Southeastern Michigan

The Truth Is In the Finish.

Boats get used. Things happen. We're the people you call — for gel coat restoration, fiberglass repair, and every mark that life on the water leaves behind.

If you've been looking for a fiberglass specialist in Southeastern Michigan, you already know how short the list is. We're here to make it a little longer — without lowering the standard.

Drop-Off & Mobile Pricing Call (248) 916-9166
35+ Years · The Yacht Doctor
2 Hurricanes · 1 Family Trade
6 Counties Served
0 Shortcuts. Ever.

Excellence, by Design.

I consider it an honor to leave something better than I found it.  — John Cooper

Col 3:23 · Ecc 9:10

The Origin

A trade earned in
the field.

The Cooper family's introduction to marine fiberglass wasn't a classroom. It was Hurricane Hugo — trained by a team of working shipwrights in the immediate aftermath, when there were hundreds of damaged vessels and no time for anything but doing the work correctly.

From there: San Diego boat yards and marinas. The kind of work that builds judgment quickly. The Cooper trade has since touched Hurricane Andrew's aftermath, boat plants and manufacturers from coast to coast — San Diego, Florida, Michigan, Virginia, Washington, Utah — and decades of working relationships with the people who build these hulls at the source.

Cooper Marine Fiberglass is new to Southeastern Michigan. The Cooper trade is not.

We know who builds these boats and who to call when something unusual comes up. Full working relationships with leading local marine businesses and manufacturers mean that if a repair raises a question, we know exactly where to go for the answer. That network took decades to build. It's behind every job we take.

The Cooper Specialists
John Cooper Cooper Marine Fiberglass
Owner · Gel Coat & Fiberglass Restoration · Southeastern Michigan

Your direct contact from first call to final polish. John manages every client relationship personally — you'll know what's happening with your boat, when it's happening, and why. Trained in the field, worked the San Diego boat yards, and back in the trade he started in.

No hand-offs. No employees. One craftsman on your job.

Gel coat restoration Color matching Scratch & cosmetic repair Dock damage Hull buff out Mobile service
David Cooper The Yacht Doctor
35+ Years · Structural Specialist · Known Throughout the Regional Industry

David Cooper has been in this trade for over 35 years — through Hugo, through Andrew, through plants and marinas from San Diego to Virginia. Known throughout Southeastern Michigan's marine industry simply as the Yacht Doctor.

For major structural projects, John works alongside David. Two brands, one standard — and the depth to handle whatever a job requires.

Structural laminate Transom rebuilding Major impact damage Extended on-site projects Expert evaluation

Two Brands. One Standard.

What We Do

Boating life
leaves its mark.

We work across the full range of gel coat and fiberglass repair. Each service page has photos, process detail, and honest answers to the questions we hear most often.

01

Gel Coat Restoration & Color Matching

UV oxidation and surface damage restored. We work to minimize the visual impact of every repair and match your hull's aged color as closely as the material allows.

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02

Scratch & Cosmetic Repair

Deep scratches, gouges, and spider-web cracks. We assess penetration depth before quoting — what looks cosmetic sometimes isn't.

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03

Dock Dings & Impact Damage

Impact voids and rub rail damage. We rebuild the laminate before finishing — the step that determines whether a repair holds through a Michigan winter.

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04

Structural Fiberglass Repair

Transom softness, through-hull failures, significant impact damage. Backed by 35+ years of structural expertise — and available on-site for the full project duration when needed.

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05

Hull Buff Out & Polish

Compound, polish, and protect. When we're already working on your boat, a full buff out brings the surrounding hull up to match the repaired areas.

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06

Drop-Off Hull Inspection

Every drop-off begins with a full walk-around. We document what we find, discuss it with you, and let you decide what gets addressed — clear scope, no pressure.

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Pricing

Two ways to work with us.

Scope and final cost confirmed before any work begins. Most customers find the drop-off experience is smoother — and their budget goes further.

