Cattitude

Looks like I'll be headed to Navarre Beach/Ft. Walton in 2 weeks. I'm a freashwater guy, have an epoxy painted myco under my 28 Pantera, Dart Pro1 Alum heads, seawater cooled.

What's the sweet spot real world practical flushing answer.

Boat will most likely be trailered in and out of water daily for 5 days straight.

Do I flush every night? once after the trip? (I'll put it back in freshwater the day i get home which obviously submerses most of the trailer and flushed the engine.)

I know there are some who are more anal and will do everynight regardless, but how much corrosion is really going to happen over 5 days?

Thanks in advance for your help

The Menace

If you run a boat everyday it will be OK not to flush. Letting it set for a few days before flushing will also be OK. Once you are finished on your 5 day escapade, the entire boat should be thoroughly washed with Salt Away, including the internal flushing of the engine, chillers if any and exterior of all metal parts, pumps, battery cases, cleats, drives (especially up inside the gimble housing) etc.

If you have an Aluminum rub rail flush behind it as much as possible. Even though you will not see it the salt spray will all over your gauges, interior etc.

Have fun and welcome to the life of salt water boating.

CMG

I'd be more concerned about the trailer than the boat. No leaks in engine compartment? not going to run berzerk and get salt water in thru air vents? the exterior of motor will be fine. On your way out of FL find a fresh water lake and run motors for 15 minutes on the trailer. If you don't want to wait until you get home run salt away before leaving (I'm sure someone will have a muff set up you could borrow). The trailer, I'd rather have boat lifted off and onto the trailer and never get it wet! Salt will find a seem or blemish in the paint and it begins.

Have fun!

birdog

When i took mine to Fla for the winter i flushed EVERY night.& washed the boat. Also spayed about 3 cans of WD-40 on the motors & everything in the bilge before I started. Everything worked out great.

Cattitude

Thanks guys- I've got an Imco lower so to flush with a hose I'd need one of those $80ish flush /check valve kits that get plumbed inot the pickup line.

The trailer has a couple scratches now which already show a slight bit of surfac rust, will touch up with industrial epoxy paint after this trip. I'd be more concerned if it used rect tubing but it's a C and you can visual for rust and rinse easy. biggest rust area is the spring pack. Truth is, I'd rather have an aluminum trailer anyway..... need to sell this trailer

Do not anticipate actuall water coming in thru the vents but you never know- will put some marine corosion stuff on some engine areas. like head bolts and one or two bare spots on the block

CMG

I would touch up the scratches before not after the salt water trip! S far as an Aluminum trailer, I had a Bear (would not recommend) and used in salt water every week-end, the aluminum parts did fine - its the steel axles, springs and hardware that went to crap really fast. If I did again I'd spend some more dough and get a high end trailer, you do get what you pay for!
If you cant get a flush hooked up how about a bucket under the out drive and make a mix of salt away? save the $80 - you only need enough to displace the salt water in the motors and let it sit for 15 minutes or so, then do same with fresh water.

CMG

by the way, I'm a guy that had leaks in the engine compartment (water circulator only when revving 5k, took time to find), and had a friend that that he was funny and would soak me with his ji-normous rooster tail from his cat and of course it would get in the vents. I would deal with rusty surfaces everywhere -

birdog

You dont need water coming in the vents....just the spray....1 mile from the ocean we would have a salt film on the cars...

375stinger

exactly!, anything near saltwater is soon to be victim, weve had multiple houses on water and NOTHING lasts...we kept the stinger on a lift on big pass in sarasota, and had to flush the engines every single time we ran it. my dads first boat he ran in salt he didnt flush often at all....once they pulled it out driving it to ky the fenders fell of trailer, the prop and propshaft fell out of drive....and everything in boat was ruined... im typing from house in longboat key right now, and we are replacing door handles, fans, and our boat lift ......you do not want to slack and safe a few mintues when it comes to runnin in salt..you will be sorry...

cuda

You might want to PM Kitten, or Dangerkitty about putting a steel Myco in salt water.