seasonal
Lake Lowell Boat Season 2026: Pre-Season Detail Schedule Now Open
May opener is 3 weeks out. Booking pre-season hull restoration, oxidation removal, and marine ceramic coating slots through mid-May.
April 15, 2026 · Kayden
Lake Lowell typically opens for the season the second weekend of May. That gives Caldwell-area boat owners about three weeks to get pre-season detailing done — and our 2026 boat detailing schedule is now open at Gemstar’s Caldwell detail shop.
Why Pre-Season Detail Matters
A boat coming out of winter storage looks fine in the driveway. It usually doesn’t look fine after the first 60 minutes on Lake Lowell, where mineral-laden hard water bonds to gel coat differently when the surface isn’t sealed. Pre-season detail removes whatever winter storage left behind, restores gel-coat gloss, and applies fresh protection so the first weekend on the lake doesn’t undo a season’s worth of paint chemistry.
Three Pre-Season Packages
- Wash & Wax (per foot) — Foam pre-soak, full hand wash, decal restoration, single-stage marine wax for 4–6 month protection. Right for boats that came out of indoor storage in good condition.
- Hull Restoration (per foot) — Wash & Wax plus oxidation removal, gel-coat polish, and hard-water spot treatment. Right for boats with one or more seasons of UV exposure.
- Marine Ceramic (per foot) — Hull Restoration plus a 2-layer marine-grade ceramic coating with multi-year warranty. Right for high-value wake boats, ski boats, and any boat seeing 30+ days on Lake Lowell or Cascade per season.
Schedule Window
We’re booking pre-season slots from now through May 12. After that point, we shift to active-season turn-around work and same-week availability tightens significantly.
To book: call (208) 925-3121 with your boat length, type (wakeboard / ski / fishing / pontoon), and storage condition. Most boats can be quoted from a 5-minute phone walkthrough plus a couple of photos. Same-day written quotes.
What to Have Ready Before the Lake Lowell Opener
Beyond detail work itself, here’s what we recommend Caldwell boat owners do in the next three weeks:
- Visual inspection of trailer tires and bearings (separate from detail; refer to your boat dealer).
- Check seal and gasket condition — our pre-season detail flags anything that needs attention before water hits it.
- Top up fuel stabilizer if it sat all winter.
- Test livewell and wash-down systems before launch day.
We can do the detail and the seal-inspection at our Caldwell shop in 1–2 day turnaround for most pre-season packages. Marine ceramic adds a third day for cure.
Last Year’s Slots Filled by April 28
For reference: 2025 pre-season slots were fully booked by April 28. If you’re targeting a Marine Ceramic package this year, the realistic deadline to lock a slot is the next two weeks.
