby and keep her looking good

Call Dipnotiq at (504) 650-1386 to get a quote!

Mention this review by using code LAFB to get 10% off on any Gold or Silver Package from Dipnotiq.