Boat Rebuilds & Restoration
Ground-up restorations that bring tired hulls back to better-than-new condition.
Learn more →Clearwater, Florida
Boat repair & restorationdone 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, with honest pricing and work that holds up on the Gulf.
5.0 Google ratingFree estimates
- 5.0-star ratedOn Google, from Clearwater boat owners
- Owner-runThomas does the work himself
- Locally ownedOne shop on N Highland Ave, Clearwater
- Free estimatesHonest scope before anything is cut
Need a repair before a trip?Call the shop directly instead of using the form — Thomas will tell you honestly whether it can be worked in.
What we do
Marine services in Clearwater
Whether it's a weekend skiff or a 25-foot offshore rig, Thomas takes on the jobs other shops turn away.
Transom Repair & Replacement
Rotted or soft transoms rebuilt to hold power and take a beating offshore.
Learn more →Floor & Deck Replacement
Soft spots cut out and replaced with solid, properly sealed structure.
Learn more →Fiberglass Repair
Cracks, holes, stress damage and structural glasswork finished seamlessly.
Learn more →Gas Tank Replacement
Leaking or corroded fuel tanks removed and replaced safely to spec.
Learn more →Boat Painting
Interior and exterior paint with a deep, durable, showroom-grade finish.
Learn more →General Boat Repair & Maintenance
General repairs and upkeep to keep your boat safe and on the water.
Learn more →Not sure what it needs?
Send a few photos or call and Thomas will tell you straight what the job takes.
Why Harper Marine
Why Clearwater owners pick this shop
A small shop on N Highland Ave that takes structure seriously — and tells you the truth about what your boat needs.
Structure before finish
Nothing gets glassed or painted over a soft spot to hide it. Coring gets probed, rot gets mapped, and the fix goes all the way back to solid laminate.
One set of hands on your boat
Thomas quotes the job and Thomas does the job. No rotating crews, no subcontractors, no telling a different story than the guy who looked at it.
Jobs other shops turn away
Transoms, stringers, fuel tanks and year-long rebuilds — the messy structural work bigger yards would rather not price.
Straight pricing, no surprise invoices
You get a firm scope and a real number before work starts, plus photo updates as the project moves.
What to expect
How a job runs, start to finish
No mystery and no runaround. This is the same sequence every boat follows through the Clearwater shop.
- Step 1
Contact or book
Call the shop or send a booking request with your boat, the problem and a few photos. Requests are answered within one business day.
- Step 2
Inspection & estimate
Thomas looks the boat over in person — probing core, checking structure and mapping soft spots — then gives you a written scope and a real number before anything is cut.
- Step 3
Work begins
Once you approve the scope, the boat goes into the shop on N Highland Ave and the work starts in order: structure first, systems next, finish last.
- Step 4
Updates along the way
You get photos and progress notes as the job moves, and a call before any change that affects the price or the timeline.
- Step 5
Completion & handoff
The boat gets a final walkthrough with you so you can see exactly what was done and how it was done before it leaves the shop.
Ready to start? Request an appointment or send photos for a quote.
Reviews
What boat owners say
Rated 5.0 stars 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.”
About the shop
Meet Thomas Harper
Harper Marine Services is a hands-on boat repair and restoration shop on N Highland Ave in Clearwater. Thomas does the work himself — no rotating crews, no guesswork, no surprise invoices.
From quick fiberglass patches to year-long, full-boat rebuilds, every job gets the same attention: solid structure underneath, clean finish on top, and clear communication the whole way through.
Read more about the shop →- 5.0
- Google review rating
- 25'+
- Full rebuilds completed
- Owner-run
- Thomas does the work
- Clearwater
- Local Gulf Coast shop
Our work
Recent work out of the shop
Real photos from Clearwater jobs — transoms, decks, paint and trailer rebuilds. See the full gallery, including a start-to-finish rebuild.
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.
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.
Boat care tips
Know what your boat needs
Plain-English guides on transom rot, repaint timing, fiberglass repair and what a rebuild actually involves.
Signs Your Boat's Transom Needs Repair
Flex under the outboard, stress cracks around the motor bracket and water weeping from old screw holes all point the same direction. Here's how to read the symptoms.
How Often Should You Repaint Your Boat?
Gelcoat, topside paint and bottom paint all age on different clocks — and Gulf Coast sun shortens every one of them. Here's how to know when it's time.
Fiberglass Repair: DIY vs. Professional
Cosmetic gelcoat chips are a weekend job. Anything that goes through the laminate or carries load is a different conversation entirely.
What to Expect During a Boat Rebuild
A full rebuild is the biggest job a boat goes through. Here's the sequence, why timelines move, and what a good shop should be telling you along the way.
What Drives the Cost of a Boat Transom Repair
Transom quotes vary widely for good reasons. Here are the factors that move the number, and the questions worth asking before you compare two estimates.
Service area
Serving Clearwater and the Gulf Coast
Boat owners bring work to the shop from Clearwater, Dunedin, Largo, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor, Belleair, Tarpon Springs, St. Petersburg, Seminole, Pinellas Park, Oldsmar, Indian Rocks Beach and the rest of Pinellas County.
Need a straight answer on your boat?
Call the shop or send a few photos. Thomas will tell you what the job actually takes.