Boat Rebuilds & Restoration
Ground-up restorations that bring tired hulls back to better-than-new condition.
Clearwater, Florida
Boat repair and restoration, done right the first time
Harper Marine Services LLC rebuilds transoms and floors, repairs fiberglass, replaces fuel tanks and lays down full paint jobs — owner-run out of a Clearwater shop.
- 5.0-star rated on Google
- Owner-run — Thomas does the work
- Free estimates before anything is cut
- 1337 N Highland Ave, Clearwater
Reviews
What boat owners say
Rated 5.0 on Google by owners across Clearwater and Pinellas County.
“Thomas fixed my boat fast for a good price and it's running great!”
“I worked with Thomas for a full year on a complete rebuild of my 25' Hydra Sports. He redid the transom and the floor, put in a new gas tank, did extensive fiberglass repair, and painted the entire boat inside and out. Very happy with the results.”
What we do
Marine services in Clearwater
Structural repair and finish work on skiffs, bay boats and offshore rigs — including the jobs bigger yards would rather not take on.
Transom Repair & Replacement
Rotted or soft transoms rebuilt to hold power and take a beating offshore.
Floor & Deck Replacement
Soft spots cut out and replaced with solid, properly sealed structure.
Fiberglass Repair
Cracks, holes, stress damage and structural glasswork finished seamlessly.
Gas Tank Replacement
Leaking or corroded fuel tanks removed and replaced safely to spec.
Boat Painting
Interior and exterior paint with a deep, durable, showroom-grade finish.
General Boat Repair & Maintenance
General repairs and upkeep to keep your boat safe and on the water.
Not sure what it needs?
Send a few photos or call and Thomas will tell you straight what the job takes.
Our work
Recent projects out of the shop
Real photos from Clearwater jobs — transoms, decks, paint and trailer rebuilds.
Fiberglass repair
Impact and stress damage tapered, re-laminated and color matched to the hull.
Hull paint — in the booth
Faired hull sprayed in gloss black under cover, masked off and finished panel by panel.
Hull paint — finished
The same hull back outside on its trailer with a deep black finish and clean white sheer line.
Center console rebuild
Structure, deck and rigging sorted out, then back on the trailer ready for the water.
General repair & service
Everyday fixes — rigging, outboard mounting, hardware and finish work on all boat types.
Trailer rebuild
Frame stripped and rebuilt in the shop — bunks, rollers, winch stand and running gear.
Why Harper Marine
A small shop that takes structure seriously
Harper Marine Services is a hands-on repair and restoration shop on N Highland Ave in Clearwater, from quick fiberglass patches to year-long full-boat rebuilds.
- Structure before finish
- Nothing gets glassed or painted over a soft spot. Coring gets probed, rot gets mapped, and the fix goes back to solid laminate.
- One set of hands on your boat
- Thomas quotes the job and Thomas does the job — no rotating crews and no subcontractors.
- A firm scope before work starts
- You get a written scope and a real number up front, plus photo updates as the project moves.
How a job runs
Call or send photos
Tell us the boat and the problem. Requests are answered within one business day.
Inspection and written estimate
Thomas looks the boat over in person, maps the damage and prices the actual scope.
Work in the shop, updates as it goes
Structure first, systems next, finish last — with a walkthrough before the boat leaves.
Common questions
Before you bring the boat in
Turnaround, estimates and insurance work — the questions Clearwater owners ask most.
- How long does a boat repair take?
- Small fiberglass and gelcoat repairs usually turn around in a few days. Transom or floor work typically runs two to four weeks depending on how much structure is involved. Full rebuilds can take several months — Thomas gives you a realistic schedule up front and keeps you updated with photos as the project moves.
- Do you give free estimates?
- Yes. Estimates are free. Call the shop at (727) 330-5786, or send photos and a short description through the contact form and you'll get an honest ballpark before the boat ever comes in.
- Do you handle insurance claims or survey work?
- Yes. Harper Marine Services documents damage with photos and written detail for insurance claims, and works from pre-purchase survey punch lists so you know exactly what was corrected.
- What types and brands of boats do you service?
- Center consoles, bay boats, flats skiffs, bowriders, cuddy cabins and small offshore boats — generally up to about 30 feet. Brand doesn't matter: Hydra-Sports, Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, Grady-White, Key West, Carolina Skiff and plenty of older no-name hulls have all come through the shop.
Need a straight answer on your boat?
Call the shop or send a few photos. Thomas will tell you what the job actually takes.