Recommended
Drop-Off Service

Leave It With Us

Adjacent to Western Golf & Country Club
Redford Township, MI · by appointment

$800 minimum
  • Lower minimum — more of your budget goes toward the actual repair
  • Better access for hull-down work and larger repair areas
  • Full hull inspection at drop-off — we document everything we find
  • Addressing multiple items in one visit is almost always more cost-effective than separate trips
  • Same craftsman, start to finish

Text photos of your damage to (248) 916-9166 before making the trip — we'll give you an honest read on scope before you trailer.

Mobile Service

We Come to You

Wayne · Oakland · Macomb · Livingston
Washtenaw · St. Clair Counties

$1,200 minimum
  • Work performed at your marina, driveway, or storage facility
  • No trailering required — ideal for larger vessels or fixed-dock boats
  • Full equipment rig on-site — no compromises in the field
  • For extended structural projects, full on-site setup available for the duration

The higher minimum reflects travel, on-site setup, and field working conditions. The same level of craft — wherever your boat is.

Every drop-off starts with a full hull inspection.

We walk the entire boat at intake and document what we find. Customers often discover it's more efficient — and less expensive — to address several items in one visit rather than making separate trips. We'll tell you what we see and you decide what gets done.

Schedule a Drop-Off
Where We Work

Southeastern
Michigan.

Our drop-off facility is in Redford Township — central to the entire metro area. Mobile service reaches throughout Southeastern Michigan. The lakes, rivers, and channels across these six counties represent some of the finest freshwater boating in the country. We know the territory.

Not sure if we reach you? Call or text — we'll tell you directly.

Wayne County
Oakland County
Macomb County
Livingston County
Washtenaw County
St. Clair County
Drop-off facility adjacent to Western Golf & Country Club, Redford Township.
Common Questions

Straight answers.

What we hear most — before the estimate, at drop-off, and after the work is done.

Rarely — and any shop that promises a perfect factory match on an aged hull is overpromising. Gel coat changes color as it weathers and oxidizes over years of UV exposure. We are very good at minimizing the visual impact of every repair, and color matching is a skill we take seriously. But our contracts are honest: color matching on aged gel coat is always best effort, not a guarantee. We'll tell you what to expect before we start.
It can. Hardware store gel coat kits are formulated to bond to themselves, not to fiberglass — and removing the wrong product before doing the repair correctly adds time and cost. If you've attempted a DIY fix, tell us upfront. We'll assess whether it complicates the work and factor that into the estimate honestly. No judgment — we've seen everything.
We walk the entire boat together at intake. We're looking at the specific damage you came in for, but we document anything else we notice as well — because addressing multiple items in one visit is almost always more cost-effective than making separate trips. You'll see everything we find, we'll discuss what each repair involves, and you decide what gets done. Nothing proceeds without your sign-off.
Run your fingernail across the scratch. If it catches and you feel a groove with real depth, the scratch has likely penetrated the gel coat layer. Exposed fiberglass beneath looks fibrous or slightly gray rather than smooth and white. Send us a close-up photo — natural light, raking angle — and we can give you an honest read before you come in.
Both. Gel coat and cosmetic work is our day-to-day. For structural repairs — transom rebuilding, delamination, significant impact damage — we draw on 35+ years of structural fiberglass expertise through our working relationship with the Yacht Doctor. For extended structural projects, full on-site setup is available for the duration of the work. If the job requires it, we have the depth to handle it.
Text directly to (248) 916-9166. Take a wide shot for context, then get close — 12 to 18 inches from the damage in natural light. For scratches or impact damage with depth, try a raking angle with sunlight hitting from the side. That helps us see the actual profile. Most inquiries get a same-day response.
Get Started

Let's talk about
your boat.

Call or text (248) 916-9166. Send photos of the damage and most jobs get an honest initial read the same day — no obligation, no sales pitch.

Call (248) 916-9166 Text Us Photos

Drop-off · Adjacent to Western Golf & Country Club · Redford Township · $800 minimum
Mobile service · Southeastern Michigan · $1,200 minimum